Battery life info on ext batteries?
 

Sorry if I post this in the wrong forum but I cannot find a better place. I need some basic information on how external batteries work.

If I connect a V-mount or Anton Bauer type brick battery to the F3 through the XLR-power port will it communicate intelligently with the battery so I can see remaining battery life in percent or is the connection "dumb" so to speak?

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I have no experience with external batteries.

I would assume yes, as I have v-mount adapter for my ex3, and it shows battery life/voltage in the viefinder.

I doubt it will give percentage left, likely just voltage. I don't know the cut off level, but something like 11.5V, so you'd see your V-Lock drop from 16-17 or so down.

To give a percentage, the camera has to be able to identify the type of battery and have a performance graph associated it can index too. I doubt Sony would model every battery out there, just their own.

Hi Ola,

The most recent Anton Bauer batteries like the Dionics and the Hytrons have an LCD display on the side of them that displays how much runtime is left on the batteries. It does this by a computer chip inside calculating, based on draw, how much time you have left in the battery. It also factors in how old the battery is and how many cycles it has so the calculation is more sophisticated and theoretically accurate. You have to use Anton Bauer chargers and follow the proper burn-in procedure when you first start using them for the displays to work properly.

I presume you have done some initial research and know they are expensive in relation to the batteries and chargers that come with prosumer cameras.

These batteries can be recelled which you should do every few years. The recelling cost is a fraction of buying new.