Simply the name of the game when it comes to powering your video system.
In recent years, we’ve all gone deep into our heads that, when it comes to camera gear, smaller is better. In fact, it’s always been one of the main selling points when pushing photographers to switch from DSLR to mirrorless is the promise of weight savings and more nimble gear. Whether that actually flushes out on its own can be a matter of opinion. For me personally, I’ve found that my mirrorless cameras, once lenses and accessories are added, tend to be as big as their DSLRs in most cases. Maybe this is related to my personal use case. Needless to say, however, any advantages I gained when I switched to mirrorless cameras had very little to do with the device’s size.
In fact, in many ways my rig has gotten bigger. But, perhaps, not for the reason you might suspect. The main advantage for me in switching to mirrorless is the opportunity to provide better video options to my clients. While larger cinema camera systems still do most of the heavy lifting, modern mirrorless cameras have evolved to the point of using a B cam on larger production or as a cams for smaller productions are often a smart choice.
However, despite the promise of being able to shoot the next Saving Private Ryan with a camera that’s only heavier than a cell phone, the reality is that, even when choosing a mirrorless camera, filmmaking often requires a lot more than it does. with running and shooting. . This is because filmmaking is essentially a team sport. While it often makes sense to use the smallest and lightest possible system for still photography, when it comes to filmmaking, it’s not always practical to keep things small.
When shooting in a proper production environment, you are not operating in a bubble. There are plenty of other people who need to follow your every step and offer their own contributions. So, for example, focus pullers need to see what you see so they can keep your images sharp (or distortion-free if that’s creative). The recorder may need to have access to your camera’s XLR port. Wireless transmitters may be sending additional feeds to the video village. Many combinations are possible.
So by the time the cameras started shooting most of the work, the small, lightweight camera you see in the commercial closely resembles an unrecognizable metal octopus. And, as if figuring out how to organize all those different elements wasn’t enough, you run into a second problem. How do you power all these different devices?
Of course, many of these components may come with their own batteries. Specialty cameras will have several types of internal power supplies with varying levels of life support. The external monitor can be attached with a standard battery on the market. Mics can often use phantom sources. External EVFs can drain other battery solutions. But wouldn’t it be great if all of this could run on a single power source? This is where using a larger external source, such as a V-mount, can be a game changer for your productivity.
External batteries come in many varieties. Personally, I always have a little V-ring in my bag. Other systems use Gold mounted batteries. With the new Arri’s Alexa 35, they announced the introduction of the B-mount battery system. These batteries all have their differences and are not exactly the same. However, for the purposes of our discussion today, the founding concept is similar: there is one pin to rule them all.
Why do you want to do this? Any other reason? Speed and simplicity. If you’ve ever built a video system, you know that creating the right balance and connecting everything you need can sometimes get complicated. It’s not rocket science. It might just be a little pain in the neck. So, while assembling your rig from the start is as tedious as it can be, the last thing you want to do is take it all apart every time one of your components runs out of juice. If you have multiple components, all with varying battery life, you could spend half a day replacing the batteries one by one. By turning off everything on one battery, you have only one device to change without requiring and disassembling.
You also have the benefit of only needing to bring one type of battery to set up. Have you ever been on set and realized you have five different batteries, five different battery chargers, and five different types of headaches when tracking them all? Normalizing your power supply can fix that.
You can also guess from the sheer size of most external batteries that they are capable of holding significantly more power than even the highest rated camera batteries. So if you’re not only planning on powering multiple devices, but you’re also going to have to do so for an extended day of shooting, starting the morning with the biggest battery possible will allow you to shoot for extended periods of time. without interruption. This may not seem like much, but the last thing you want to do is use your small mirrorless battery to eliminate ghosting right in the middle of the best time of day.
There are different ways to connect to V-mount depending on your system. The simplest way, assuming your camera doesn’t have some kind of built-in connection, is to buy a V-mount. Usually this works by connecting your camera to the “rail”, then the sled is also connected to the track. You can then run the wire from your camera, monitor, etc., straight to the sled, or possibly, directly to the battery. Different sleds come with different gates. So if you need multiple D taps, USB ports, 5, 7 and 12-volt connections, etc., you’ll find many of these on snowmobiles. By connecting a V-mount battery to the sled, it is possible to power all of those ports simultaneously.
There are many companies that produce external power supplies. Example: I just received Mini V SmallRig mount VB99. It comes in 155 Wh, 99 Wh, and 50 Wh versions (you’ll want to keep travel restrictions in mind when choosing your V-mount). One of the cool things about this particular phone is that it has an OLED display that lets you know the power status of your devices to avoid surprises while recording. I have other V mount models that don’t have this feature and can say from experience that knowledge can be a lifesaver. It also has direct D-tap, USB-A, USB-C, as well as 8 V and 12 V connections. So if you’re using this without a sled, it gives you Multiple options for direct connection.
Another interesting thing about SmallRig, a trend in modern battery design, is that companies are starting to produce Mini V Mount batteries that reduce space while maintaining power. How they do this is beyond my personal understanding of how energy works. However, what I can tell you is that having a smaller battery that can still power all day is a big advantage over a long day. And, if you often find yourself balancing something like RED Komodo On gimbal, the smaller battery can make it difficult to balance your device.
There are many external power supplies and methods of assembling them on the market. What works best for you will depend on the type of system you’re working with and your specific needs. But there’s a good chance that, if you’re really serious about video recording, considering external power sources will make your life a lot easier and your recording a lot smoother.
