Reddit mentions: The best camera & camcorder battery chargers

Okay! With those parameters, assets, and budget, you have two good options.

The first, and probably easiest, will be doing exactly what /u/MacintoshEddie has suggested and throwing $400 at a local filmmaker and seeing what they can do with your well developed idea.

The second is, in my opinion, more fun, but it'll also require you to learn a little about filmmaking yourself.

The good news is, you already have most of the tools you need to create a "my first documentary" video and do it well. The camera on the iPhone 7 is better than any camera you're going to purchase below $200, and if you drop a couple bucks on a tripod and iphone adapter you're going to be set.

The biggest downside for you will be audio. Audio is the thing most fresh-faced filmmakers overlook, but it's just as-- if not more-- important as video quality. The onboard microphone in the iPhone is oooookay, but if you're more than 3 feet away from your subject, it'll get dicey. And unfortunately, this is the only place the iPhone falls short of a $250 Canon t2i.

Traditionally, there are two ways to do audio: in-camera and synced. In camera is when the audio and video are recorded together inside whatever camera you're using. This is a little tricky for the iPhone, because it's harder to attach a decent microphone. There are ways, but I'm not fluent in them. If this were a DSLR like the t2i mentioned above, I'd suggest you drop $150 for a Rode Videomic and call it a day. Since that's not an option (that I know of-- there might be a 3.5mm microphone jack adapter for the iPhone 7!), we need to look at the second audio solution: synced.

Synced audio is when you record the audio and video separately, and then synchronize them in post production. First off, post production is a fancy way of saying "editing the video." For professionals, there's a whole lot more than just editing, but for you, this'll be when you're bringing the footage onto your macbook and likely editing in iMovie.

For synced audio, the best option will be purchasing an $85 Tascam DR-05, a cheap microphone boom stand, and this adapter. Attach the DR-05 to the boom, throw something heavy on the base of the stand, and you'll have a good setup to capture audio for interviews and stationary events. However, you will need to "slate" each shot.

A slate is that black and white clapper board you see whenever film is depicted in media. It's purpose to to create a spike in the sound, as well as a visual indicator, so whoever is editing the footage can synchronize the audio and video. You can get away without a slate by simply clapping your hands in front of the camera.

If you go this route, I would suggest ONLY trying to do audio for interviews, and maybe stationary events where your camera won't move around. The audio captured on your iphone for "action" shots or "in the wild" shots will be okay as long as you have decent quality audio for the interviews. This will also save you time while editing, because syncing audio is a pain in the butt.

Now, if you haven't been scared away yet, and still want to spend a little money to make those interviews look extra-sexy, imma talk about some of my favorite lights on the market right now.

I've thrown together a $180 light kit for you that'll help you light your subjects in most lighting conditions. I use the YN600 Air for a key light (main light), and the YN300 for a fill light (remove unwanted shadows, dark background, etc). They're not as bright as some other LED options, but you won't need to worry about modifying the light at all. The YN Air series does a wonderful job of creating a nice, soft lightsource that won't screw with skintones or create harsh shadows. I've also thrown in two good stands that include a bag, and two power adapters to run the lights. If you want, you can spend an extra $60 on NPF batteries and chargers (I'd suggest these and then these ) to make the lights completely mobile). In addition to being excellent video lights, I've found I also keep my 300 set up in my room as a evening reading lamp!

Obviously, the lighting isn't necessary, but I promise you it'd be worth the investment when it comes to the final quality of your video. Both have an extremely easy learning curve, produce excellent results without needing to set up screens of diffuse, and their size makes them an afterthought when traveling.

So now that you're overwhelmed with all that info, let me recap!

Option 1) Have someone else do it!
Pros: You need to learn less, less stressful, less time spent on your end
Cons: Limited scheduling flexibility, $400 won't secure someone for months-on-end

Option 2) Do it yourself!
Pros: Complete control over the final product, working on your own time without worrying about other people, and new toys!
Cons: way more work, way more learning

Overall, you have two solid options to make this work. You could even combine the two: get the tripod and grab "on site" shots while paying someone else to produce your interviews. You'd still be up for editing, but you wouldn't have to worry about the nicer quality audio/syncing. With either option, you're going to end up being the producer/director of this video, which means you'll be doing the scheduling and coordinating, as well as creating the idea and communicating it exactly to everyone else you're working with.

