HVX Battery Mount Issue

Well, everything was groovy until this morning.
Was out on a prairie shooting wildflowers and put the HVX in my porta brace bag.

Came home and took the battery off and noticed that the two lower tabs are now broken. They're still attached so I'll try the super glue fix and see how that goes.

I hope Panasonic comes up with a fix because I would hate to lose a once in a lifetime shot because the battery slipped and shut the camera off.

I think with this many cameras having broken tabs it's definitely the HVX's Achilles Heel and should be fixed.

I could see if it was an isolated case but it sounds like an awful lot of cameras are snapping tabs. It's a design flaw that Panasonic should correct. Not only in future cameras but all the ones that are out there.
 
Yes. To repeat... I hope someone produces a better power connector. I mean.. what kind of a design cloud were they on to make them think that the cord should be jammed in the battery on the other side.. Makes absolutely no sense and worries me each and every time the dental floss power is connected to the cam... I also carefully put each battery in.. but it will only be time until a cam assist.. or PA or a friend puts another battery on and snaps the buggers off.. and then I have to chop that person in the throat.. and call it an act of HVX passion...

All things considered.... really the only design flaw.. Besides the mike holder. I could do without that one!
 
Always remove the battery, do not transport the unit with the battery attached. This really is a design flaw and one that seems inevitable with normal use. I suspect Panny will fix these for free but dont expect an announcement of such. Doing so would cause EVERYONE to send in their camera for preventative maintenance. They are probably trying to figure out if it is a batch of HVX's or a universal issue.


ash =o)
 
I hope for the best but expect the worst in this situation - Cant someone create a DIY fix using velcro straps or something that would work 100% of the time ? I would pay $$ for that. . ..
 
.. Ive also noticed if I put a dab of light (WD40) oil on the tabs and power connection on the battery, there is little to no resistance for the battery coming on or off but there is a tight fit once the battery is on. Ive also noticed the stock Panasonic 5400 battery gives the most resistance (compared to OEM 6000mah batteries I purchased on Ebay) going on or coming off the camera even after the oil job, more resistance, more likely to apply more pressure to the tabs in a rush. . .
 
What if we put a light/thin coat of epoxy on the tabs to strengthen them, if they are not currently broken. Would that help, or make it too tigh a fit and break off the previously fine tabs:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
I'd recommend against. You can't really be certain how/if the chemicals in the epoxy might react with that plastic. And, even a light coat will reduce clearance, possibly making a tighter fit (especially if the epoxy isn't completely dry . . . whoa!!!)

;-)
 
With the ease these things are snapping off, it's pretty pointless to send the cameras in for repair until Panasonic beefs up the tabs. They'll just snap right back off.

I'll have to go out and get some Velcro or something incase I'm out in the boonies and the other tabs break off.
 
RayFrisby said:
...but this battery adaptor from Special Comm might help in an emergency.

http://www.spec-comm.com/SLS-DVX.php
Click to expand...

Actually, that one might not work, at least it WON'T fit the DVX (does the HVX have the same connection size as the DVX??).

We could easily make this adapter to fit the HVX though, if there is a demand/need. It would just be a matter of using a different connector.
 
I guess I don't understand how this is going to power up my camera if there are no tabs to keep anything in place on the camera?

I always carry some gaffer's tape. I'd probably just wrap it around the camera and body to hold it together.
 
I noticed with the battery in place there is a little play when you jiggle the battery. There is also a gap on the top part and a smaller gap at the bottom. Seems if there is significant pressure put on the battery there is enough play and space to snap the tabs. A way that might prevent breakage would be to find some kind of rubber or folded over pieces of gaffer tape shims to slide into those gaps closing up the space if you haven't broken any tabs yet.
 
TylerD said:
Thanks RayFrisby, looks like the trick for now. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


We make those adapters to fit our VIDLED lights (so you can run the VIDLED light off the DVX/HVX battery.)
But like I mentioned earlier, if the HVX has the same connector as the DVX (4.75mm OD with a 1.7mm pin) we CAN make those adapters; but the adapter in the link supplied by RayFrisby will not fit the DVX.
 
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Ok, I got it now. Had to look at my HVX to see where it would plug in.
Yeah, I'd definitely go for one of those if they made it to plug into the HVX.
 
So what i have done, my tabs are not broken, is to attach a battery and fill the spaces on the top and bottom of the compartment with pieces of gaffer tape making sure not to make it too thick and put pressure on the tabs. I then taped those pieces to the batteries. No more space for the battery to move or jiggle. The snugness also forces me to attach and remove that battery more carefully and not at an oblique angle. And might be helpful for rigs where there is a lot of vibration like car shots.
I think the combination of the space and the weight of the battery held on by weak plasctic tabs allows for any force to push the battery to angles that create the breakage even in a carry bag. Until Panasonic addresses this properly I think this might do the trick.
 
vidled said:
We could easily make this adapter to fit the HVX though, if there is a demand/need. It would just be a matter of using a different connector.
Click to expand...

....an adapter that would power the HVX with Anton Bauer bats would be nice.......pretty please????
 
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