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Side handle and Battery Modules working together?

Jarek Zabczynski

Jarek Zabczynski

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Anyone know how the side handle and battery module will work when powering the camera? Say you have the side handle and the dual battery module, can you have 3 REDvolts on the cam working at once? Can you hot swap any of the three? Probably too early to know. Anyone have any thoughts?
 
I received the side module for the EPIC-M but didn't receive the batteries. And I don't think the battery module is available yet to report.
 
I'm just thinking about power options and if i should go for the quad redvolt module or dual. If the dual can also accept the doublewide redvolt xl batteries it would be great if you could swap those out while still running off one redvolt in the side handle.
 
That would be nice.
 
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the double vs. quad battery modules, but it should be pretty straightforward unless they've radically changed something.

The dual module takes one battery on each side of the camera, so it wouldn't be able to support the XL batteries (which are double width). This module is really cool because it keeps the profile of the modules small - something that's important once more and more modules start coming down the line and the form factor of the camera really starts to grow. Remember that the batteries are hot swappable so even with just the double module and no side handle you still can shoot forever (as long as you have enough batteries).

The quad module takes two batteries on each side of the camera (4 total batteries) and can accept the double-width XL batteries. Perfect for those long documentaries or interviews when you don't want to have to swap out batteries nearly as often (and with things like HDRX, Epic chews through them fast!).

Things are always subject to change, so don't take this post as the gospel truth; I'm just going by what they've publicly shown up until this point (though I really like these module designs so I hope they stick). I'll attach some pictures so you can get a better idea:

Double module (on the right):

iPhone-Capture12b.jpg


Quad module:

1253946240.jpg


Here's the REDVOLT XL battery in the quad module. It's essentially two redvolts together in one unit, though you can tell it's a bit deeper (sticks out from the camera more) so it should have more than 2x capacity (or there wouldn't be much point):

1271062420.png


Here is the side handle with the battery door open. Obviously an XL battery will not fit in here:

1271084452.png


Hopefully that helps clear things up. :)
 
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Also, in case you missed it, here's a picture of the quad charger that Jarred posted not too long ago:

1308836339.jpg


Charges four batteries at a time (all at the same time) or two XL batteries. The smaller travel charger will not charge XL batteries.
 
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It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. I'm already pretty invested in V-mount batteries, and am glad that Red and others (action products) are coming out with innovative power solutions that don't require me buying yet another battery system. I'll probably stay with the vmounts for general use, and use the revolts/side-handle when running lightweight...unless there is some compelling reason to shift to a full revolt-xl battery module system.
 
As I'm new to RED, I'm trying to figure out what makes more sense. Getting the side handle, double REDvolt module and a bunch of REDvolts or side handle, a v-mount system and a few batteries for each.
 
The Redvolt system (Not the Redvolt-XL, which nobody has to test yet), is really meant for handheld work with short run times. They last about 20-25 min per battery.

My current thought is to use Redvolts in the side handle when going lightweight. (I really like my side handle and would not want to have the Epic without one) And use VMount batteries for normal use. I have a Red Battery Plate on an 18mm rod adapter, and that works great. Once all the vendors finish developing thier line of accessories, I'll probably move to something from Red or Action Products to mount the V-Mount batteries on the back of the Epic.

The main reason I likely will stay with VMounts, is they are ubiquitous and easily found anywhere in the world. If I am stuck somewhere without a V-Mount, I am pretty sure I can russle one or two up. Not so with Redvolt-XLs.
 
Mike Halper said:
In the pictures posted of the power modules I don't see a ptap connection to be able to power accessories.
Click to expand...
I don't know if that exists on the dumb side, but I agree it's important.

