MINI TESTS
IDX ENDURA DUO-PD V-LOCK BATTERIES £TBC/$TBC idxtek.com
As one of the companies that pioneered V-Lock battery technology, IDX has always been at the forefront of these powerful cells that keep your cameras and ancillaries running. This 14V Endura Duo range is the company’s popular compact series. It’s available in different capacities and sizes to suit various power requirements and budgets. The line has a standard D-Tap output socket to power 12V accessories. A second, smart D-Tap can be used as an output or an input – with IDX’s compact VL-DT1 charger to top up the power when you don’t have access to a large charger unit. The current Duo-C selection has a standard USB-A-type socket. But these are the brand-new range, where the USB-A has been replaced by a PD socket. In layman’s terms, this is a USB-C output and offers up to 60W of power. It is a high rating, that can charge smartphones,
tablets and even many laptops, as well as filmmaking accessories that take USB-C input. All the D-Tap ports and the USB are covered with rugged, rubber covers to keep out the elements. Each battery has a mini LED that makes it easy to attach the pack onto a V-Lock plate – even in the dark. These batteries are intelligent, so the remaining capacity is indicated in the viewfinder on compatible manufacturers’ cameras. Also, quickly assess the power level by pushing the check button on the battery; LEDs show the percentage of power remaining. In a nod to the pandemic, the battery cases are made with antiviral, antibacterial material. We tried a set of three IDX batteries. The 98, which has a 96Wh rating; the 150 at 143Wh; and 198 at 191Wh. The smallest battery is as popular as it is compact, and fully legal for flight
SIZE MATTERS
The Duo-PD line comes in a range of capacities (above). We used one to power an LED panel (right)
SPECIFICATIONS Battery size: 98 (150 and 198 in brackets if different) Capacity: 96Wh/14.4V/6.6Ah (143Wh/14.4V/9.9Ah, 191Wh/ 14.4V/13.2Ah) Max. discharge current: 10.5A (14A) DC output: 2xD-Tap 80W, 1 USB-C 60W End voltage cut off: 11V Dimensions wxhxd: 97x146x39mm/3.8x5.7x1.54in (97x146x59mm/3.8x5.7x2.3in) Weight: 640g/1.41lb (910g/2lb, 1070g/2.43lb)
carry-on luggage. You can take up to 20 of them. The 150 size is legal, but you can only pack two, while the big 198 is not legal for air travel. All the batteries are relatively light and fast to charge, yet can take a high load. We tried them all with the largest Falcon Eyes LED flexible light panel – they powered up quickly and remained stable for hours. There’s plenty of charge for most needs, and now, with the double D-Tap and USB-C socket, the hardware is bang up to date. PROMOVIEMAKERRATING: 9/10 Cutting-edge V-Lock batteries Pros: Reliable, nowwith USB-C Cons: Not the smallest V-Locks you can buy
NEW SCHOOL The cells now have a USB-C output as well as dual D-Tap
“Each battery has amini LED thatmakes it easy to attach the pack onto a V-Lock plate – even in the dark. These batteries are intelligent”
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