Blackmagic Power Solutions

By now everyone is well aware of the Blackmagic camera's and the various pros and cons surrounding each model and while the cameras are akin to Marmite for many their affordability is undeniable whether you love them or hate them. Here at Planet PC we receive a lot of enquiries about the complete Blackmagic range but one of the more common questions we get asked by customers purchasing the original 2.5K/4K/Pocket Camera models is "What about battery options?"

One such customer was Mark from Spart Media who recently invested in a Blackmagic Cinema Camera (4K version). Mark was well aware of the limitations of the Cinema Camera's internal battery and needed a solution to enable him to cover a full day's filming. Luckily we were on hand to offer help and advice and managed to supply Mark with an excellent power solution which means he can now concentrate on getting the shots that count without worrying about losing power mid-shoot.

For anyone who's wondering, Mark's solution eventually consisted of some great equipment from PAG who are a highly innovative British company specialising in the manufacture and design of highly innovative power solutions. We'll be talking more about them shortly but before we do here's a look at some more great power solutions for the Blackmagic Cameras which are all based around high capacity V-Lock batteries.

Alot of our customers like V-Locks due to the fact that they either already own some or like the fact that V-Locks can be used to power everything from lights to cameras and everything in between. It's this versatility which means V-Lock batteries are pretty much essential for anyone working in the field who either wants to shoot for long periods of time, has a lot of on board gear or needs to use additional equipment such as lighting where mains power is simply not an option.

If value for money is what you're looking for we'd recommend taking a look at Swit batteries here which are a great alternative to some of the more expensive brands such as IDX. These are ideal for anybody on a budget who requires all the advantages of using a V-Lock system without breaking the bank. We particularly like the fact that Swit produce a range of Dual/Quad channel chargers which feature built in XLR outputs and are capable of recognising the type of battery being charged. For more information visit the Swit website here.

Along with Swit many of you will be familiar with the IDX range which are a very popular (although more expensive) alternative. Check out the IDX website here to view the full range - they do a lot more than just batteries! For anybody looking at one of the 2.5K/4K cinema cameras we'd recommend taking a look at the IDX BCC-CP(A) (BCCCP-A) Blackmagic Cinema Power Kit. Admittedly the name is a bit long winded but the kit itself is an excellent bundle which along with the V-Lock adapter also includes a versatile cheese plate which is compatible with standard 15mm rods. We particularly like the fact that the V-Lock adapter has the power cable built into it which means there's no need to purchase an additional cable which can cost upwards of £30.00 (ex vat). The battery adapter also features an additional D-Tap outlet which is ideal for powering other accessories at the same time.

For anybody using a Blackmagic Pocket Camera it might be worth taking a look at the Wooden Camera WC V-Mount here. This also features a built in cable (although not the longest) and has a built in D-Tap outlet. Unlike the IDX solution just mentioned this doesn't include the cheeseplate which will be required if you want to mount your battery on a rig but we still think it's an excellent solution all the same.

Wooden Camera provide an excellent range of power solutions for the Blackmagic cameras and it's worth noting that if you're considering a Blackmagic Camera and you've already got V-Locks many of the batteries themselves feature a D-Tap out so there's no reason why you can't simply purchase the relevant cable depending on which camera you're looking at. With this in mind remember to give some consideration to which accessories you might want to use and ultimately provide power for. Most V-Lock adapters nowadays feature a D-Tap outlet but if your batteries don't then you'll be limited to just one which might be an issue.

The PAG PL96T - Who's in charge?

After discussing the various options with us our customer Mark chose to go with the PAG system which consisted of two PAGlink PL96T Batteries, the PAG Micro Charger (probably the smallest V-Lock charger we've ever seen), a PAG V-Mount battery plate and a custom D-Tap power cable. As somebody who travels often (Mark is currently away filming in Japan) portability and efficiency was of paramount importance to Mark and something which this PAG solution provides in spades.

The PAG PL96T batteries are also some of the most intelligent batteries we have come across and along with featuring LED displays which show run time/capacity these high capacity batteries also comply with United Nations Standards which means they're suitable for air transport in hand luggage - something which was also essential for Mark. Where these batteries really shine is when they come together (literally) using the PAGlink system. This allows these batteries to be piggy-backed onto each other which enables them to act as one larger battery, with the option to connect up to eight! The batteries communicate with each other to control charge/discharge and when you combine this with the fact that connected batteries can all be charged from one charger at the same time you really do have one of the best battery systems out there!



PAG Batteries - Well Stacked

Obviously all the equipment discussed just now is compatible with a lot more than just the Blackmagic Cameras but for anyone who's already gone or is considering going this route we hope some of the options discussed will come in useful. If you'd like to discuss power solutions or anything else related to video broadcast technologies check out our website here or give our sales team a call on 01274 713400.