Batteries: AB vs V mount

[Jake Wilganowski]

Im a huge fan of AB mount vs V. Smaller batteries and with a more secure locking connector. Why are vmounts so popular?

 

[Wil Wong]

I think like the old days of PC versus Mac, V-mounts are made by multiple companies and established itself as the norm due to accessibility and cost. AB third party batteries were more rare but are now becoming available too.

Currently, I think AB batteries still cost more. I also think both batteries weigh pretty close to the same. The AB batteries tend to be fatter while the V-mount tends to be taller (thus looking odder on a Epic/Scarlet).

I wish we'd get something lighter and smaller from these manufacturers but currently it doesn't seem like this technology is evolving any time soon.

Red has the Volt XL and hopefully the single back attachment coming soon but those batteries still don't currently last as long. Might be lighter and smaller but less powerful and without a D-tap, can be tricky to power anything else (like wireless follow focus or wireless HDMI video).

There is also those LiPos batteries but who knows how good they are and long they last. We'll see what happens in the Gimbal world.

Given the choice of AB over V-Mount, I like V-mount cause their cheaper for the same amount of power. AB original or knockoff still seem pretty expensive by comparison.

 

[Jake Wilganowski]

Interesting, I never realized that V mounts were cheaper. I currently use the Anton Baur HC series. Incredibly light and small. I have several monitors outfitted with AB plates and I always have to check when renting them out what battery system they are using. It's easy to forget not everyone uses the same power : )

I do personally dislike the way Vmount batteries protrude past the top of Epic, but it seems a lot more owner ops here have Vmount...

 

[Jake Wilganowski]

What's up with the new little Sony Vmount batteries? I used them on the F55, nice and small. Anyone using those on Red?

 

[Curt Pair]

Im a huge fan of AB mount vs V. Smaller batteries and with a more secure locking connector. Why are vmounts so popular?

Jake,

I've been an AB user for 20 years... however, I've started using V's as well? You ask why? It's simple math... AB is just flat out more expensive! Take a Dionic 160 for example... I think they're about $960 or so... You can get another third party brand 220 LiOn for $370! http://www.kerma.biz/Products/Batteries/DS-220A.html If you're math skills are up to snuff, you notice that the "official" ABs are about 2.5 times more expensive! Even AB themselves say their batteries (LiOn) are only guaranteed to last 18 months. These days camera operators now have to own more batteries than ever before... Gone are the days when you owned four ABs for your camera, and one of them could be used on a 9" field monitor if you needed to, and it ran all day! No...now we have higher power consumption cameras, HD monitors, scopes, recorders, LED lights, Wireless video & wireless audio products, tablets, motors, gimbals, jibs, steadicams, all sorts of things, and some how all that falls onto the camera op to power!

I always stayed clear of V mount because I had some issues with them years and years ago. The mount didn't seem as secure as Gold mount. I have a buddy, Alex, who had all V mount stuff for his Red One and said when ever he inverted the camera, the batteries fell off! I believe that to be more of a feature of the mount than the battery. I've tried a TON of V-mounts in the last two years, and will say, I didn't suffer the same fate as Alex. The V's seem VERY secure now. I like that!

One 'weird' thing I've noticed about the difference between V and AB... AB's have an OPTION for a variety of 'plates' to be used behind them, where V's don't! I use wireless audio everyday... I like to be free to roam from my audio guy and NOT tethered to them. We use ZaxCom wireless camera hops daily. I'm the odd duck out there that hasn't had a single audio issue recording straight to Epic, so that's our primary audio source! I think because most cameras (Sony, Red, etc) have a built in V mount of sorts, ABs need an additional battery plate, and therefore, they allow for a back plate with a 90° that allows us to attach a box to the camera directly that houses the wireless audio. (This is my PRIMARY reason for using AB right now!) (I'm working on a way to do the same with V mounts!)

The unfortunate thing about AB Gold mounts is that their batteries ONLY work on their chargers! I have been told the batteries and chargers have a chip that makes some sort of "hand shake..." So if you use AB, you MUST have their entire system. V-Mounts on the other hand were invented by Sony. They allow a TON of manufacturers to create them. Any V mount battery will charge on any V-mount charger! That's pretty awesome if you do a lot of traveling.

