POWER ON-SET GEAR.
Common to its V- and Gold Mount options, PAGlink allows batteries to be stacked one on top of the next, and then cooperate to determine an overall runtime, given total available charge. The range is therefore suitable for a wide variety of tasks, with Mini PAGlink batteries available in 50Wh or 99Wh editions, and the full-size version up to 150Wh – but with the ability to stack more than one, without need for additional accessories. Many batteries now offer D-Tap and USB, but PAG addresses the need for arbitrary power connectors with its PowerHub discharge plate. Sitting between camera and battery, it takes interchangeable connector modules. D-Tap, Lemo, Hirose and 2.1mm coaxial DC power connectors are all available, allowing for a tidy, adapter-free set-up for various configurations of on-camera devices. SWIT SWOO Let’s round off with Swit, which offers a range of power solutions for V-Mount, Gold Mount, B-Lock
and BP-U fitments. The company’s line-up includes the PB-C420S, which currently wears the crown for the world’s largest-capacity handheld V-Mount battery, with 420Wh for potential day-long usage on power-hungry devices. Also worthy of note is the PB-H290S, a bi-voltage pack that automatically switches between 14.4v and 28.8v. A replacement for the H260S, the newer model has 290Wh capacity, supports up to 250W of power and allows fast charging – from 0 to 80% in two and a half hours. Auto-switching tech can be used on normal V-Lock plates with the addition of Swit’s Magic Sticker, which recognises and auto-switches when voltage changes are required. There’s huge variety and sophistication in modern batteries, and increasing recognition of both
STACKED Mini PAGlink V-Mount packs can be loaded up to fine-tune the total runtime
the high-end, high-consumption market and owner-operator with a modest rig. Devices like Voltstack’s big, towable battery power supplies are quiet, fume-free, and will inevitably benefit from the same huge R&D effort as electric cars. That’s currently a massive effort, far bigger than the film industry would warrant alone. It also creates a new dilemma: not so much where we charge the battery, but where we park it. “PAG addresses the need for arbitrary power connectors with its PowerHub discharge plate”
Pipe dreams With power consumption rising alongside camera capability, we’re seeing higher-voltage batteries. Putting more cells in a row can push more watts for the same number of amps. Exactly why is not always instinctive, as batteries tend to have at least three specs: voltage, maximum current (amps) and capacity (watt hours). A classic analogy is a water pipe, where voltage represents pressure. Most agree that too much voltage burns things out, just as too much pressure may burst a pipe. Current represents the pipe’s diameter; higher current capacity means bigger pipe and more water. Watts represent water volume (electricity) over time: the total energy. More pressure (volts) moves more water (watts) down a pipe of a given size (amps), assuming the plumbing withstands it. Batteries operate with lower losses at lower currents; and more volts mean fewer losses for the same overall power.
PRIMARY PURPOSE Swit’s PB-C420S and PB-H290S versions have distinct strengths, but both are powerful
67. JUNE 2022
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