C500: V-mount batteries for all-day use on C500 II

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seanadl

Active member
I'm looking for a good set of V-mount batteries and charger for the EU-V2 on the C500 ii - something that I can essentially use all day long without worrying about losing power.

While one battery is on, the other 1 or 2 can be charging, and have them rotating all day.

Any recommendations?

I've been recommended x2 Hawk-Woods VL-M98 with a dual Hawk-Woods charging unit. The total for all that is close to £900 and I'm not sure I'd be able to run all day without stopping and allowing more time to recharge the second battery.
 
seanadl said:
I've been recommended x2 Hawk-Woods VL-M98 with a dual Hawk-Woods charging unit. .
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Don't expect too much from these batteries. it's only 98W
I have them on various cameras (EVA1 plus viewfinder + NinjaV, S1 Portkeys HH7) and I don't make it with two batteries over the day. The C500ii has even higher consumption. Also there's not much difference in runtime to the cheapo Patona V95 nano for almost half the price. hth.
 
What would be a good set of batteries to get do you think? Don't mind going bigger if it means getting the job done.
 
Keep in mind that the Canon BP A60 batteries are 90wh so getting a v-mount that's 98wh isn't going to do much for you on that front. (If I understand watt hours correctly)
 
Yep, that's what I thought too. One reason to use a v-mount is to get more run time out of the camera.

I've not used v-mount batteries before, so I'm a complete newbie when it comes to brands. I want a set of batteries/charger that will last, built solidly, and will keep the camera in operation all day long.
 
seanadl said:
I'm looking for a good set of V-mount batteries and charger for the EU-V2 on the C500 ii - something that I can essentially use all day long without worrying about losing power.

While one battery is on, the other 1 or 2 can be charging, and have them rotating all day.

Any recommendations?

I've been recommended x2 Hawk-Woods VL-M98 with a dual Hawk-Woods charging unit. The total for all that is close to £900 and I'm not sure I'd be able to run all day without stopping and allowing more time to recharge the second battery.
Click to expand...

I've been using a Soonwell B-230V. They are a Chinese brand but use top quality cells, and have very positive ratings online. Their 230wh battery can handle a high draw device like the C500II, and they are very reasonable at $230-250 each. I bought 2, with a charger for use with an Aputure 300d II for around 750 and they have been great. Two of them should power your camera for at least 8 hours.
 
seanadl said:
I'm looking for a good set of V-mount batteries and charger for the EU-V2 on the C500 ii - something that I can essentially use all day long without worrying about losing power.

While one battery is on, the other 1 or 2 can be charging, and have them rotating all day.

Any recommendations?

I've been recommended x2 Hawk-Woods VL-M98 with a dual Hawk-Woods charging unit. The total for all that is close to £900 and I'm not sure I'd be able to run all day without stopping and allowing more time to recharge the second battery.
Click to expand...

The C500 MKII draws around 45w so you'll only get around two hours with one of those 98wh batteries. If you go for bigger batteries ie 235wh then be aware you can't fly with them.
 
A: the C500ii with a few 150wh vlocks and a BP allow for hot swapping all day

B: the start up time on the C500ii is so fast, there is little downside to powering down in most types of shoots. The BP canon battery and wooden camera plate allow for hot swapping, so, either way. On a film set you could almost say “repatching” rather than swapping a brick, and no one would even notice (unless your focus motors don’t automatically turn back on and resume, etc etc)

C: idx makes some mini batteries now, so you can get a two slot v mount plate and run two 150wh batteries at the same time.
 
How big do you want to go? I can shoot literally all day on my F55 or C300 with my Core 190's or 230's. The 190's are fairly lightweight in my book and they split in two to meet airline carry-on requirements. Mine are Gold Mount, but they are available in V-Mount, as well.
 
James0b57 said:
A: the C500ii with a few 150wh vlocks and a BP allow for hot swapping all day

B: the start up time on the C500ii is so fast, there is little downside to powering down in most types of shoots. The BP canon battery and wooden camera plate allow for hot swapping, so, either way. On a film set you could almost say “repatching” rather than swapping a brick, and no one would even notice (unless your focus motors don’t automatically turn back on and resume, etc etc)

C: idx makes some mini batteries now, so you can get a two slot v mount plate and run two 150wh batteries at the same time.
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If I have the EU-V2 expansion unit attached, will I still be able to use the BP batter to hot swap?
 