Even though this may all seem really overwhelming right now, the best way to get the documentary done is to simply start working on it. Write up a summary of your vision, start asking around, and trust yourself to create something good. This subreddit is an excellent resource, as well as plenty of youtube channels and other forums out there. Additionally, if you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to shoot me a message. :)

Rigging it is easily the best way to make it usable for sure. The downside to rigging is that it gets bigger. (which for some is a downside, not really for me)
I'd start with the camera, if you're running just the camera I'd look at the smallrig cage. I've been really happy with their stuff. I would however take a look at what you're rigging onto it and ask yourself which cage to get, they have the gh4 cage, but they also make a "universal" small dSLR cage. I personally like the universal style (though I've not used it so take it for what its worth) because it has a clamping plate on the bottom and a hot shoe clamp. this secures the camera to the cage in 2 spots. I like the rigidity. (but I run heavy stuff on my rigs).
If you are running the GH4 with a YAGH the only option is the Wooden Camera kit. I've beat mine for 3 years on the road and its great. 100% recommend it. I went the YAGH rout because I was dropping this into a production environment, I needed the SDI out, XLR in and audio DAC, as well as teh TC for multi cam sync.
Now regardless of what cage you get the next and most important thing you can buy is the HDMI cable clamp. Dont skip this. if you want to use a monitor you'll need an output. I don't really care who makes the camera they all are flimsy and break. they are all expensive to have repaired. and Panasonic isn't repairing GH4s anymore to my knowledge.

Next I'd look at mounting. what are you putting the camera on? Its nice to set cameras down from time to time, even if you're just shooting handheld B-roll. I'd look at the CAMVATE quick release mount base. For like $40 you you get quick lease plate for your cage setup and a height adjustable rod clamp. you can then throw any tripod plate on the bottom of it and you're up and running. The rods give you the starting platform for future rigging.

With the camera now in a cage and on sticks. I'd look at a top handle. I'd get a smallrig again, but one with a nato slide. quick release is always the best option. so figure about $15 for the nato plate and then $60 for a handle. I like the handles with rod mounts so you can run an evf on them. I also would stay away from handles with leather or leather like wraps. they get hot and slippery with sweat.
alright we're getting there. this is where it gets more use case specific, what kind of audio are you running? also what kind of batteries are you running? and then do you use an external monitor or an evf?

For audio, if you're running externally, I'd look at getting some sort of battery plate that you can mount the audio to. CAMVATE again has a nice setup for a Vlock battery with all sorts of various regulated power on it. Its also built on a nice cheese plate.

After that, I'd look at a mattebox, then a follow focus, then monitors. but that gets pricey very quick.

so for links to everything:

Cage - $70.00
Rod Base and riser - $39.00

Nato Plate - $13.00

Top Handle - $60.00

Battery Plate - $100.00

Rods - $13.00

The last thing, if you have a monitor that you want to run on the rig, don't waste your money on the friction arms. they fall apart so fast. for about the same cost of a manfrotto arm you can get one of smallrig's double ball arms. I run this like 3 times a week and its great.

Monitor Mount - $50.00

​

So all in total you'd be looking at about $300.00 and you'd have a solid base to start working with. You can probably do better digging around on amazon, or even going to ebay. but I don't have the time right this second to do that. but when you are looking at things make sure that everything is either quick release or thumb screws. trust me you do not want to have to carry a set of allen wrenches to build your camera every time.

Absolutely! I'm gonna leave it here so anyone scrolling by can see it, but I'll also DM you and the other person who asked for it so you don't have to check back in the thread.

NEEWER 2-Pack 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light, LED Light for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,SONY, Samsung and Olympus Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07438JXM7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cIS2Ab7JHAYCT

(Despite some reviews claiming the battery life is poor or the output is low, I've had nothing but great experiences with these panels. With the batteries I use, I can do a surprising amount of shooting before the batteries die out. Not only that, I only have two batteries. So the fact that it is often enough for what I do is astonishing. Also, the output is just fine. In fact, bright enough at max output that it hurts your eyes without a softbox. With the softbox it is perfectly bright for most occasions. If you need brighter, look into the Neewer CN-216 or CN-304. Just be ready to warn people about their brightness.)

Neewer 5.9x6.7 inches/15x17 centimeters Camera Collapsible Diffuser Mini Softbox for CN-160, CN-126 and CN-216 LED Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OXCGA28/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CQS2AbBYSF5KE

(It has gone up a bit in price since I bought the two that I own, but it still offers excellent performance for the price. These are specifically made for the CN-160 panels. They diffuse light excellently, but at a minor cost. They are a bit of a pain in the ass to place onto the panel. At that price, though, you can't complain too much. You should be careful with them, as some have said that they don't take kindly to being handled roughly. My advise: take your time and do it carefully.)

Neewer 2 Pieces 2600mAh Li-ion Replacement Battery with Charger for Sony NPF550/570/530, Fit for Sony HandyCams, Neewer CN-160 CN-216 LED Light, Neewer 759 74K 760 Feelworld 759 74K 760 Field Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDC47YM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gVS2Ab3RDJ319

(Outside of another tiny price increase, there's not much to say about these. They do the job incredibly well for what I put them through. However, NP F550 type batteries aren't meant to last incredibly long shoots. If you do long shoots, invest in a few more batteries and consoder using the larger capacity NP F750 type batteries.)

