The BA5000 from Birds Eye Technologies is a new adaptor that takes DJI’s TB-50 & TB55 battery to power any camera and/or camera accessory that uses a standard V-mount or Gold mount plate. These are the same batteries used for the Ronin 2 and Inspire 2.
Versatility with adaptors
Taking batteries for one device and adapting them onto another is not a new idea. The Sony F-type batteries are commonly used to power other cameras and accessories and Ignite Digi has been adapting TB50 batteries for a long time, first with the Freefly MōVi, and recently for cameras with the Hammerhead adapters. Only a few weeks ago, we saw Kessler crane release the Mag Max adapters that take DeWalt batteries that are used for power tools to power camera accessories like monitors.
Adapting DJI’s TB50 style batteries has many benefits. The TB50 (98Wh) at $160 USD and TB55 (178Wh) at $369 USD batteries offer great value when it comes to their price vs capacity. A single V-lock or Gold mount battery can retail anywhere from $200-$600 each. Depending on your location, it may even be easier to pick up the TB50 batteries over a camera battery.
Another advantage of using the TB50 style batteries is the charging speed as they can be recharged in a short amount of time. If you have a lot of the batteries, you can use DJI’s Battery Station which is an 8-bay simultaneous charger.
The TB50 batteries also offer 17 amps of power so they can power large loads.
The BA5000 mounts directly to a V-lock or Gold mount and can also be mounted via the two 1/4″ or single 3/8″ thread on the bottom of the adaptor. It is built from T6-6061 Aluminum and Delrin and has positive locking mechanisms to secure the TB50/55 batteries in place.
As for powering your camera and accessories, you can have quite a few options with the 2x P-Tap, 2-pin LEMO (on the Pro) and 5v 2A USB port.
Is it safe?
Devices that are powered by V-lock or Gold mount batteries usually aren’t cheap, whether it’s a cinema camera or monitor so it’s important that there are safety measures put in place to protect the user and the equipment.
The BA5000 adapters will detect and instantly shut down if it detects any of the following:
• Over/Under Voltage of the TB50 battery
• Over-Current
• Over-Voltage on the output side of the adapter if it goes over 17v.
• Over-Temperature of the electronics inside the BA5000
• Short-Circuit
Pricing & Availability
The BA5000 is expected to start shipping by the beginning of April. Pre-orders can be placed via their website – http://www.birdseyetechllc.com
The BA5000 will retail for $449 USD for the basic version and $549 USD for the Pro model. The main differences being the extra LCD screen and 2-pin LEMO output.
• Positive Locking Mechanism to securely hold both the TB50 and TB55 battery securely to the adapter
• Voltage Output ranging from 16.8v to 11.5V (will drop as the TB50/TB55 battery voltage drops to allow you to monitor voltage on your camera/accessories just like you would a normal cam-era battery)
• LCD Screen to display vital information about the adapter and battery condition
• 2x P-Tap outputs
• 2 Pin LEMO output
• 5v 2A USB output
• 17 amp output with short duration spikes up to 20 amps (such as during lens calibrations).
• Durable construction from T6-6061 Aluminum and Delrin
• 2x ¼-20 and 1x 3/8 threads on the bottom of the adapter to mount to whatever you want
• Positive Locking Mechanism to securely hold both the TB50 and TB55 battery securely to the adapter
• Voltage Output ranging from 16.8v to 11.5V (will drop as the TB50/TB55 battery voltage drops to allow you to monitor voltage on your camera/accessories just like you would a normal cam-era battery)
• 2x P-Tap outputs
• 17 amp output with short duration spikes up to 20 amps
• Durable construction from T6-6061 Aluminum and Delrin
• 2x ¼-20 and 1x 3/8 threads on the bottom of the adapter to mount to whatever you want