Run&Gun said:
How big do you want to go? I can shoot literally all day on my F55 or C300 with my Core 190's or 230's. The 190's are fairly lightweight in my book and they split in two to meet airline carry-on requirements. Mine are Gold Mount, but they are available in V-Mount, as well.
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A Core 230 would last 5 hours on the C500MKII.
 
seanadl said:
If I have the EU-V2 expansion unit attached, will I still be able to use the BP batter to hot swap?
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I don’t think so. Would be cool if they made it that way, but i doubt it.

The Wooden Camera battery plate works though. And for cinema, i don’t see the need for the EU-V2 expander. But for doc and epk, sure.

Look into the dual v-mout plates. Those allow for hot swapping, and two 150wh mini v-lock batteries are about the same size as one standard sized brick.

Also, Switronix sells a hot swap plate, called the EVO or something, but i am unsure anout the QC from switronix.
 
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Run&Gun said:
How big do you want to go? I can shoot literally all day on my F55 or C300 with my Core 190's or 230's. The 190's are fairly lightweight in my book and they split in two to meet airline carry-on requirements. Mine are Gold Mount, but they are available in V-Mount, as well.
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I believe the power draw of the F55 to be less than the C500ii? They are comparable though.
 
James0b57 said:
They are comparable though.
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No, they really aren't. F55 is nearly half the power draw of the C500 MKII.

I have a travel-friendly, lightweight set-up for the C500 MKII using 6 BP-A60 batteries (90wh) and two BP-A30 (43wh). That would give me around 15 hours of continuous use though in practice it's more than enough to shoot doco style for a couple of days without having to fire-up the chargers.

I also have EU-V2 unit and have a bunch of V-lock batteries of various sizes. There are lots of good makes of V-lock and good deals to be had - IDX for example often do a deal on two batteries and a charger. Other good makes are Hawk woods, Core and Swit. Look for batteries with a D-tap for additional accessories (the V2 only has one) and look for high output if you want to use them on lights like the Aputure 300D.

For a ten-hour continuous runtime you'd need around 450watts. If you have a fast charger you can get away with less if you can charge up, but if you can charge up, you can plug-in to mains so you'd only need one battery as a back-up to the AC supply.

If going with V-locks remember they are a pain to travel with. Swit makes a battery that splits in two to get around the regulations which might be worth looking at if you plan on flying.
 
Liam Hall said:
No, they really aren't. F55 is nearly half the power draw of the C500 MKII.

I have a travel-friendly, lightweight set-up for the C500 MKII using 6 BP-A60 batteries (90wh) and two BP-A30 (43wh). That would give me around 15 hours of continuous use though in practice it's more than enough to shoot doco style for a couple of days without having to fire-up the chargers.

I also have EU-V2 unit and have a bunch of V-lock batteries of various sizes. There are lots of good makes of V-lock and good deals to be had - IDX for example often do a deal on two batteries and a charger. Other good makes are Hawk woods, Core and Swit. Look for batteries with a D-tap for additional accessories (the V2 only has one) and look for high output if you want to use them on lights like the Aputure 300D.

For a ten-hour continuous runtime you'd need around 450watts. If you have a fast charger you can get away with less if you can charge up, but if you can charge up, you can plug-in to mains so you'd only need one battery as a back-up to the AC supply.

If going with V-locks remember they are a pain to travel with. Swit makes a battery that splits in two to get around the regulations which might be worth looking at if you plan on flying.
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Are you saying canon recording XFAVC is pulling more than 50w?

In their official specifications, Canon rates the C500ii at 30w draw in XFAVC. Sony rates body only at 25w in XAVC.

The F55 raw recorder is rated at 23w pull.

Meaning running raw on the F55 is potentially pulling more power than the C500ii running raw? Canon rates at 35w draw in raw mode.

Now, if you are saying the C500ii is pulling 2x the amount of power of the F55, and they are both running avc and manual focus, then Canon needs to find a more accurate way to spec their cameras.


If the F55 was shooting raw, it would be pulling close to 50wh. No?
 
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James0b57 said:
Are you saying canon recording XFAVC is pulling more than 50w?

In their official specifications, Canon rates the C500ii at 30w draw in XFAVC. Sony rates body only at 25w in XAVC.
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A fully charged BP-A60 (90wh) will give you around 135 minutes shooting XFAVC. Less if the fan is working overtime and you are using continuous AF.
 
Liam Hall said:
A fully charged BP-A60 (90wh) will give you around 135 minutes shooting XFAVC. Less if the fan is working overtime and you are using continuous AF.
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And you get over 4hrs with a 90wh battery on the F55?
 
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