Batteries for XL2

Wade Spencer · June 22nd, 2006, 08:28 AM

I heart my AB batteries. I've used them on the old Betacams and was then able to just buy the plate for the XL2. When I get a JVC HD100 or HD250 later this year, I'll be able to buy the plate for that one as well.

Jarrod Whaley · June 22nd, 2006, 12:38 PM

I hadn't realized that the anton bauers were so easily usable with other systems. That is nice.

Greg's point about balancing out the camera is a good one too.

In my case, though, I'm pretty much on the tripod at least 97% of the time anyway. And if I ever got a camera from a different manufacturer, I'd probably just get some $20 batts for it too.

I guess the AB's are good for some people, they just don't make sense for me and the way(s) I shoot.

Greg Boston · June 22nd, 2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarrod Whaley

And if I ever got a camera from a different manufacturer, I'd probably just get some $20 batts for it too.

I guess the AB's are good for some people, they just don't make sense for me and the way(s) I shoot.

You won't be finding any $20 batteries for the Sony I just got. ;-)

That's part of the problem with going to a higher end camera...all the other parts cost a lot more too and they aren't even included in the box. Yikes!

But that being said, there are less expensive 'compatible' batteries and chargers than going with the A/B brand.

-gb-

Jarrod Whaley · June 22nd, 2006, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

You won't be finding any $20 batteries for the Sony I just got. ;-)

Touché. :)

I do see the utility in batteries you can use on anything. But I don't expect to be getting my hands on too many fancycams in the near future. I wouldn't even have an XL2 if I hadn't gotten a grant that paid for it.

But you never know, I guess.

Jonathan Grant · June 26th, 2006, 12:11 PM

We are shooting a feature film and a lot of it is outdoors. Batteries don't last long enough and we can't plug it in. Any suggestions? Are there products available that will allow us to film long lengths of time?

Also, is there any difference between MiniDV tapes or are they all the same? The different brands and "premium" labels etc.

Greg Boston · June 26th, 2006, 12:23 PM

You could buy the Anton Bauer battery adapter plate and stick a very large capacity battery on the camera which will run that thing all day long. Another way is to buy the dual battery holder/adapter from Canon and use two batteries in parallel. The advantage to this method is you can swap out batteries for fresh ones and the remaining battery will keep the camera running during the swap. Buy some of the new iithium high capacity batteries that Canon released with the XLH1. They are the best ones to date for operating time.

-gb-

Jonathan Grant · June 26th, 2006, 07:36 PM

Is this the battery you are talking about? http://www.eastcoastphoto.com/nav/it...sp?itemid=6088

THe 250 dollars for the adapter plate is way too much.

Jonathan Grant · June 26th, 2006, 07:38 PM

We have this fanny pack looking thing that came with the XL1 (ebay) that has two really big batteries in it. They are connected to a cigarette lighter output. It's designed for lights I think, but if we get a cigarette lighter to outlet converter could we jsut plug the XL2 into it?

Doug Boze · June 26th, 2006, 07:56 PM

Get the CH-910 Dual Battery holder/charger. Then stock up on generic BP-945 batteries off eBay (I can recommend one seller) that use Panasonic cell packs. A pair of these will operate the XL-2 for a day, and that's tape moving time, too. Total cost is a fraction of that of an AB setup, not to mention a fraction of the weight and charge times.

Jonathan Grant · June 28th, 2006, 02:26 PM

175 dollars is a bit much to spend on that. Was that link correct to the battery you were talking about that's the best in terms of operating time?

Jarrod Whaley · June 28th, 2006, 02:38 PM

Just go with the cheap generic 945's you can find on Ebay. I use them all the time, and I've never had any trouble. They usually go for about $20.

Gary Barr · July 26th, 2006, 02:45 AM

Don't forget about the Canon dual charger/holder. I use 2 945s on mine and it also balances out the camera a bit more with the stock lens pulling it forward. Every week lasts all day for me event filming for anything up to 7 or 8 hours.

Chris Hurd · July 26th, 2006, 03:42 AM

Marc, be sure to read my article Canon XL2 Battery Endurance.

Mark Sasahara · July 26th, 2006, 08:42 AM

Anton Bauer batteries are great and they are the industry standard. Pretty much all professional video cameras have an Anton Bauer gold mount when they leave the factory*. They're universal. As Greg pointed out, his Anton Bauers are migrating from his old camera to his new camera.

A Hytron 50, or Dionic 90 on the back helps balance the front-heavy XL2 nicely. My handheld shots are steadier and my wrist and arm are in better shape at the end of the day.

I got Power 2000 BP-945's before I got the A/B system and they were adequate. Four would get me through a day with a couple rotated through the charger. I can go pretty much all day with one Anton Bauer Hytron 50 running the camera, FU-1000 and occasionally, a 35W light. The Dionic 90 would last even longer at 90 watt hours. With the Anton Bauers, I have almost no battery changes, so I'm usually just stopping to change tapes. With the larger cameras, I have to change batteries more frequently because they are drawing much more power than the XL2's 9watts.

I can also use my A/B batts to power my PVM-9L3 monitor, Dedolights, and other items.

Anton Bauer

*Sony has their V mount and IDX is cutting into A/B's market share, but Anton Bauer is ubiquitous.