Fovitec StudioPRO - 2x 7'6" Classic Light Stand Kit - [Classic][For Photo and Video][Includes Carrying Bag] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNZJLG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j0S2AbBBPVA2J

(These light stands have served me well. But, as with all cheaper gear, they won't withstand care that is too rough. They've handled plenty with me, but I recommend you try to take care of them. Other than that, they're just light stands.)

Bonus:

Neewer 12 x 12-Inches Pack of 8 Transparent Color Correction Lighting Gel Filter in 8 Different Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCIKB5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_f3S2Ab6ZCYTAD

(Some cheap color gels. Get the job done.)

Of course I must include: This is all cheaper starter gear. It is not meant to replace the more expensive light kits that are much more durable, do much more and produce much better results. But restriction breeds creativity. And a passionate, new content creator with a creative eye will make the best of what they have. If you are a starting filmmaker, videographer or photographer, by all means, use this setup. Once you're ready to move onto better, more costly equipment, though, don't hesitate.

> I would be indebted to you if you reminded us what you did and how you did it. I love creating DIY gizmos, and recall your setup being a very manageable blueprint.

I suppose we can arrange that.

---

TL;DR - 101 Ah Battery, DIY Distrubution Box w/ Banana Plugs, Mount/CCD/Arduino power cord converted to banana plug, 12V Laptop Power supply and 110V DSLR power supply hacked up, a few bits and pieces, couple of solar panels thrown in for fun.

---

The long version

===

• Start with the battery. Mine is an EverStart 101Ah from WalMart.
  
  
  
  What's important is that this be a DeepCycle or Marine battery, designed to deliver low current for extended periods of time (vs LOTS of current QUICKLY, like when starting a car) and be drained to low amounts of remaining capacity and recharged many times.
  
  You completely do not care about "CCA" - Cold Cranking Amps. If your rig ever draws more than 10-ish Amps or so at one time, you have much bigger problems than whether your battery can deliver it. :)
  
  What you're after is capacity, in AmpHours. I'll talk below about how to calculate your needs, if you're really wanting to be picky...but suffice to say, 50-100 Ah should be plenty for any normal AP use, especially if you'll be charging after every evening.
  
  
• Now we need a way to distribute all that power. I built this one myself. Start with a suitable project box, grab a fuse holder (I use a 10A fuse btw), maybe a terminal block for easy connections to the input power, and some banana jacks and wire it all up with some 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire, and you're set.
  
  Mine has banana plugs on the input side, so I can plug it into my 12V power supply when I'm at home. When i'm in the field, I have some battery clips that you can plug banana plugs into like these, but you can also rig up your own if you wish with some simple 3/16" brass tubing and some solder. :)
  
  
• Then we've got a bunch of cables. Nothing really surprising there...it's just the various power cables for the mount, the CCD, and so on, with all their various connectors (usually cigarette lighter plugs) removed, and replaced with banana plugs.
  
  
• Next is laptop power. This is the result of hacking apart a 12V laptop power supply (That company makes more, for several different breeds of laptop) and stuffing the guts into a small project box. Isolated the input power inside the guts, and connected it to some banana plugs.
  
  BE VERY CAREFUL HERE The company that makes these uses black for negative, and red for positive. Great way to get confused and short your power supply, etc.
  
  
• Finally, the DSLR Power for when i'm shooting planetary/lunar. This one takes the most "hacking". You start with an AC power adapter for your DSLR. All you really need is the camera end...the plug, and the little adapter bit shaped like a battery. In fact, sometimes you can buy them seperately, though they're often as much or more than the whole power unit.
  
  Next, read the power supply to see what its output is (or use a multimeter to find out). It is a pretty safe bet it'll be 7.4V, since that's the output of a 2-cell lithium pack, which is what most of them are these days, but check and be sure.
  
  The, grab yourself a little step down module (You can find those in packs of 10 or more for less per piece if you think you need extras for other projects), These guys are slick....just hook up your power supply and a voltmeter, twist the little gold screw to adjust output power, and when it gets to 7.4V (or whatever your DSLR needs) you're all set.
  
  Clip off the output cable and plug from the DSLR power adapter, solder that onto the output side of the step down module, hook up some banana plugs to the input side...done. 12V DSLR power for the night.
  
  
• Finally, because it seemed fun, I grabbed some good monocrystaline solar panels and a charge controller, and rigged up a little wood frame I can set up
  next to the RV. No picture, I'm too lazy to drag them out of the RV storage. heh I do want to be clear, though...having some solar recharging capacity is not necessary at all unless you're just crushing this rig for power (see below), but it IS pretty cool and gadgety if you're into such things. :)
  
  ---
  
  
• Ok, smartass, how much power do I actually need?
  
  Easy...you need the number of amps your rig pulls, times the number of hours you'll be using it, times the number of times you want to use it between charges, times 1.5
  
  The two biggest consumers in a typical AP rig will be the laptop and the cooler on a CCD if you have one. DSLRs, focusers, tracking mounts, etc...None of these things use much power at all, and they use VERY little on a constant basis.
  
