Z1E and FX1 make changes to infolithium batteries?

[RayL]

You'll see from my Z1E V/F thread that I've just joined the ranks of the Highly Defined. Here's my first query for those with some experience of the Sony pair.

The camera comes with a 570 infolithium battery and the largest size in the L range is the 970. I don't have any 970s yet but I do have a stock of 950s and 960s. I tried a 950 last night and the camera worked fine but this 950 (which previously charged to about 9 hours on the Sony V700 charger (the one with the display) now says FULL at just over four.

I'd met this previously when I'd put one of my 960s on one of Pete Wells' FX1s for a shoot and it took quite a number of subsequent charge/discharge cycles in my VX2000 before it returned to a charging figure of ten hours.

The FX1/Z1 take a heavier current from an infolithium than a VX2000 but not, I suggest, than a VX9000 and that does not have this effect.

Has anyone met this and found an answer?

Ray Liffen

[johnpr98]

Hi Ray

I managed to get a Sony F960 off Amazon for £40 (Not available any more, I was in the right place for once ;))

My F960 records for 6 hours with this battery using the LCD screen according to the batt info, I've only used it for 3 hours so far.

If plugged into my D8 I get 10 hours (Takes less power than the FX1?)

A no name similar battery from work was not recognised

(I'll update the exact usage figure later, as the battery isn't charged up ATM)

btw your a brave man videoing these rock concerts, my ears are ringing after Mr Costello's concert last night, I wasn't filming ;)

[tom hardwick]

I use my 960 battery on my VX2000 as well as on my 20DW2 video lamp. The latter draws approximately 6X the current, but the battery seems unaffected by the switch over between pieces of kit.

I think your 970 may well have to go through a series of charge / discharge cycles before it stabilises Ray. It's just a (reversible) chemical reaction going on in that little box, and like all such reactions takes time to calm down.

tom.

[RayL]

btw your a brave man videoing these rock concerts, my ears are ringing after Mr Costello's concert last night, I wasn't filming ;)

E.A.R. Classics (ear defenders) (about a pound from Studiospares). Always in the camera flight case these days. Not just for rock concerts - I use them for all sorts of 'loud music' situations, including the evening disco at weddings - that way I can record while moving around directly in front of the the speakers - one of my favourite first dance shots (if the dance floor is flat enough) is to dolly 360 degrees round the b&g as they are turning. That way they stay centre-screen, you see their faces the whole time (you can often lip-read!), and the crowd and the lights behind race past in the back of the shot.

Ray

[johnpr98]

F960 when charged on the FX1
343 mins LCD
370 mins View finder

E.A.R. Classics, are these the ones?
http://www.safety-express.com/safetycms/uploadedImages/Aero%20EAR%20Classic.jpg

[RayL]

John

Thats the ones. You pop them in and the foam gradually forms itself to the shape of the hearing canal. You dont realise how effective they are until you take one out. Amazingly, you can still have a shouted conversation with someone and hear what they are saying despite the music being at full blast.

Ray

[RayL]

After further tests I can confirm that the Z1E and FX1 make an alteration to the power reading of Sony infolithium batteries. After use on these HDV cameras, the battery will only charge to half it's normal 'hours' on a charger with a readout.

Fortunately the full hours can be restored by fully draining the battery on a camera such as a VX2000 and then re-charging.

But what on earth is going on?

Ray Liffen

[mooblie]

After further tests I can confirm that the Z1E and FX1 make an alteration to the power reading of Sony infolithium batteries. After use on these HDV cameras, the battery will only charge to half it's normal 'hours' on a charger with a readout.

Fortunately the full hours can be restored by fully draining the battery on a camera such as a VX2000 and then re-charging.

But what on earth is going on?

Ray Liffen

It would seem that rather than opt for a simple "charge" readout (which would be the same, whatever drain was placed on the battery), Sony decided to be "helpful" and transform that "charge" reading into a "minutes" figure - which, of course needs to know how much current the camera is expected to draw, and is hence different for different cameras.

Too clever for its own good, if you ask me.

Even a meaningless "charge" figure (in Coulombs?) that RAN DOWN IN USE LINEARLY TO ZERO might be better than all this messing about.

[Unicorn]

Certainly it only seems to be a display issue. I pulled the 970 battery off my Z1 before I went on holiday, slapped it on my TRV900 after a few minutes topping off the charge (didn't want to have to lug the big, heavy -- and, at the time, uninsured :) -- Z1 around all day), and it still had 'seven hours' of TRV900 time left according to the TRV900 display when I came back three weeks later.

[Alan Roberts]

Infolithiums have a microprocesor in the battery module itself. That holds the "minutes left" data, sent to it by the device that's drawing current. I could well believe that it gets it wrong if you move the battery about (onto devices that draw differing load currents); but it would only be the indicator, not the battery itself. In theory, the charger should ignore the data and charge it using the normal rules of physics, but the infolithiums tell the charger how many minutes are left, so that it can report times in the charger display. Therfore, the charger knows what loading the battery normally has. So, by moving it around, you're confusing the microprocessors, not the battery itself.

Does that make sense?

[mooblie]

It does. I'd love to see what a confused battery looks like. :)

[Gordonjcoe]

To drag an old thread back into the spotlight but Amazon has F960s at £39.95 from two stores.