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Old 22-10-2007, 12:16 PM
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Power for DSLRs in the field

Do those of you who use DSLRs for imaging reply on the standard batteries for power? Or do you use the optional power cord with a 'power tank' or similar?

I know that many exposures are fairly short, but even a couple of minutes must drain the battery fairly quickly. I remember taking 30-second exposures of Comet McNaught used up my three batteries quicker than I expected (using a Canon 10D).

I noticed that some of the wide-field exposures in the images forum involved 16-minute exposures with a 5D. Would the battery last that long?

Morton
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  #2  
Old 22-10-2007, 12:36 PM
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Hi Morton

Try this thread
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Old 22-10-2007, 01:04 PM
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A couple of minutes In normal usage (bulb exposures) I get between 2-3 hour (winter) - 5+ hours (summer) using two nomal Canon 300D batteries.
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Old 22-10-2007, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by [1ponders] View Post
A couple of minutes In normal usage (bulb exposures) I get between 2-3 hour (winter) - 5+ hours (summer) using two nomal Canon 300D batteries.
True Paul, but then you weren't catching real photons were you
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Old 22-10-2007, 02:11 PM
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Morton, you really should get much longer than what you have said with a fully charged Battery.

To honest I only use the AC adapter at home, but if i were to go out in the field i would be confident that two fully charged batteries would last me the imaging session.

Leon
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Old 22-10-2007, 02:15 PM
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Morton, you really should get much longer than what you have said with a fully charged Battery.

To honest I only use the AC adapter at home, but if i were to go out in the field i would be confident that two fully charged batteries would last me the imaging session.

Leon
I would've thought so too Leon, but was not my experience.

I guess it can depend on the capacity of the batteries. My stock Canon one is only 700mA. The one I got off ebay is 1000, and I think you can get 1500mA ones as well.
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Old 22-10-2007, 02:25 PM
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Mine are 1100 mAh
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Old 24-10-2007, 03:47 PM
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I have a Canon 12v power supply that has a "dummy" battery that goes into battery compartment and other end of power supply is a standard cig lighter plug that plugs into my field power supply, a 36AH battery, lasts "forever". By the time you involve extra camera batteries etc the power supply will pay for itself.

Cheers
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Old 24-10-2007, 03:52 PM
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Mike, where did you get your 12V setup from?
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Old 24-10-2007, 03:56 PM
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I bought it from the US, $90 plus about 10 bucks delivery but cant tell you the shop at the moment as I'm on holidays til 5th November. I'll have a think about it and post ASAP

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Mike
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Old 24-10-2007, 04:27 PM
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Got the info mate, its from Astro Hutech. And hers a pic of the unit.

Cheers
Mike
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Old 24-10-2007, 04:33 PM
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Lets try the pic upload again, here it is.

Cheers
Mike
Attached Thumbnails
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Old 24-10-2007, 05:37 PM
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Thank Mike. Just what I'm looking for.

For those who are electronic wizzes there is a "how to" that Adrian (DeanoNZL) posted for me in the "Wanted: 12V Adapter for Canon 300D" thread in IT, Canon Digital SLR 8 Volt Power Supply. Thank again Adrian.
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Old 29-10-2007, 06:09 PM
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Got the info mate, its from Astro Hutech. And hers a pic of the unit.

Cheers
Mike
This is what I've got. If you're in the field and need a battery to run scope, computer etc, then this is the way to go.
Geoff
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Old 29-10-2007, 06:13 PM
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Can that one run off 240v as well?
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Old 29-10-2007, 08:03 PM
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I've been investigating this for building some, but can't beat the price of:

http://www.powerstream.com/dc6.htm

connected to a DR-400. Just run it at 7.5V, since the BP-511 is a 2 cell Li-ion battery with a nominal output of 7.4V. The 8.4V output of some units probably just provides a slightly more efficient power conversion in the camera.


Eric
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Old 29-10-2007, 08:17 PM
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I already have one of those Eric. How would you go about hooking the DR-400 to it?
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Old 29-10-2007, 08:37 PM
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Cut the output cable on the power converter, and the input cable on the DR-400. Get some solder and heat shrink tubing. Connect the converter to the DR-400 and check the polarity on a multimeter. If it is backwards, switch it. Slide some heat shrink tubing onto the cables, solder the leads together, and then heat the tubing to tighten it up. If you cut the cables offset, then there is no danger of shorting out:

-------- --- cable trimmed as so
--- --------

--------x--- soldered ends
---x--------

You might want to put some epoxy or something on the voltage selector on the power converter to protect it from being switched, but I think I have read somewhere that the camera can take up to 10V as input power. Don't quote me on that one though!


Regards,
Eric
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Old 29-10-2007, 09:57 PM
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Ah, now that I know you still need it usable for one of your other devices, I would suggest mounting a jack on the end of the DR-400 cable that matches the size of one of your unused adapter tips that came with the power converter. Take a few of the unused connectors in to Dick Smith, and they can hook you up with a jack to connect your DR-400 to that would fit on one of them.

Eric
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Old 30-10-2007, 08:55 AM
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Can that one run off 240v as well?
When you get the Hutech 12v pack, the 240 volt adapter comes bundled with it (at least it did when I got it--check). It has a US plug, but I imagine a standard adapter will fix things.
Geoff
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