Paglink batteries

[Antti Pirskanen]

I recently received PL96e Paglink batteries for my Scarlet-X. The in-camera battery remaining percentage display doesn't work with the APU-IDX V-mount plate, but other than that, they do work as advertised. I also ordered a PL96t with a numerical LCD display but that one wasn't delivered yet. I think it's still being field tested.

They can be used and charged while linked. Hot swapping works and the time remaining display on the batteries themselves adjusts itself depending on the size of the battery stack. When you click on a button on the battery it displays the capacity of that battery with a 5 segment led. When you click the button a second time, it displays the time remaining for the entire stack.

I also got the PL16 two channel charger that charges 8 batteries in 9 hours. It has a built in 100W power supply with a 4-pin XLR connector. The charger has a fan, but it's not very loud. Maybe about the same as the Scarlet fan at 35-40%.

So far, I've been happy with this battery solution. I went for V-mount instead of AB because V-mount quite prevalent here in Europe.

[Curt Pair]

Antti,

I too have acquired some PagLink batteries and LOVE them! I travel quite extensively. These babies are "certified" for air-travel with no restrictions! I've noticed that they last quite a long time. I have a "massive commitment" to Anton Bauer with four chargers and about 20 batteries in total... however, more than 2/3 are reaching the end of their life cycle... so I started looking at my options. I purchased some IDX "Gold mount to V mount" adapters so I don't have to replace each and every battery plate on my equipment. (I own many cameras, and some by other manufacturers).

I'll say this... on our power hungry F800 camera... we wer able to shoot with just 3 batteries all day long! I would have had to use at least four Hytron 140s! I was impressed!

I think once the word gets out on these bad boys, they will take off in a big way!

[Rex Phillips]

Never heard of them.

[Michael Lindsay]

I have bought 2 chargers and 8 batteries... If PAG iron out a few tinny niggles then they will be really difficult to beat.. Then we will buy more and it is a ideal system for nearly everything we do. The way you can power from 1,2 or 3 batteries and charge loads on a tiny charger is fantastically flexible

I spent 40min over there and they seem sharp and committed.. Their power hub and micro charger are also very interesting

Ps Pag has been around for ages

[Mike Garrick]

Hey Antti ...nice batteries never heard of them look interesting.

A word of warning about "piggy backing" those batteries if you don't have the back secured with those stainless screws. Apparently the camera mount can fail, heres a link to the thread.

http://reduser.net/forum/showthread....ic-Back-Module

P.S. Can you post a link for where the batteries are sold ?

[Steve Phillipps]

P.S. Can you post a link for where the batteries are sold ?

Not too expensive either http://www.prokit.co.uk/index.php?vi...Battery-System Also looks like you can piggyback them on the charger too, so you can put upto 8 on a 2 channel charger! http://www.prokit.co.uk/index.php?vi...aglink-Charger
Steve

[Steve Phillipps]

Just notice Antti mentioned the charging thing already, sorry!

Antti, how are you finding the loupe that attaches to the touch LCD? As good as a Bomb EVF?

Steve

[Antti Pirskanen]

Antti, how are you finding the loupe that attaches to the touch LCD? As good as a Bomb EVF?

Steve, I haven't used the Bomb EVF, but the Grid Suportes loupe is certainly good enough for using the touch LCD in bright sunlight. There is some distortion at the edges, but it's really not an issue IMHO. The magnetic attachment is quite secure and firm, but I would still prefer a more secure, locking attachment to the LCD. It's great value for money for sure. I use the side handle for UI functions when the loupe is attached.

Mike, I purchased the batteries from Production Gear Ltd in UK. Thanks for the warning about the potential breakage of the back of the camera. I think that most of the time I'll be using one battery only, but I still have to verify that hot swapping works with the side handle redvolts too.

[Antti Pirskanen]

I did some testing with 3.2.19 firmware. The hot swapping of the v-mount battery works as expected when there is a redvolt in the side handle. Also, it switches over to the side handle battery seamlessly when the v-mount battery dies. But I just can't figure out why the capacity information doesn't work in the viewfinder. Does it work with some other brand of third party V-mount batteries?

[Mike P.]

I think most 3rd party batteries only send over voltage info (15v and then when it gets down to ~12v you should consider swapping). There are a few that send %, but I was under the impression that it was NOT plate related, but battery related. I'm really digging the battery piggybacking...