The 98Wh V-Lock battery has been getting smaller and you now have many options to choose from. Another one is from Dynacore. The new DPM-98S Li-ion battery is small and surprisingly light with 14.8 volts and maximum 10 amps making it a very capable battery for power-hungry devices and cameras. Dynacore only uses genuine Japanese Li-Ion battery cells. The batteries are assembled in China. They come with a 3 Year USA Warranty (Batteries Only) and 1 Year USA Warranty on Chargers & Accessories.
DPM-98SSpecifications
| Battery Type | V-Mount or Gold Mount |
| Voltage | 14.8v |
| Capacity | 98Wh/6.7Ah |
| Max Output | 120W, 10A |
| D-Tap Output | 100W, 8A |
| USB Output | 10W, 2A |
| Dimension | 102 x 75 x 50(mm) |
| Weight | 0.50Kg |
| Operating temperature | -30°C ～ +50°C |
| Amps | 10A |
Weight is important when you have a lot of kit, so keeping things tight and light is a good idea. The DPM-98S comes in at 490 grams while the 155wh D-155MS model is 765 grams. With two combined you get 196wh and 275 grams more in weight. For compact setups, I would prefer the 98wh battery option and have a few ready to go. Smaller watt batteries also charge faster.
Another comparison is with the popular Sony NP-F970L. It is 6300mAh or 45.5Wh. These retail for $125.99. They are very popular and are available from 3rd party vendors by the masses and can be very inexpensive.
The tiny DPM-98S battery comes in either V-lock or Gold Mount. They are a good fit for devices that use a V-Lock or Gold Mount battery but are small in size as well, such as monitors, stabilizers, focus puller motors, portable LED panel and small cameras setups with an added battery plate. If it has a V Lock it will work.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing these smaller capacity batteries is just how hungry your device is. If it is a beast then expect to swap out more frequently. Lights are a good example of the need for higher capacity batteries. Depending on the fixture you could get very low run times. For example with a power-hungry Aputure 300d II in single battery mode, the light only goes to 50% output. It ran for 20 minutes at full 50% power. With a 30-watt camera, you will get approximately 3 hours of run time.
FAA Quantity limits
If you fly with gear a lot having Li-ion batteries under 100wh is a good idea as you can basically carry-on as many as you like. This is for US travel so check your regain for the regulations they have in place.
None for most batteries, but batteries must be for use by the passenger. Batteries carried for further sale or distribution (vendor samples, etc.) are prohibited. There is a limit of two spare batteries per person for the larger lithium-ion batteries described above (101-160 watt-hours per battery). Here is a link to all the guidelines for US travel from the FAA
The 98-watt capacity is a sweet spot for the compact form factor, plus with a D-Tap & USB output, you can power USB devices that use 16.8V-12V. The D-Tap can also be used to charge the DPM-98S. Both outputs can be used simultaneously.
The indicator is green when the battery is full. It will turn to red when the battery is low to remind changing the battery.
- Tiny V-mount battery, Pocket fit
- 1x D-tap output & charging input
- 1x USB 5V/2A output
- 4-step LED power indicator
- Wire-Free internal technic
- Multiple circuit protections
Hot-Swap Plate-D-TMS/A
The Hot-Swap Plate-D-TMS/A lets you add two DPM-98S batteries for longer runtimes. The plate as the name implies is hot-swappable for continuous recording without powering down to change a dead battery.
On the top and side, you get a D-Tap out. The max output is 50W and DC is 16.8v-12v.
The build quality on the dual mount adapter is impressive. In fact, maybe it’s a little too good. The body is all metal with plastic mounts for the battery. The weight is substantial at 480 grams or 1.05 lbs. I will say it’s built like a tank while keeping a slim profile. with two DPM-98S batteries mounted to the D-TMS/A, it comes in at 1520 grams or 3.35 lbs.
D-Travel 2 Charger
- Portable charger to charge batteries through D-Tap connector
- Dual D-Tap connectors are equipped, 2 batteries can be charged together
- Total charger output is 16.8V, 4A
- When 2pcs batteries are charged together, it will charge low voltage battery first with 4A current until the 2pcs batteries are with same voltage level, and then it will charge 2pcs batteries simultaneously with 2A charging current each channel
- LED charging indicator
Will the Dynacore batteries charge on other chargers?
I haven’t tested several chargers however most of the major brand chargers work with the batteries. The one exception is for Gold Mount Anton Bauer. They don’t charge the Dynacore gold mounts, but the Dynacore charger will charge Anton Bauer batteries.
Other Options
As I mentioned early in this review the market is getting full with small or tiny 98Wh batteries so we have a lot of options. The Dynacore’s do seem to be one of the smaller I’ve seen as well as the most competitively priced at $200 US. Here are a few others to look at as well.
- Core SWX Hypercore Slim V-Mount Battery $299 USD weight: 0.64 kg
- Intellytech Pocket-V 98Wh Li-Ion Battery $199.00 Weight 0.45 kg
- Core SWX Nano V-Mount Battery $229 USD weight: 0.64 kg
- IndiPRO Tools Micro-Series V-Mount $239 USD weight: 0.73 kg
- SWIT PB-S98S 14.4V 98Wh Dual D-Tap $265 USD weight: 0.8 kg
- Intellytech Socanland 14.8V 98Wh $199 USD weight: 0.7 kg
- Hawk-Woods Mini V-Lok 14.4V 98Wh $345.60 USD weight: 0.5kg
- Hedbox PB-D100V Pro $215 USD weight: 0.78 kg
- CAMLAST 98Wh 14.8V $199 USD weight: 0.91 kg
- Fxlion Cool Black Series BP-100S $236 USD weight: 0.77 kg
- Bebob Factory GmbH V98 $320 USD weight: 0.6 kg
- Soonwell B-98V V Mount Battery retails for $160 USD weight: 0.72kg
Conclusion
The Dynacore DPM-98S Tiny battery and Hot-Swap plate are a winner. The battery has a hard plastic cover that feels durable and with the USB and D-Tap outputs, they are able to power those big and little things on your camera. You could even use the USB out to charge your smartphone. The Hot Swap plate is very handy for those times when you need longer run times plus the ability to hot-swap lets you keep on rolling without interruption.
The portable charger is basic but light and great for travel. It’s no bigger than most power bricks. Chargers for ENG batteries do tend to be large however they can also have fast charging capabilities allowing to get more batteries charged very quickly. The dual D-Tap charger does take some time to fully charge however if you need to pack light it’s a good addition even if you are using a bigger charger you really can’t have too many on set.
One downside is the batteries are not sold from many retailers. They can be purchased in the US from Omega Broadcast & Cinema.
The Dynacore DPM-98S retail for $200 and the Tiny Hot-Swap Plate for V-Mount retail for $190. The Dynacore Dual D-Tap Travel Charger is $69.95
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