How long...?

[AndrewMSV]

I was going to say, "how long does the NP-F970 battery on the Sony FX1 last? will it really last 300+ minutes? Under normal operation? (e.g., on, off, on off, record stop, record stop, LCD on, etc.)

I have that battery and the one it came with. The tiny F570.

Thanks!

[Billy]

I doubt seriously it will last 300 minutes, but it will last a realllllly long time. I've got one and can power my PD150 for a whole wedding and part of the reception (that's all I've tried with it). Well, we did shoot a documentary for about 3 hours with it, too (off and on).

[AndrewMSV]

The reason I'm asking is because I have a 7-hour gig coming up next month that I want to use the FX1 for. (It's a single-camera gig so I don't have to worry about mixed footage and therefore is the perfect gig to try out my first 100% HDV/16:9 wedding.) But I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy another one of these batteries.

I guess so, huh?

[kirklandvideo]

It depends how much stop/start shooting you're going to do. My wife uses the FX1 when we do a wedding. We have the original 570 and I bought a 970. It's very rare that she has to swap out the 970 and use the 570 - and that would be shooting maybe four hours of tape over a 10 hour day.

My PD-170 just chews through the batteries in comparison.

[AndrewMSV]

OK - here's another question:
How loaded are the batteries when they come out of the box?
I'm thinking I can just buy a 970 and keep it in my camera bag. If I end up needing it, I can crack it open and fire it up. If I end up not using it, I can just return it to the store.

:uhoh: <-- cheapskate. (aka: :asmiley:)

[kirklandvideo]

The batteries won't hold a charge for more than a few weeks, so out of the box they'd be flat. Maybe you can open the box very carefully :-)

[AndrewMSV]

I guess I'll just buy another one to be safe.
If the Sonys weren't so lame in that you have to charge the batteries ON the cameras, I could just charge one up while using the other and go back and forth.

Suck.

oh well.

[kirklandvideo]

maybe you should pick up an external charger at the same time? I have one of these in each of my camera bags. It just attaches to the end of the camera power supply, and lets me charge up one battery while I'm using the other. about AU$29

http://www.videoguys.com.au/ProdImages/740906_rnd.gif

[AndrewMSV]

maybe you should pick up an external charger at the same time? I have one of these in each of my camera bags. It just attaches to the end of the camera power supply, and lets me charge up one battery while I'm using the other. about AU$29

http://www.videoguys.com.au/ProdImages/740906_rnd.gif

AUD$29?!
But I don't have any Australian money!

JK.
Yeah, maybe I should get one of those instead of another 970. I have a coupla weeks to decide.

Thanks for the dialoge.
Cheers, mate.

[Billy]

I have an external charger, too. Real handy to have. I don't carry it with me because I have several batteries, but I use it as my main charger so as not to use the camera for that.

[ppatton]

OK - here's another question:
How loaded are the batteries when they come out of the box?
I'm thinking I can just buy a 970 and keep it in my camera bag. If I end up needing it, I can crack it open and fire it up. If I end up not using it, I can just return it to the store.

:uhoh: <-- cheapskate. (aka: :asmiley:)the last one I bought only had abou an hours charge on it. It may also depend on how long the store has had it in stock.

paul

[kirklandvideo]

I have an external charger, too. Real handy to have. I don't carry it with me because I have several batteries, but I use it as my main charger so as not to use the camera for that.
I have a rapid charger that stays in the office and I have two of the little adapters for the camera power supply (actually I have more because I have some adapted to let me use Sony batteries to power my wireless audio packs).

For extreme emergencies I also have a Sony car adapter that I've modified to work off my camera light's 12v battery. I've only had to use it once but it was a life-saver.

One thing I do find is that the cameras can charge the batteries better/deeper/more fully than most of the external chargers. I can add an extra 30-60 mins to the reported time left if I charge using the camera.

[chucksav]

Hey Andrew,

The 970 will not power the FX1/Z1 for as long as the 960 could power the PD150/VX2k. Shooting style has big impact on battery life, but we wind up changing batteries on one or two Z1s for weddings that run more than 8 hrs. I usually swap out a battery when the time remaining goes under 30 mins. Don't want that flashing battery symbol popping up in the middle of something important. :icon_eek: Carry an extra, fully charged, 970. It's a lot less hassle than recharging on site. And keep the 570 as the back up to the back up. There is just no excuse for running out of power or tape.

A new Sony NP-F970 costs $105 at B&H. If you amortize it over the first 20 weddings you shoot with it, that's $5.25 per wedding. If you are getting a 100 bucks for a wedding, that's significant. If you are charging a few thousand... Well, it was an easy decision for me. :grinning-smiley-021

Chuck

[RatVega]

Spend a dime and save a movie... that's my feeling. :)

When we set up, my natural paranoia led me to (maybe) overkill on batteries. I've never regretted this. Each of our GL-2s goes out with two 5400 amp-hour batteries (BP945 equiv), a 3600 a/h (BP930 equiv) and the original 1800 (BP915). This gives me enough power to shoot all day (with the Canon Li-10 light as necessary) and still have reserves. The one-time cost was less than $300 per camera and we've never run out of power, even on a 15-hour day.

Skimping on batteries is like (intentionally) buying cheap tape; the savings won't be worth the risk if Murphy's Law meets you at the shoot. Early in my career I was given a tape that another videographer shot (the previous year) of an event. With it was a nicely printed note that explained how 20 of the key minutes of the event were omitted "due to technical difficulties." I vowed that I'd never put myself in a position to have to copy that note.

[AndrewMSV]

Hey Andrew,
...
A new Sony NP-F970 costs $105 at B&H. If you amortize it over the first 20 weddings you shoot with it, that's $5.25 per wedding. If you are getting a 100 bucks for a wedding, that's significant. If you are charging a few thousand... Well, it was an easy decision for me. :grinning-smiley-021

Chuck

Hey Chuck!
Welcome to WVP! I'm very excited to see you taking part on this new, but well-developed, forum.
(For those of you who don't know Chuck, he is the president of the Bay Area PVA and we're lucky to have him on board and participating.)

Doing the math on the 970 the way you broke it down does make it seem like a simple decision. However, my situation is a little more unique in that up til now, 100% of the FX1's time has been spent on the balcony for ceremonies, at an off-site bridal elegance shoot, or on real estate shoots where one 970 is more than capable of covering the entire job without being switched out.
If I buy another 970, it will likely sit on the shelf for long periods of time not being used because my Canons are still my primary cameras. So all of a sudden the break down is more like $105 (+ s/h) for a bottom-rung, single-camera package that I'm discounting (because it's for a friend).

I am still going to buy the second 970, but I just feel like it's more of a favor for a friend than it is a necessity for me.

[Chuck_e7]

The reason I'm asking is because I have a 7-hour gig coming up next month that I want to use the FX1 for. (It's a single-camera gig so I don't have to worry about mixed footage and therefore is the perfect gig to try out my first 100% HDV/16:9 wedding.) But I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy another one of these batteries.

I guess so, huh?


It will last a long time using off/on, but to be safe, take a backup!