  Best way to know for sure is simply to use a multimeter to measure the current each one is using under its highest load. In other words, measure the mount while it's slewing, the CCD while it's cooling, the laptop while it's screen is on and drives aren't sleeping and battery is charging, etc.
  
  Add all those up, that's your current needs....you need to be able to provide that many amps at any given time. (That number almost CERTAINLY ought to be under 10A, hence the suggestion of a 10A fuse above).
  
  Now...multiply that number by the number of hours you'll be running the rig. Say you pull 5A, and will be imaging for 6 hours. That's 30AH of capacity you'll use (if everything's running at max).
  
  Now..maybe you want to be able to go camping for a weekend, and not recharge...so you want to shoot for 2 nights. Ok. 30Ah 2 = 60Ah.
  
  And finally, give yourself a nice cushion, so you don't drain the battery completely (a deep cycle CAN handle it..but they still don't "like" it). Let's say 1.5 times the need, so 60 1.5, 90Ah.
  
  You can quite comfortably figure on a 90Ah battery getting you two full nights of use, with no worries. :)
  
  For what it's worth :
  
  I run a cooled CCD, a Losmandy G11 mount, a Toshiba laptop, an Arduino-based focuser, AND support my son and I recharging our RC batteries (various 1.8Ah - 4 Ah capacity 2-6 cell packs) all off the same 101Ah battery. We can pull a complete weekend (leave on Friday afternoon, image Fri/Sat nights, fly Sat/Sun day) RC/Imaging camping trip and come home with about 20-30% capacity left in the battery. With the solar rig added on, we could go 4-5 days or more, depending on sunlight. I did my recent 3 night imaging trip with the same battery, and wasn't even down to half-empty when i got home.
  
  

You can, I dunno what Rain_Coast is on about. I bought two things as soon as I bought my E-M5 II, first one is this duck plug (similar to what comes with some Apple chargers) so I wouldn't have to carry the cable and could plug the Oly AC charger right into the wall (it's not that big, hangs fine).

Second, I bought this USB charger so I could charge two batteries simultaneously without tying up additional outlets, as a bonus it's also smaller. I typically charge my Watson battery on this one and the OEM battery on the OEM charger, but they'll charge the other way around as well.

I have not verified if they'll charge to exactly 100% (which is a common occurrence when mixing OEM batteries and third party chargers) but I'm not too bothered if it's left at 90% or whatever since that's healthier for the battery anyway and I always carry multiple ones.

I've heard the Watsons are by far the best third party ones as far as yielding close to the same capacity as the OEM stuff. YMMV with newer battery models like the E-M1 II's, though I'm pretty sure there's single and dual USB chargers for those too. I have two Wasabis I rarely use (got them as part of a third car charger I bought for camping and using off solar).

I'm actually kind glad Oly ships a cabled charger, left the cable plugged into an outlet under my desk so I can just reach for it when I wanna charge at home rather than hunting for a free outlet. Got a cabled Pana charger too (from an imported GM1) that I've left alongside it and USB Pana charger for travel too.

Edit: There's third party AC chargers as well of course, the Watson ones seem neat in that they have these swappable plates for different batteries. I bought one and a fresh battery to hopefully sell w/my GM1...

Get one now before they ship with the restrictive firmware that is in beta (not required to upgrade but if it ships with it you might not be able to downgrade).

The Phantom 3 Advance is the best deal. $799 on Amazon. Save money over the Pro and use it on batteries and this. With that controller mod the limiting factor on how far you can go is the battery. One guy has gone over 6 miles away.

This to protect your gimbal if you land on rocks or anything.

This to protect your camera when not in use (acts as a gimbal lock) and optional lens hood while flying to control flares.

This to hook onto your controller to alleviate the weight during long flying sessions.

This to make viewing your screen outdoors a lot easier when flying instrument only

This to charge the multiple batteries you were able to afford since you went with the advanced over the pro model.

And finally this to carry it all in.

I enjoy mine a lot, but make sure you are responsible. It is a tool, not a toy so treat it like one. I learned that the hard way when I dumped my first one into the lake. If you want to fly for fun, buy a cheaper quad for dicking around inside or out and save the Phantom for more serious tasks. Fly safe and enjoy!

I love this v-mount battery plate:

HEDBOX | Unix-BM | V Mount/Lock Battery Adapter Plate, with 1x USB 5V/2.1A and 3X D-Tap 14.8V/148W Power Out, Regulated 12V/50W Power via 20in/50cm Breakaway Cable with 2-Pin Connector for BMPCC 4K https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1M23QN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_C5tADbDQHV0EM

It has 3 D-Taps and one USB port (powering a small monitor) and it comes with the 2-Pin connector cable that plugs right into the BMPCC4K!

