Battery time on PDX10?

[Kirk Sides]

How time can I expect from the standard battery that comes with the unit?

Which upgrade would you recommend?

Thanks
Kirk

[Ignacio Rodriguez]

Don't expect more than an hour of practical use with the supplied battery. Get one or two of the biggest ones.

[Boyd Ostroff]

The largest available battery (NP-QM91) should give you just about 4 hours run time while recording, zooming, using phantom power, steadyshot active. Or at least that's what I'm getting. Have never run mine completely "dry", but have gotten over 3 hours and the camera was still reporting plenty of time left. I never used the one that came with the camera, I'd be surprised if you even got an hour. I have two of the QM91's and they're fine. Too bad it can't take the NP-F960 like my VX-2000. I can get about 8 hours on that....

[Sean McHenry]

Well, if you really want long life, do what I did and look at the Bescor web site. (Yes, some items are available through the sponsors here) and look at their 12v pouch type batteries. I bought the 12V car cord and the 9 Ah battery for under $150 with the charger - that should last me almost 9 hours. Can't beat that for the price.

On the other hand, it's like a small car battery. It weighs what a small car battery weighs. Be aware that the Sony car cord actually drops the voltage from 12vdc down to the correct 8.4 vdc. If you attempt to use a car cord, make absolutly sure it drops the voltage to under 9vdc.

If you noticed the normal battery pack is 8.4 volts.

You can probably shoot a very long wedding with one battery.

While you are on their site, be sure to look into their lights. A good cheap alternative to the Frezzi and the like. Not nearly as polished but very affordable.

Sean McHenry

[Boyd Ostroff]

Like a small car battery and only lasts "almost 9 hours". Sorry, I'm not impressed! On my VX-2000 I can run for about 8 hours with the NP-F960 battery which isn't a whole lot larger than the NP-QM91. The NP-F960 is rated at 7.2 V, 38.8 WA, and if I remember my "West Virginia Law" correctly, that would be about 5.4 AH.

Actually the PDX-10 battery is 7.2V as well, but the charger delivers 8.4V. The QM-91 is rated for 29.8WH, or 4.14 AH and I can get 4 hours with it on my PDX-10. So for one thing it looks like our beloved PDX-10's use much more power than the VX-2000. Perhaps this is related to the bigger brighter LCD screen? I love "logic" here, design a camera that uses more power such that it can only use smaller batteries! Didn't the PD-100 use the NPF series of batteries? Progress...

[Ignacio Rodriguez]

I agree Boyd, however it is nice that the PDX10 can share batteries with the low cost single CCD Sony palmcorders, and because of the intended consumer market, the mid-sized batteries are also easier to get. At least in these third-world markets. A friend had to wait about two months to get a big batt for his PD150 whereas I went to a local store and was able to get a battery intentended for a D8 camcorder in no time.

[Sean McHenry]

I think I read on the sony site, or somewhere in the manual that other batteries can be used but the time remaining will not function correctly. The batteries that are made for this (and the others that use the same batteries) talk to the camera through a set of contacts on the battery.

I imagine any batts that fit and have the correct voltages will make the camera function. You just might not have any idea how long it will last.

And Boyd, if you do the math, the battery I have is a 9Ah battery and it gets about 9 hours. You have a 4.x Ah battery and you get about 4 hours. Samer current draw apparently, just double the capacity.

I exagerate on the car battery idea. In fact it is really much the same as a computer UPS type battery. They are also found in emergency exit lights and other emergency lighting.

You could in fact buy the batteries from Batteries Plus and just solder a 12vdc car socket to the leads. Then buy the 12v to 8.4v car adapter from Bescor and you have the same setup without the fancy carrying bag I have.

[Boyd Ostroff]

<<<-- Originally posted by Sean McHenry : , if you do the math, the battery I have is a 9Ah battery and it gets about 9 hours. You have a 4.x Ah battery and you get about 4 hours. -->>>

I did note that actually, and was mainly whining that I can't get 8 hours runtime from a single Sony battery on my PDX-10 like I do on my VX-2000. Oh well...

[Tom Hardwick]

What I find strange is that the TRV900 used the big VX2000's batteries, the NP-F series. Then Sony redesign the 900 and call it a 950 (PDX10). It consumes 20% more power in whaever mode you're in, so what do Sony do? Why, obvious really. They make it take the next smaller size of Info Lithium, so you end up cahnging it far more often. Now where is the sense in that?

tom.

[Boyd Ostroff]

I don't know, but Apple seems to subscribe to the same logic. My new aluminum 15" Powerbook draws more power, has a brighter display, bluetooth, faster processor, etc, but uses a new lower amp-hour battery than my old Titanium powerbook and you get about an hour less run time. I guess this is what we call "progress"?...

[Pat Chaney]

Yes, that annoyed me too. And I never realised those things could get so hot until I installed FCP and started rendering video.