Craig Chartier · July 28th, 2006, 10:27 AM

We have the A/B plate on all of our XL series cameras. and we purchased the IDX adapter plate to run the v-locks. You can run the field monitors, and most other needed items all off the same type of battery. Also keep in mind that you gain a 12volt D-tap power port right on the camera for lights, on board monitors wireless devices etc..

June 22nd, 2006, 12:38 PM	#122
Jarrod Whaley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: chattanooga, tn Posts: 721	I hadn't realized that the anton bauers were so easily usable with other systems. That is nice. Greg's point about balancing out the camera is a good one too. In my case, though, I'm pretty much on the tripod at least 97% of the time anyway. And if I ever got a camera from a different manufacturer, I'd probably just get some $20 batts for it too. I guess the AB's are good for some people, they just don't make sense for me and the way(s) I shoot. __________________ -->jarrod whaley. www.oakstreetfilms.com

June 26th, 2006, 12:11 PM	#125
Jonathan Grant Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: norman, OK Posts: 111	battery question We are shooting a feature film and a lot of it is outdoors. Batteries don't last long enough and we can't plug it in. Any suggestions? Are there products available that will allow us to film long lengths of time? Also, is there any difference between MiniDV tapes or are they all the same? The different brands and "premium" labels etc.

June 26th, 2006, 07:56 PM	#129
Doug Boze Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Auburn, Washington Posts: 218	Get the CH-910 Dual Battery holder/charger. Then stock up on generic BP-945 batteries off eBay (I can recommend one seller) that use Panasonic cell packs. A pair of these will operate the XL-2 for a day, and that's tape moving time, too. Total cost is a fraction of that of an AB setup, not to mention a fraction of the weight and charge times. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, 1759

June 28th, 2006, 02:38 PM	#131
Jarrod Whaley Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: chattanooga, tn Posts: 721	Just go with the cheap generic 945's you can find on Ebay. I use them all the time, and I've never had any trouble. They usually go for about $20. __________________ -->jarrod whaley. www.oakstreetfilms.com

July 26th, 2006, 03:42 AM	#133
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Marc, be sure to read my article Canon XL2 Battery Endurance. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

June 22nd, 2006, 08:28 AM	#121
Wade Spencer Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Wellsboro, Pa Posts: 285	I heart my AB batteries. I've used them on the old Betacams and was then able to just buy the plate for the XL2. When I get a JVC HD100 or HD250 later this year, I'll be able to buy the plate for that one as well.

June 26th, 2006, 12:23 PM	#126
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	You could buy the Anton Bauer battery adapter plate and stick a very large capacity battery on the camera which will run that thing all day long. Another way is to buy the dual battery holder/adapter from Canon and use two batteries in parallel. The advantage to this method is you can swap out batteries for fresh ones and the remaining battery will keep the camera running during the swap. Buy some of the new iithium high capacity batteries that Canon released with the XLH1. They are the best ones to date for operating time. -gb-

June 26th, 2006, 07:36 PM	#127
Jonathan Grant Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: norman, OK Posts: 111	Is this the battery you are talking about? http://www.eastcoastphoto.com/nav/it...sp?itemid=6088 THe 250 dollars for the adapter plate is way too much.

June 26th, 2006, 07:38 PM	#128
Jonathan Grant Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: norman, OK Posts: 111	We have this fanny pack looking thing that came with the XL1 (ebay) that has two really big batteries in it. They are connected to a cigarette lighter output. It's designed for lights I think, but if we get a cigarette lighter to outlet converter could we jsut plug the XL2 into it?

June 28th, 2006, 02:26 PM	#130
Jonathan Grant Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: norman, OK Posts: 111	175 dollars is a bit much to spend on that. Was that link correct to the battery you were talking about that's the best in terms of operating time?

July 26th, 2006, 02:45 AM	#132
Gary Barr Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 186	Don't forget about the Canon dual charger/holder. I use 2 945s on mine and it also balances out the camera a bit more with the stock lens pulling it forward. Every week lasts all day for me event filming for anything up to 7 or 8 hours.

July 26th, 2006, 08:42 AM	#134
Mark Sasahara Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 649	Anton Bauer batteries are great and they are the industry standard. Pretty much all professional video cameras have an Anton Bauer gold mount when they leave the factory. They're universal. As Greg pointed out, his Anton Bauers are migrating from his old camera to his new camera. A Hytron 50, or Dionic 90 on the back helps balance the front-heavy XL2 nicely. My handheld shots are steadier and my wrist and arm are in better shape at the end of the day. I got Power 2000 BP-945's before I got the A/B system and they were adequate. Four would get me through a day with a couple rotated through the charger. I can go pretty much all day with one Anton Bauer Hytron 50 running the camera, FU-1000 and occasionally, a 35W light. The Dionic 90 would last even longer at 90 watt hours. With the Anton Bauers, I have almost no battery changes, so I'm usually just stopping to change tapes. With the larger cameras, I have to change batteries more frequently because they are drawing much more power than the XL2's 9watts. I can also use my A/B batts to power my PVM-9L3 monitor, Dedolights, and other items. Anton Bauer Sony has their V mount and IDX is cutting into A/B's market share, but Anton Bauer is ubiquitous. __________________ Mark Sasahara Director of Photography

July 28th, 2006, 10:27 AM	#135
Craig Chartier DVi Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 374	We have the A/B plate on all of our XL series cameras. and we purchased the IDX adapter plate to run the v-locks. You can run the field monitors, and most other needed items all off the same type of battery. Also keep in mind that you gain a 12volt D-tap power port right on the camera for lights, on board monitors wireless devices etc..