Speaking of traveling... until about 2007 or so... I noticed that Europe primarily used V mounts, while the majority of the US used "Gold Mount." With the advent of all these lower priced alternatives like Global Media Pro, Batteries 4 Broadcast, SWIT, and Kerma, the prices started falling. Red also came into play, and they used V mount... In the last 3-4 years, I've seen V mounts take off like crazy in my area. I've noticed that even rental houses that were AB for decades have made the switch for the same reasons: need more batteries to power more stuff! The V's in general, have been 'smaller' in watt hours, up until recently when both are the same, so many have considered them to be "lighter" in weight. Now, the truth is they are about the same.

For me? I need a minimum of 16 batteries to run a full day! I feel you need six for a camera system (especially if you're running a camera, additional recorder, wireless audio interface, wireless video, wireless follow focus & tri-level sync), 4 for each monitor you use, and three for each LED you have... so if you have two LEDs, you need 6 more batteries! I also feel you need "simultaneous" chargers! Owning two from AB... I can tell you they're about $2500 or they were when I bought them, I think they've fallen to about $1500 now. Charging a MINIMUM of 8 batteries at a time is a necessity! The concurrent chargers no longer suffice!

I'm like so many out there... I've got about 24 AB batteries that are needing to be replaced soon... I'm trying to decide what to do. I don't have the money to replace them all with their original manufacturer. I'm now looking at my alternatives, including: IDX, Pag, Swit, Batteries 4 Broadcast, Global Media, Dracast, and Kerma. These days, price is a huge factor. I love some of the features of the IDX batteries too! They have USB ports on their batteries to power RedMotes, wireless video, etc. WAY cool! IDX also has an 8 position simultaneous charger that can charge V mount, NP1 and BP-90 units! That saves a charger for my audio rig while on the road!

I absolutely fell in love with the PagLink batteries when I used them. I really wanted to move completely to that system! I love the linking feature! IDX has the same thing, but max out at two batteries linked together. I only ever really linked 3 PAGs together in the field... I think it's AWESOME that a 2 position charger can charge all 16 batteries overnight! It's a MUCH smaller footprint while traveling! However, those batteries are quite expensive. You need 16 to 'equal' 8 Dionic 160s. I think I'd need a total of 26 batteries in all! (at $550 retail that's $14,300!)

If I go with the "Kerma" batteries at 220 Watt hours, and a cost of $370 per battery, that's $9620 nearly a 35% savings! Honestly, I think I'd get a mixture of the 220Wh and the new "Swit" split level 86Wh batteries I can fly with! Those are $430 per unit, and it's like getting two "90Wh" batteries in the process... Other companies charge that for the single 90Wh battery! I think I'd got with 8 of the Swit Split batteries ($3440) and 8 of the 220Wh ($2960). That totals $6400. Sure, I'll need some V chargers too... that 8 position IDX is looking mighty sexy!

So you ask why folks use the V mounts and not AB? It boils down to PRICE! (You can bounce between many manufacturers and still use the same chargers).

 

[Jake Wilganowski]

Thanks Curt. Have you had a chance to use or see the small vmount batteries Sony released with the f55?

 

[Curt Pair]

Thanks Curt. Have you had a chance to use or see the small vmount batteries Sony released with the f55?

I have seen them at trade shows! I LOVE the new technology, but no, I haven't had an opportunity to actually try them. I don't see ANY reason why they wouldn't work on ANY camera!

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Before I go with the V mount form Sony which are only 7.5Amps, I would go with the RED XL Redvolts which are 89vh, and once the single Back Battery plate becomes available will make a lot more sense to me, especially because they are also a lot cheaper, the sony at $500+ vs. The RED XL's at $350.

But I guess if one was not wanting to change their V mount plate, and only use the Sony V batteries for super small super light set ups, then I guess could make sense, but only if you have the Short RED V Battery plate.

 

[Clint Lealos]

Hey Curt, I can vouch for the Swit split batteries. I've been using them for a few years now with no problems. Of course, I too love the Paglinks! Best battery I've ever owned, flat out. But yeah, not cheap. Good luck.

 

[Tom C. Hall]

swit offers AB mount, best of both worlds!