You will need to mount it onto a plate on your rig. I got this camvate and it mounts perfectly but there are others.

CAMVATE Multi-Purpose Mounting Cheese Plate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071YTFZ88/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_99tADbVK192QQ

Finally if you want to save a little money on vmount batteries you can use this alternative until you save up for a good v-mount:

This $20 v-mount adapter attaches the Hedbox to give you the option to use NPF batteries.

Neewer NP-F Battery to V-Mount Battery Converter Adapter for LED Light, Field Monitor, 5D2 Rigs, Alternative Battery Option for Sony V-Mount Gear, Fits for 2-Pack Sony NP-F970, NP-F770,NP-F570 Battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075R8DMKF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_m6tADbQCDAHW2

And you can buy 2 NPF 970s for $35

NP F975, NP F970, NP F960, NP F950 2X Replacement Li-ion for Sony DCM-M1 MVC-CD1000 HDR-FX1 DCR-VX2100E DSR-PD190P NEX-FS700RH HXR-NX3 (Dual Battery) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J7S0VNQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_F.tADbW4H2N5V

Cheap $16 NPF dual charger:

Powerextra Dual Battery Charger with USB LCD Display for Sony NP-F970 NP-F930 NP-F950 NP-F960 Battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G7MJKRP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yguADbDG636AC

$27 dual charger with LED:

SR SUN ROOM NEW Dual Channel LCD Display Charger For Sony NP-F550 NP-F570 NP-F750 NP-F770 NP-F930 NP-F950 NP-F960 NP-F970 NP-FM55H NP-FM500H NP-QM71 NP-QM91 NP-QM71D NP-QM91D Camcorder Batteries https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CG7P4YQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EfuADbN81BWDN

I run this setup and it works GREAT!

Hi /u/HardcoreBabyface - I use this [$25.90 Sony NP-F battery plate adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/ILED-Battery-Adapter-BMPCC-HDV-Z96/dp/B00WLEKQS4//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$21.99 pair of NP-F550 batteries and charger] (https://www.amazon.com/NP-F550-Sony-CCD-RV100-CCD-RV200-CCD-TR215/dp/B00CPYXQ2S//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) - which not only costs less than the [$109 Juicebox Magic Box] (https://www.amazon.com/Juicebox-Battery-Blackmagic-Production-Cameras/dp/B013KWVXI2//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20), but also provides more total battery storage (5800mAh for two NP-F550s versus 5200mAh for the Juicebox).

This is the setup I use, screwed into the bottom of my [$24.99 JJC pistol grip] (https://www.amazon.com/JJC-HR-DV-Stabilizer-Camcorder-Blackmagic/dp/B00MRNP2LA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$5.95 1/4" to 1/4" male to male threaded screw adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/BephaMart-Threaded-Camera-Adapter-Shipped/dp/B01BAJL39Q//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20), and it works very well, as seen [here] (https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMKvjF4doLEPl0aeYMWHiZdDZefacKJnAv3qFtk6BZ9mwFBJo4pwVc2HhlZVUZJlg/photo/AF1QipNL0onGeSYC28zZEWwIFXLyKSkwENgJOaE4TUWE?key=cGgxNUk5Wkh6eWVuNllZbnNRaWhpQnVuV2RZeVlR).

You can also mount it on top of the camera, as seen in [this video] (https://youtu.be/dYKjvnfwyvU).

Hope this is helpful, good luck finding a battery solution for your BMPCC and best of the holidays to you and yours!

It looks nice I have a H4S so I cant use it as its only for the 3+. However personally because it is in place of the backdoor I dont know how safe the camera would be because of the extra weight if it were to fall and hit between the hinge and the battery.

The brunton case is "only" 4000mah, but if it were me I would purchase an external battery pack you can get a 10000-15000mah battery pack for under $25 and a set of extra batteries either of these would do, you can charge them with the external battery pack and will have WAY more than enough life to last you days of recording. For the price smatree looks the best it has a three channel charger so you could charge your gopro battery outside of its case as well.

These links are for the Hero 4 but they have the same batteries for the hero 3's as well.

Newmowa $19

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NYKTN60/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=XWVGO54S0UHL&coliid=I8IYLLB5U1SQM

Wasabi $24

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-401-AHBBP-401/dp/B00OAAUZO2/ref=pd_cp_p_1

Smatree $20

http://www.amazon.com/Smatree%C2%AE-1290mAh-Replacement-3-Channel-Camcorder/dp/B00OT7N2ZA/ref=pd_cp_p_0

Free Stuff:

• Use Capture One Express for raw processing; its free.
  
• Use DaVinci Resolve for video editing; its free.
  
• Be able to shoot videos longer than 30 minutes.
  
  Low Cost (Under $30):
  
  
• Have at least one or two spare batteries.
  
• Remote triggers are nice; long range ones are even better.
  
• Mini Tripods are better than no tripod.
  
