VX & PD series battery / batteries
 

When charging a battery onboard the camera the instruction book says to leave the battery on for 1 -2 hours longer for full charge. My question, can you leave the battery in the charging mode to long. After fully charging does the system shut down or does it keep charging. Example: Place a NP-F 750 on the camera charging system at 10pm. Next morning at 8 am unplug charging system from camera. Have I left the battery on the system to long? I'm not clear from the instruction book if it is damaging the battery or charging system

Information I left out. This is on a DCR-VX 2000 Sony

These are lithium-ion batteries and the technology is fairly smart. You will not do damage by leaving them in overnight. That was a problem in the past with lead-acid batteries but not with lithium-ion. Hope this helps,

vx2000 battery
 

I was curious if there are any ill effects in using old InfoLITHIUM (non L series) batteries. I know the manual specifically says to use the L series, but they look the same to me, they appear to identical (I'm comparing a new (L) to an old ... both have the same model # NP-F330 and both have the same specs... 7.2V 5.0Wh) I don't want to risk of ruining the camera... I'll go get new batteries if I must, but if it's just a marketing ploy...
So if any of you have used the non-L InfoLithium's, it'd be great to hear from you.
Thanks,
Stonecold

L-Series Batteries in VX2000
 

LOL! I had never read that there was any danger in using older InfoLITHIUM (non L series batteries) so I have been using an NFP-F950 and an old NFP-F330 very intensively since 9/01 with no problems. See my post on "another reason to use a BIG battery"
Scott Shuster
WorldDance New York

Another reason to use a BIG battery (a repair story)
 

Last night our VX-2000 being carried in a soft bag fell a distance of about one foot, landing directly on the top left corner of that little button panel to the left of the battery housing -- you know, the one that says "Program, Shutter Speed, Wht Bal, Audio Level. This small, really insignificant fall depressed that whole panel, so that the Auto Lock lever was deeper into its recess than usual, and the Program button was, in effect, permanently in contact -- it could not be pressed or lifted.

As a result the camera was stuck on "AEA":
-Shutter speed would not work,
-white balance would not work,
-the Exposure button and dial forward of the LCD screen also quit.

We shoot bellydancers in low-light nightclub environments (see our show website, neonissima.com) and we must adjust exposure manually, constantly. We can never use 'automatic' even for a minute.

We took one of those very sharp, curved tiny manicure scissors -- a really strong, good one made of Zolingen steel (all dancers, in fact, all GIRLS have one. So if you've got a girl, you've got the tool. And if you haven't got a girl, you should be at a different website!)

(Or at one of those clubs we work in. You would not believe how many slender, gorgeous, young bellydancers don't have boyfriends....)

Anyway, with the convex (bowed-out) side of the scissors pressed against the recess where the Auto Lock switch resides, I pushed the very sharp point of the scissors into the side of the depressed plastic panel, so that the sharp point made a little hole there, in effect 'gripping' the plastic panel. I could then pry the plastic panel back to its correct position -- which it returned to with a very satisfying "SNAP!" Immediately everything went back to normal.

So what does this have to do with using a BIG battery? Well if the big battery had been in place, the fall would never have put pressure on the panel -- the battery would have absorbed the blow: Much better! I will *NEVER* move the camera from place to place without the large battery installed. And don't bother to tell me i should get one of those perfectly sized fancy cases for my camera -- those are thief bait.

Scott Shuster
WorldDance New York

You can use the older 950 w/o a problem. Lou Bruno

Battery Life - Any known issues?
 

I have a Sony D8, a D8 Walkman and a PD-150. They all use the same battery. Since I bought my PD-150, I have had three or four batterys die on me. They are of varying ages. One was over two years old, so I expected that to die. The others were considerably newer, so I am confused. I don't actually think the PD-150 had anything to do with it, but I thought I would ask for any information you might have.

Are there any known battery issues?

Is there anything I should be doing to make them last longer?

My usual practice is to leave them on the device, plugged in. I thought the Owner's Manual said that they didn't overcharge.

When I transport them off the device, I put each one in a separate zip lock bag.

In fact, the most confusing problem is:

On the PD-150, it will show a battery charge of over 100 minutes, and then the battery icon will flash, and a few minutes later the camcorder will be dead. When I put it back on to charge, it almost immediately goes back to whatever remaining usage reading it had before the icon started flashing.

Then, when I use it again, the same thing happens. (It seems to be only with that one battery, but I haven't done a comprehensive test yet.)

HMMMMMMM.

My PD-150 is only 4-5 months old so I don't have any advice with regard to use on that unit.

The LiIon batteries I use, however, range from 4-5 months old to 5 years old and they all work at near their rated life.

At the local community college, we bought VX-1000's about 6 years ago. 3 batteries apiece and the batteries are all in good shape. No special care but they are never left on the charger.

I have a real problem with leaving any battery on a charger. From my time in the Navy and watching the electricians take care of submarine batteries to taking care of my own NiCADs and LiONs, I find I get the best life out of batteries when they are regularly exercised and charged.

I think that the Sony chargers continue to charge the batteries as long as they are attached. At least with all the chargers I have, they come off the charger warm. That means that they are receiving a charge, staying warm, and drying out (what do I know about the mechanism?)

So I don't leave any battery on a charger for more than overnight.

My NiCADs get discharged and recharged once per month. No matter what the unit is. I have NiCADs that are over 5 years old with more than 1/2 their capacity left.

I'd have a talk with Sony about the abnormally short life of your batteries. That does seem to not be normal. You could try and measure the power that the camera is consuming to see if that is greater than spec.

One other trick might be to reset the camera to see if somehow the battery measurement system is a bit 'bent' right now.

Some remarks:
Are you shure your batteries are gone? Can they no longer hold any charge? Did you check e.g. with a videolight ? Like already mentioned by Mike, the cut-off voltage setting on your cam could be too high. Keep also in mind that Li-ion batteries are extremely charge voltage sensitive. If the "end of charge voltage" of your charger exceeds 4.2V / cell, even only with some millivolts your batt will rapidely die.(for shure, if you keep it on the charger for long periods). If the setting is a bit below the ref voltage you rapidly end up with only partly charged batteries. So check your charger too

Battery Type
 

It is possible to purchase a LiOn battery that will not work in the 150/2000 even though it will physically and electrically fit.

If the camera does not detect an InfoLithium-capable battery, it will shut down after a brief power up.

So if you plan to purchase non-Sony batteries for your camera, make certain they are InfoLithium compatible.

thanks for the heads up mike!

Thank for that info Mike, I just got my VX2000E today actually, it was really nice. I the NP-F960 battery, but Im thinking of buying another one just in case. Love the sharp viewfinder/lcd on this cam!!
Thnaks again, your a great resource for dvinfo!

Marius

i just bought a pd150. i bought an extra 960 sony battery, but i think i'll need at least one more.
what are the pros and cons on using sony batteries as opposed to non-sony batteries?

can non-sony batteries do any damage to the camera?

No one can predict what a battery will do that is not of the same brand as the camera. I've had poor luck with 3rd party batteries and very good luck with Sony LiOns.

The local community college has VX-1000's and PD-1's that are 7 years old and the batteries are still just fine. I have a couple of Sonys that are more than 5 years old and work well.

Your mileage may vary but I know Sony builds good batteries and since my business depends on having a ready camcorder, Sony will be my supplier in almost all cases.