By site editor Dan Chung:
The Sony a7S is a great camera in many ways, but battery life isn’t one of them. The tiny NP-FW50 batteries it runs on don’t last very long while recording video and I find myself having to carry five or six to get through a day’s work. If you use Sony’s handy XLR-K2M audio pack which draws its power from the camera then the battery life is even worse still.
You can find several DIY and third party battery solutions that allow the use of larger Sony NP, Canon LP-E6 or powerbank type batteries, but if you want something a little more professional looking then British accessory maker Hawkwoods has just launched a couple of interesting solutions.
Their new LR-16 a7S dummy battery adaptor cable has a voltage regulator that allows the camera to run off almost any source that has a regular D-tap connection. Obvious choices would be Hawkwoods or Swit BP-U type batteries designed for the Sony FS7 and EX1 – these have the appropriate D-taps and aren’t too large. You can also hook it up to a V-lock battery or power distribution plate if running a larger rig. Price is a very reasonable £76 excluding tax.
Also launched this week is the new LR-16U cable that is designed to power the a7S for extended shoot times in an underwater housing. It can run the camera from a DV-F550 type battery. Due to the voltage this battery outputs it doesn’t need any power regulation making the whole setup very small. While it is mean’t to be used for underwater setups this solution would also work for anyone looking for a very low profile external battery solution. The DV-F550 could simply be attached with velcro or tape to the top of a cage, or even the XLR-K2M audio pack. It retails at £55 excluding tax.
For more details on both of these solutions visit the Hawkwoods website.