Paul Nordin said:
The Redvolt system (Not the Redvolt-XL, which nobody has to test yet), is really meant for handheld work with short run times. They last about 20-25 min per battery.
Click to expand...
Handheld use is one use for sure, but I plan to use REDVOLTs pretty exclusively when they start shipping in volume. They're smaller, lighter, hot-swappable, and most of all, don't require any cables or extra jerryrigging to get them to work. To be fair, RED has recently shown some really cool solutions for the RED BRICKS like the wedge and the backpack which make them much more user-friendly. But the wedge knocks out the possibility of using any other modules (well, you can put modules between the brain and the wedge, but then it throws the shoulder pad element of the wedge way back, which defeats its purpose). The backpack is the best solution for RED BRICKS imo, but then you're back to cables and a battery that's bigger than the footprint of the camera and sticks up and in the way of other things. With the quad module you can get about an hour and a half per go, which is totally acceptable. Hot swap them two at a time and you can quickly change a set without even powering down. And the quad charger charges all four batteries at the same time, so you can treat them as a single unit (for the quad module) and cycle them pretty quickly. The XL batteries run even longer (and are less pieces to have to manage), so that's an even better solution for long runtimes. The little REDVOLTs are then always on hand if you ever need to strip the rig down to its bare essentials and go the side handle route. IMO, I'd rather have all one battery type (even if it is a new one) than have to keep track of different batteries for different configurations.

I completely understand the ubiquity of V-lock batteries and also that people have a lot of them lying around. It's an absolutely valid way to go, and that's why RED is supporting it. Many people will go this route for the long runtimes and ease of use. But I think the REDVOLTs will be extremely popular, and especially with that dual module, will allow people to keep the footprint of the camera compact and cable-free. The other really nice thing about it is that whether you are going for a lightweight handheld setup or a fully decked out studio configuration, you don't have to change anything.
 
Jarek Zabczynski said:
Anyone know how the side handle and battery module will work when powering the camera? Say you have the side handle and the dual battery module, can you have 3 REDvolts on the cam working at once? Can you hot swap any of the three? Probably too early to know. Anyone have any thoughts?
Click to expand...

The Batteries attached to Epic are all HOT SWAPPABLE, what it means is that if you have a battery in the Side Handle, and you have have a V battery lock on the back as well,
the camera will power itself form what ever battery and or power source available.

We had the Side handle with a new battery, which I had forgot was even inside, the camera been powered up via the Bebob Rouge 120 unit so it gives 120 sec. to replace V battery,
as soon as the red lights started flashing on the Bebob, the AC went for the battery, oh, but wait were are the V batteries??

S^%$@ left in the truck a mile an a half away...

In the middle of an important shot, oh well, lets keep shooting till the camera shots down...

The camera kept on running, as there was the REDVOLT inside the Side handle Grip... ;)

Finally V lock battery replaced, REDVOLT removed and camera went on been powered up form the V battery again... ;)

This will be the same if you see the REDVOLT is running out and don't want to power down but have avower source near by, just pop in the mpower cable, pop in a new REDVOLT,
unplug the power cable and go shooting again, whiteout having power down the cam... ;)
 
Jarek Zabczynski said:
Anyone know how the side handle and battery module will work when powering the camera? Say you have the side handle and the dual battery module, can you have 3 REDvolts on the cam working at once? Can you hot swap any of the three? Probably too early to know. Anyone have any thoughts?
Click to expand...

yes... you can swap between the side handle battery, the rear battery modules, and the power port on the brain. They don't all work at the same time... it goes one by one by one with a seamless transfer.
 
Häakon said:
Also, in case you missed it, here's a picture of the quad charger that Jarred posted not too long ago:

1308836339.jpg


Charges four batteries at a time (all at the same time) or two XL batteries. The travel charger will not charge XL batteries.
Click to expand...

i gotta tell you.. this just may be the sexiest battery charger on the planet. Can't wait for you guys to see it in real life.
 
Häakon said:
I completely agree just based on the render alone. :biggrin:

Any news on availability/price?
Click to expand...

it has about 8 more weeks of hardcore testing and FCC certification left... Lithium still scares the government so the testing gets pretty complicated :)

There is something mesmerizing watching all the lights blink as you feed it REDVOLTS and they all begin charging.
 
and sleep is a good thing. i guess you're right. it is what it is...

well anyhow, i'm excited to see some stuff running off the lines and being about soon. the stuff we're gonna start seeing is gonna be unreal.
 
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