• Get a hot shoe cover (with a bubble).
  
• Almost always shoot with your lens hood on.
  
• Get the timelapse app.
  
• These flash bounce cards are magic.
  
  Expensive:
  
  
• Shoot RAW and get a big SD card.
  
• The sigma 30mm F/1.4 is almost glued on. I use it a lot.
  
• If looking for a flash checkout Flashpoint and the transmitter (rebranded godox). I have 3 of them.
  
• Flash Bender is a great all around flash modifier; knockoffs work pretty well. If you get a big flash you'll want a modifier.
  
  
  Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyAlpha/comments/4zb5zt/what_are_the_things_i_should_know_read_about_my/
  

Buy the Hero4 to future proof yourself a bit more. Another GoPro won't be coming out for awhile and when it finally does, it will only be marginally better than the 4 while much better than the 3+. So far the screen has been great, just take care of it and keep it protected as often as possible. I just received these in the mail also:

http://www.amazon.com/Smatree%C2%AE-1290mAh-Replacement-3-Channel-Camcorder/dp/B00OT7N2ZA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419799174&sr=8-3&keywords=hero+4+battery

http://www.amazon.com/RAVPower%C2%AE-10400mAh-External-Thunderbolt-Incredible/dp/B009V5X1CE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1419816813&sr=8-4&keywords=gopro+external+battery

Easy, get something like this and connect it with a standard audio cable to this, or do the job of both with this.

Use something like this to power that, and you have yourself a portable stereo system, that you can attach any passive bookshelf speakers to. It would be easy to attach that equipment inside a wooden/plastic box, and create a mechanism of sorts to clip or strap down the speakers, so you have an easy to carry package.

When done with portable use, detach the speakers, carry them over to your 5.1 setup in the living room or whatever, and place/reconnect them for use there.

Good Battery replacements are hard to find. I purchased one of these and it works amazing. You just can't see what percentage the charge is at since the PSP will recognize it as an external power source. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBM4UQW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oMAxCbTC5QYK7

As for chargers, I had purchased an Insten charger on Amazon. It came with a battery and a charger. Purchased 2 since the price was like 11$. Both batteries were absolute trash and shorted within minutes. But I gotta say that their chargers have worked really well for me.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QGTK3JW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Apart from the beard trimmer, just buy a good USB charger. You can buy the Apple iPad charger and the world travel kit, and only bring the 2 adapters you'll need on your trip. Cheap, good USB cables from Anker or Monoprice. I replaced my DSLR charger with this guy. Much smaller, works great, and takes USB.

I purchased a 7 inch unit with a 'Feelworld' sticker on it for $135 and it works surprisingly well. I also bought some batteries (Sony L series) and a charger as well as a magic arm and a carrying case. I am very pleased with it and the only gripe I have with it is that the power button is more like a standby button. I have to remember to pop the battery out so I don't end up with it being dead.

Here's some links:
Magic arm - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QTIVL82/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8

Clamp - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CM5SNY0/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Case - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0196JV89C/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Huge battery (one last all day about) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M3P9YBQ/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Inexpensive HDMI cable - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014I8SIJY/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Smaller batteries and charger - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CPYXQ2S/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And finally, the monitor - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00SV5K9WA/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Let me know ow if you have any questions!

I love being able to just bring one charger with me when I travel. Phone on USB-C, and then Surface 3, power bank, smart watch, and camera battery on the standard USB. It was my main motivation for getting the Surface 3.

In general, just make sure your external battery can output more than 2A for greatest utility. More and more devices can take advantage of higher amps to recharge faster. And the larger its capacity, the more important it is that its input is greater than 1A. Higher inputs will mean you'll be able to recharge your battery from the wall faster.

Once you decide on one though, I'm a big fan of these little plates that let you recharge a spare battery from a USB source. That means you can keep on shooting while you charge up an empty. There's no cables to your camera to get in the way and everything can sit in your pack as it charges. They're also tiny so you won't notice them when travelling.

Thanks for the review. I ordered the same thing a couple months back, and I think it's a really great package for those that are getting into the GoPro HERO4 series and need extra batteries. I believe it's also the only one (on Amazon) that allows charging for three batteries simultaneously. If you think about it, that makes a lot of sense because you already have the stock battery and you'll be getting two more.

Non-referral Amazon link

I used these: DSTE® 2x DMW-BLC12 Battery + DC114 Travel and Car Charger Adapter for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 G6 G7 GH2 FZ200 Leica Q Camera as DMW-BLC12E BP-DC12E

They are chipped to show remaining battery, but the indicator runs different than the stock one. When it drops to 2 bars your have 5 minutes left, 1 bar means you have 1-2 minutes shooting time left.

These lasted as long or longer than my stock battery through a full summer of shooting everyday.

The stock battery would make noise when charging in this charger, so I kept the 2 to their respective chargers.

I hope this helps you!

