Battery Options for Epic

[Jeff Klevins]

I have seen many different power setups for the Epic, can anyone recommend a good, affordable solution that will power my Epic longer then my 20 minute Red Volts? I can't even get my settings dialed before swapping batteries! I will use the Red Volts when operating Ronin Gymbal, but for other uses - would love something that can give me hours of usage.

Thank You!

 

[Ulf Krentz]

Jeff, get some good quality V-mounts. I´ve seen your thread about feeding your cam by fuel driven generators and was just wondering why... For lighting equipment, yes of course and I´d recommend the Hondas but for the camera? Use Redvolts on the gimbal and keep one in the Sidehandle for hotswapping the V-mounts.

Cheers

Ulf

 

[Jonathan Petts]

We have our battery solution on rails and on a backplate depending on what we are shooting.

One of my friends got one of these for his Epic (http://www.proaimshop.com/pas/CAMTR...Plate-For-RED-Scarlet-And-Epic-CH-VBP-SE.html) Seems a lot cheaper than every other battery mounting solution I have seen so far.

Couple this with some GlobalMediaPro Batteries and that is the cheapest solution ... not the best necessairly. If you wanted to spend a few more pennies look at some IDX or Blueshape batteries and you would have a pretty sweet set-up!

Hope this helps!

Jonny

 

[Andrew Gentle]

I also have the Camtree Hunt and I'm very happy with it as a cost-effective battery plate. You can feed it with whatever V-Lock batteries you like, which will probably be the majority of the cost.

 

[Akin A]

Check this thread: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?102628-Another-Cheap-battery-alternative

 

[Arthur Woo]

Lots of ways you can go. If you're looking to go cheap, do a 3rd party v-mount. If you have a bigger budget, get Anton Bauer or RED bricks (I like AB because they're common in rental houses across the US - a big consideration if you travel and don't want to carry extra stuff with you and have the ability to rent). Here's the breakdown of what you'll need.

1. A battery plate adapter: Connects to the back of the brain where you can connect your battery to. These adapters either screw on or quick snap onto the brain. I recommend the quick snap; it's faster when breaking the camera down, plus less screws to worry about losing during breakdown/transport. There are two main types - V-Mount as most people suggested here, and Anton Bauer Gold Mount, which I use, and are standard for most rental places in the US. Never had a problem renting AB when I've had to travel outside of my city to work. Supposedly outside the US V-mount are easier to get as rentals. Example of a V-mount: http://static.bhphoto.com/images/images500x500/898720.jpg

2. Batteries: V-mount/Anton Bauer/Red Brick (which is a v-mount). Different batteries based on your preference. At the time, I did not have a big budget but still wanted a trusted brand. Ended up with smaller Anton Bauer vs Red Bricks. Also consider that many different types of tools (lights, etc) can use V-mount or AB batteries. If you're flying, there are limitations on the size of batteries you can travel with. I believe it's currently 100wH or less. When I travel I generally bring two 90wH batteries for safety, and have the production team rent out large ones when I get to my location. For reference, a 90wH battery can run the Epic/touch LCD/side handle for about 45-60 minutes depending on what you're doing.

3. Charger: Different chargers will charge faster or slower. Find reviews on these. For example the travel charger for Anton Bauer charges slowly, vs a turbo charger which can charge the batteries up significantly faster if you don't have a lot of batteries on set/location. If you have a lot of batteries, no biggie. If not, you'll want a fast charger.

 

[Jeff Klevins]

Thanks for all the info!