The mediocre battery performance of the latest Sony mirrorless cameras is ubiquitous and still an Achilles heel of those otherwise excellent filmmaking tools. The genuine Sony NP-FW50 Lithium-Ion battery should keep your camera running for an hour at most when shooting 4K video, and that’s a stretch. It’s not a surprise that filmmakers are constantly looking for alternative power solutions to resolve this annoying issue.
It seems that Emm from Cheesycam has already found a quick workaround, particularly when shooting on a gimbal. Since your Sony A7S II or A7R II can now be powered through its USB port, you can utilise this as an alternative power option, especially if you plan to mount your camera on a 3-axis stabiliser such as the DJI-Ronin M.
By using a dirt cheap D-Tap to USB adapter you can take advantage of the D-Tap out on the DJI Ronin gimbals to power up or even recharge your mirrorless camera.
The best part is that, the D-Tap to USB adapter splits to both a USB and D-TAP so you won’t lose the D-TAP connection if you’re still planning to power up another accessory like a wireless follow focus system, for instance. You will also need a regular Mini USB to USB cable to complete the setup. Once you get everything in place, you will be able to shoot for more than a couple of hours flawlessly.
You can find this amazing Rolux adapter for less than $15 online. Alternatively, you can use the following link.
Keep in mind, though, you can’t use the USB to power the older Sony cameras. Fortunately, it should work seamlessly on the A7sII and A7RII to both charge and power those cameras. Just make sure that you have a couple of extra fully charged Ronin batteries to be able to keep your favourite Sony mirrorless camera running for a full shooting day.
[via: Cheesycam]
B&H and Amazon US Order Links:
Sony Alpha a7S II Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only)
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only)
DJI Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer
Intelligent Battery for DJI Ronin-M (1580mAh)
Rolux D-Tap P-Tap To USB Adapter Connector 5V For Anton/Sony V-mount Camera Battery
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Hello,
I tried this with a Ronin and a A7sII and it did not work. I used several cables, I tried the adaptors in other ways and it works. Ronin and cameras are fine. The menu on camera was active to use the Micro USB port to be charged.
Then what could be happening?
How do you make it work since USB outputs up to 5V and the camera needs 7.2V ?!?
As far as I’m aware the micro-USB port on the camera can be used for charging while the device is powered on. My best guess is that you must have a battery plugged in the A7SII to make this setup work. Hope this helps!