I got the Smatree 2x batteries. They've got 4.5 stars on Amazon with almost a thousand reviews. They're working great so far and I recommend them.

I use this cheap Chinese charger from Amazon.

Though, I really wanted this Nitecore charger.

There is not much actual difference. Nitecore is just a name that I trust more.

Each brand makes dual USB chargers for different camera batteries. They charge a wee bit slower, but they're effective.

There is nothing wrong with buying off-brand batteries as long as they're made to the appropriate specifications (which, they are--they wouldn't stay in business if they burned out themselves or cameras).

You're honestly better off getting a better charger anyway. This is inexpensive, will charge your batteries faster, and charge more of them simultaneously.

The included charger isn't very good, and you're not even supposed to use it to charge a battery and the transmitter simultaneously.

This. This is the easiest/cheapest way to go. This plate and take your pick of battery capacity from this brand, DSTE.

The NP-F 970s last about 3-4 hours depending on conditions and the much smaller NP-F 550s last over an hour, up to 2, again, depending on conditions.

I found using a cage for the BMPCC like this was helpful for attaching it. It’s definitely not a perfect solution but absolutely one of the cheapest. The biggest fault I’ve found would be that the Battery plate gets absolutely no feedback from the camera, so it constantly drains the battery until you physically unhook it from the plate, even when not charging/powering the camera.

I’ve also heard great things about this battery/power solution from a lot of guys who use the BMPCC and BMCC but haven’t used it myself. I can confirm that a 12v usb battery bank will also do the job, I use the same cord from my battery plate to connect it but you can order them separate simply by searching amazon for “BMPCC Cords”

I purchased these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MEAMBDI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They came with a car charger adapter, and they will show the battery life in the camera properly. They do not last as long as the stock battery, but the price is great for two.

I have 2 OEM batteries, 2 wasabi, and 2 newmowa And i cant tell the difference on life when i have them in the camera. I can usually get a full day (~800 shots) out of any of them. For longer / more important gigs i use a battery grip to hold 2 batteries and give my hand some more room to hold onto the damned thing. On rudimentary bench discharge they all came without 5% of each other out of the box. So personally would get the 4-6 aftermarket batteries and keep plenty on hand.

I shoot for a tour & travel company and travel a lot (3 weeks traveling 1 week home, for the past 8 months). I originally had 5 batteries and that would get me through. I recently added two more because I bought an a6300 for my mother or gf to use when we went on a vacation together. I occasionally would use it as well as a second body to do video with. All of my batteries are Sony because I have never found an off brand camera battery that didn't become a paper weight after a few months of rigorous use. When I used to shoot Nikon I got burned a few times from this. I have been told they are better, but I refuse to go down that road again. You can if you like, but I urge you to read reviews carefully. If a reviewer says it works fine after a few charges, that is not long enough to have an informed opinion.

For charging I use this two battery charger. It feels cheap but it gets the job done. It comes with two off brand batteries. I did not even bother I just recycled them. I have 2 of the chargers and I usually rubber band them together and toss it in my suitcase. Those live in my hotel room usually. For when I am out and about I will keep one of these smaller one battery chargers in my camera bag so in an emergency I could be charging a battery. I usually only use it if the weather is very cold and I know my batteries will die faster. The good thing about it being USB is that I can plug an external battery bank into it and charge one of my already depleted batteries while I am shooting with another battery. For external battery banks I use this anker 13400mah one. The construction is solid, it charges things almost as fast as a wall outlet, the capacity is pretty accurate and it has two ports so I can charge a camera battery and something else if I need to. Overall it is a great battery bank, probably not the absolute best, but still great.

If you are going to be away from outlets for 3 days you might want to get a beefier battery pack. Depending on your shooting style of course. Anker makes a lot of sizes even up to having this properly named powerhouse.

I don't know, I still prefer having a separate powerbank and flashlight+headlamp than a combination for redundancy's sake.

Right now, I carry Thrunite TH10 and the TN12 with a 18650 powered powerbank.


I typically carry 8 18650 cells with me but, the headlamp/flashlight can pretty much last a whole weekend trip on one pair while the other 4 are used to charge my phone/kindle/DSLR batteries.

http://www.amazon.com/Newmowa-Battery-SLT-A55V-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10/dp/B00V5ORSZK

Charger and two mediocre quality batteries, $24

It's a great deal

Unanswered question from the previous megathread

Author /u/sadface- - (Permalink)

Anyone have any experience with charging Fuji NP-W126 Batteries with a USB charger?

There are some available from Amazon, like this. I have an Anker power bank itd be nice to charge on the fly with this.

Only problem is that last time I bought a USB charger for my Nikon batts last year (back when I shot Nikon), one of the batteries stopped working after a while. I'm not quite sure if it's because of old age or because USb charging just doesnt work for certain batteries, or because the power output of my Anker is incompatible.

Anyone have any experience with charging Fuji NP-W126 Batteries with a USB charger?

