Also, does anybody know this answer: If you are running off of an external battery source and it drops below the Sony's minimum requirement, will the camera switch over to the internal battery without a problem?

EXDC1 Power Cable Works!
 

We Found that there is already a cable made that will allow you to use a external power supply.
http://www.vortexmedia.com/EXDC1/EXD...ble/EXDC1.html

We have used this cable with Antonbauer batteries and a 4pin professional pwoer supply.

Works great! Check it out.

Or a trip to Radio Shack and the Blog article @
http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve...1_Autopsy.html


Vortex is a good solution.

Confirmed
 

Would just like to report that my studio configuration has been powering 3 EX1's for two months now with no issues. I ended up using laptop power supplies, reasoning that if it's good enough for a computer, it should be graceful enough for the EX1. At $75 (vs. $25 for a regular modern power supply) I figured it was worth the peace of mind.

I chopped the power terminals, soldered XLR4's, and that goes into a junction box, and about 150 ft. inside the wall and out to the cameras, over a custom-terminated snake that carries HD-SDI, intercom, tally and power; originally an A/V snake, I used a pair of balanced audio cables (a total of 6 conductors) to carry the power, which satisfied TIA requirements for load vs. gauge handling. In the end, the cameras are getting about 14V and are happy.

The power connector is called EIAJ class IV, or EIAJ-04. Philmore makes them, P/N 255 and 2559.

I'd like to thank Sebastien Thomas and Michael Stevens for being the first on the line with their EX1's, to discover this handy and scarcely documented feature of the cameras.

Drew,

Which laptop power supplies?

How long do they operate before they need a recharge?

How are you recharging them?

John

A very elegant solution to power either the cam, or some accessories (like a field monitor, light, or the NanoFlash for that matter), is this:

http://www.tekkeon.com/downloads/dtasht_MP3450.pdf

However, with the above battery or with my PAG 100Wh brick, I'm equally at lost:

How to fix them to the tripod?


With all those smaller cams, an underneath cage systems (for batteries, HDD's, and what-not) are available. However, with the EX1? Or the EX1 on a rail system, holding Letus and/or some matte box? A small cage is out of question!

How would you attach a battery like the Tekkeon, or an adapter like PAGlock, to your tripod so that it's elegant, safe, and you're not literally attached yourself by wearing it at your belt?

Any suggestions welcome!

We use the Zacuto rail system which has a AB or V-Lock battery option. This is an expensive option though.
I have a reel of industrial Velcro which can be used to lock anything with a flat surface to just about anything else with a flat surface. Other option is to use tool clips (very cheap) to clip things onto tripod legs. Example of tool clips here:
Auto Parts Wholesalers - Terry Tool Clips
Pretty certain you can buy them anywhere. You can use them to clip a small aluminium plate onto tripod legs and then the velcro to lock all manner of things onto the plate.

What I call industrial Velcro is 3M Dual Lock SJ 355 D. You can buy it from Radio Spares PN 458-7321. Be warned this stuff really locks tight. Not terribly cheap but a reel goes a long way.

Thanks Bob; my problem is that in this relatively young and shallow market where I live, it's quite difficult to source this kind of stuff.

But I guess the general idea is clear: a light-weight plate clamped to the tripod's leg, and pretty much anything velcro'ed to it!

I just thought about a poor man's solution: do you think I could just hang the PAGlok (with belt clip) on the stick that you use to level the Mannfrotto 503 head? Did anyone try that?

I'm afraid that the mass of the 100Wh brick dangling underneath the head could make my shots unstable...

How about from eBay - France?


Dual lock SJ 355 D marque 3 M boite de 10 m en vente sur eBay.fr (fin le 21-Sep-08 08:47:02 Paris)

or Belgium?:

eBay.be: Dual lock SJ 355 D marque 3 M au mètre (object 270246217298 eindtijd 11-okt-08 09:16:57 CEST)

John

I use a Manfrotto 3146 in between the legs of my tripod. When I put someting heavy in it, it adds stability to my tripod.

Bogen / Manfrotto | 3146 Tripod Utility Apron | 3146 | B&H Photo

It is also known as the Manfrotto 166

Manfrotto 166 Utility Apron Support - fotoSENSE

John

Yes, lowering the COG and adding some weight can be advantageous - but I was hesitant about anything actually dangling from the center column.

Before I got the apron I used to use a sock filled with ball bearings dangling from the center of the tripod. It actually worked well, but didn't look very professional.

The other thing I like about the Manfrotto apron is that it has three compartments.

John

Thanks John - your sock got me convinced... ;)

Hi,

trying to answer an old question of this thread :

if you have both the inside battery + the power plug connected you will use the power plug as source.
If the power plug get out or energy, the internal battery will be used immediately, without poweroff of the camera.

At least, this is my experience.