2010Batteries/Power forum
Powering Genesis camera with older Pro I steadicam rig and chocolate bar batteries
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Chocolate bar nickel-cadmium batteries upgraded to C+ cells successfully powered a Genesis camera for over 6 hours during a night shoot, using a Y-cable connected to both auxiliary and camera power jacks.
- Swapping out two batteries every 20-30 minutes when voltage dropped below 12V under load allowed continuous operation with minimal power loss.
- Turning off the monitor whenever possible and disconnecting breakers during lens and setup changes significantly reduced battery drain.
- Mounting an external Anton Bauer battery on the record deck platform and connecting it to the auxiliary battery slot provided additional power capacity without overloading the chocolate bar batteries.
- Using a dedicated separate power cable from an external battery to the camera, rather than routing power through the sled, reduced line loss and voltage drop.
- Multiple custom Y-cables with different connector configurations can be made for specific camera models to accommodate external battery solutions.
Depends on
- The C+ battery upgrade was described in vague terms and specific technical specifications were not provided.
- Power draw characteristics may vary depending on accessories used such as SSR or record deck systems.
- One operational incident of camera power loss occurred during the extended shoot.
- External battery solutions add weight to the rig and may stress the sled structure.
- Voltage loss through XLR connectors was noted as significant and considered inferior to direct cable connections.
- The original poster was not experienced with battery specifications and ampere-hour calculations.