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XDCAM EX Battery life
Generally delighted with the EX camera other than the battery life. Using a fully charged BP-U60 (large capacity battery) & shooting 1080p in interval mode, I only got 2 hours before the battery was down to 5%! Now I’m aware the EX is power hungry but I was hoping for a bit better than that.
Any one else a bit miffed by this?G5 dual 2.7, OS10.4.10, 4G RAM
Media100 HD V11.6 & Producer, AE 7
3.6 terra RAID -
7 Replies
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Your observed runtimes seem to be about typical with my own experience with the BPU60 battery. I was used to the runtimes of my PD170 with the infoLithium 970 battery, so the rather short battery life with the EX1/BPU60 combo was a bit of a surprise. I suspect that the EX1’s hybrid lens draws a lot of power, especially if auto focus is being used in conjunction with focus assist. There’s a lot of gears, etc, to move inside the lens of the EX, much more so than the lens of a PD170 or Z1U which are electronic focus only.
Perhaps the battery runtimes would be better using full manual focus only on the EX1.
Some users have also reported that leaving a fully charged battery on the camera resulted in a drained battery when they went to use the camera a few days later, even though the camera had been turned off the whole time. I’ve always removed my batteries when my cameras aren’t being used, so I can’t confirm the problem.
– Don
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It’s supposed to be 4 hours continuous record according to the literature.
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Yes, happened to me twice. i know the camera was off on Friday and Monday the stock battery was drained. I am still waiting for the spare 60 battery we ordered.
Gary
Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System -
Because we tend to travel with the battery installed, I would consider this a major issue.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
Sony EX-1 on the way. -
I just went to work today and found the stock battery fully uncharged and I did not have it mounted on the camera sibce Friday. And I left worked with the battery fully charged. This is really not looking good. Do we have to always take the time now to charge a battery two hours before every shoot? Sometimes a shoot happens in a spur of a moment. Anyone else seeing this happen? Plus my stock battery has a date from over a year ago, but charge cycles were showing six when I looked the other day at the menu info. Can Sony be selling old batteries and change the charge cycle data it shows? What a bummer.
Gary
Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System -
So Gary. Are you saying that the battery is dropping dead when it NOT mounted? Maybe your battery is defective. I bought a group of NP1s 2 years ago that took a dump when they were under a year old.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
Sony EX-1 has arrived and it’s fascinating. -
Yes, it drains while not on the camera after two days. I now have to go through all the hassle of returning and waiting.
I am also still waiting for the larger 60 spare battery I ordered.Gary
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