There are some available from Amazon, like this. I have an Anker power bank itd be nice to charge on the fly with this.

Only problem is that last time I bought a USB charger for my Nikon batts last year (back when I shot Nikon), one of the batteries stopped working after a while. I'm not quite sure if it's because of old age or because USb charging just doesnt work for certain batteries, or because the power output of my Anker is incompatible.

I just bought that battery. I already have a fast charger, so did not bother with the bundle. I am upgrading from an older Anker 10000mAH version which still works after a few years.

I would also recommend this 3rd party usb battery charger.

Depending on how you plan to use the power pack, I also suggest a right or left angle micro usb cable, depending on how you plan to carry the powe pack.

Wouldn't this and this be easier? I actually had my frame covered in LEDs for a few years (burner style bike in default) and it did okay but I had to resolder somewhat regularly.

If you're savvy with electronics, there are a TON of 12v battery options out there.

If you want something ready-made, you should look at something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-Amplifier-Multi-led-indicator/dp/B00MHNQIR2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1526141297&sr=8-5&keywords=rechargeable+12v+battery

i bought this one. now i have 3 batteries and they work really well.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Charger-Compatible-Sony-PSP-2000/dp/B00QGTK3JW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539384668&sr=8-3&keywords=PSP+3000+battery

or

https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-Sony-PSP-Slim-2000-3000/dp/B00QGTFQNA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539384668&sr=8-4&keywords=PSP+3000+battery

depending on which extra you want as they are the same price as just the battery.

There are aftermarket USB chargers for the EN-EL15 batteries. They contain a voltage boost circuit. I have one, but hardly ever use it since I generally get by with one or two batteries per day, and usually carry 3.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Battery-Charger-EN-EL15-Rechargeable/dp/B00ZHJ8UQK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495567742&sr=8-4&keywords=en-el15+usb+charger

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQF4TH2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_LDNzwbDVFNEHD

I bought a few sets of these and have had no issues 6 months in. They last a bit longer than the oem because they are rated at 1950mAh rather than 1050mAh. The charger takes about 2.5 hours to recharge the batteries and a little more than 1.5 hours to recharge oems. Of course, make sure you have airplane mode ON to extend your battery life.

I got this one on amazon. it's micro usb.

I didn't learn about it until I was fine pumping but someone recommended getting a battery and taking it to the S2 to make it more portable and putting it in a tote bag. Still big and awkward but at least you're not chained to the wall.

https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-Amplifier-Multi-led-Indicator/dp/B00MHNQIR2

I bought these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M3P9YAC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and I have been shooting the heck out of them for a few months. No issues yet, and I have not noticed them dying faster than any of my authentic sony batteries.

edit: They take like 8 hours to charge with that charger. Just wanted to include that

I had originally purchased a 12v light strip and lithium battery pack, but the problem is that I need the battery pack to be very light.

This is because I need to fasten this on to the bottom of a longboard with Velcro, and the battery pack I got was too heavy and came off if I hit a bump. ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MHNQIR2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WgOLAbPH8BAZ7 )

So I thought finding a 5v strip so I can use a light weight battery pack would be better

using this one https://www.amazon.com/Newmowa-NP-FW50-SLT-A55V-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10/dp/B00V5ORSZK

Buy more batteries.

Here is something that can be used to charge 3 batteries at once

Here is something you can connect to your GoPro while its recording to charge it and it can charge it 10-11 times from 0-100

Is that what you were asking for?

I got the wasabi wall charger with 2 batteries and just picked up this usb charger with 2 batteries so I can use a portable battery pack while traveling. Haven't used the new arteries a whole lot yet as I now have 5 total but so far no issues.

[usb dual charger](Newmowa NP-FW50 Battery (2 pack) and Dual USB Charger for Sony NP-FW50 and Sony Alpha a3000, Alpha a5000, Alpha a6000, A6300,Alpha 7, a7, Alpha 7R, a7R, Alpha 7S, a7S, NEX-3, NEX-3N, NEX-5, NEX-5N, NEX-5R, NEX-5T, NEX-6, NEX-7, NEX-C3, NEX-F3, SLT-A33, SLT-A35, SLT-A37, SLT-A55V, Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V5ORSZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ESKHxbPV9DB9V)

I have this one Amazon link here and it's pretty slow to charge. I have 4 batteries to cycle through so it's not too big of an issue, but it will take a while to get one from empty to full.

I have the Wasabi-bundled external charger that goes directly to an outlet and that is the fastest I've seen (~1 hour or so for a charge from empty).

When I traveled to a land of strange voltages and plugs (Korea, which uses the Euro style outlets), I simplified my life significantly by using a euro wall plug USB charging hub.

This meant that in addition to charging my phone, and USB battery, I was also charging the battery in my XT-2, and charging an additional W126s on a USB Fuji Battery Charger.

You've probably already picked some up, but I've used these with no issues.