Mike and Nancy Flynn Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Is there a way to power the EX3 from the batteries on a Flyer? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted January 12, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 There is a DC input of some sort on the EX3, probably the standard as seen on most consumer electronics (and EX3 battery chargers). All you would need is to have a cable made to go from Flyer's power out on the top stage and into the EX3, as it is a 12v camera. Building the camera pretty big so you need to shave some weight? Brian |-)~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike and Nancy Flynn Posted January 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Well, with the M2e, follow focus and Matte box it's a bit on the heavy side :) The batteries on the Flyer say 14.5v - The Ex3 says 12v. Do we need a converter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted January 12, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 The short answer is no, you're fine as-is. The why could be explained better by someone other than me. But basically the voltage of the battery delivers is theoretically that high when fully charged, but will drop as the battery drains. Once you get below 12v you will not be able to power the EX3. The EX3 requires 12v minimum but draws more than 13 when recording. The numbers are basically nominal. Batteries for 12v systems will always carry more than 12v when fully charged. When you say matte box, is it clip-on or at least lightweight? If not, you could lighten your load there too. And when you say follow focus, is it wireless or at least remote? Cause otherwise that's dead weight you can take off (and preferably replace with a wireless FF). Brian |-)~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike and Nancy Flynn Posted January 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 The short answer is no, you're fine as-is. The why could be explained better by someone other than me. But basically the voltage of the battery delivers is theoretically that high when fully charged, but will drop as the battery drains. Once you get below 12v you will not be able to power the EX3. The EX3 requires 12v minimum but draws more than 13 when recording. The numbers are basically nominal. Batteries for 12v systems will always carry more than 12v when fully charged. When you say matte box, is it clip-on or at least lightweight? If not, you could lighten your load there too. And when you say follow focus, is it wireless or at least remote? Cause otherwise that's dead weight you can take off (and preferably replace with a wireless FF). Brian |-)~ I think the Matte is lightweight and I *think* that the FF is remote as well. It's my wife's rig and she was wondering about this. She is a bit shy about posting in forums. I, however, have no pride :) Thanks for the info, Brian, very useful and I will pass it along :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Sydney Seeber Posted January 12, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 The why could be explained better by someone other than me. But basically the voltage of the battery delivers is theoretically that high when fully charged, but will drop as the battery drains. Once you get below 12v you will not be able to power the EX3. The EX3 requires 12v minimum but draws more than 13 when recording. The numbers are basically nominal. Batteries for 12v systems will always carry more than 12v when fully charged. No, that pretty much covers it... The EX3 battery itself has pretty much the same voltage as the battery in question... ~14-16v at full charge, but it's only 20-something watt hours as opposed to something like a Dionic 90 (90 watt hours). The awesome thing about the EX series cameras is that they're basically 12 volt systems as opposed to the 7.2v prosumer cameras of the past, so a lot more professional parts are interchangeable these days. The camera, like pretty much everything electronic on the market now, has integrated voltage regulation... It can take a range of voltage, and convert it internally to what the camera needs. The one thing I don't get is, that EX series battery weighs next to nothing... Do you have some sort of adapter on it and are using like an Anton Bauer or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve sterling Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 If I can jump in here. I posted my question and got no response. Is it possible to power the Red camera from the Flyer? Also what do I need to operate my on board moonitor with the Red? Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Stone Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 (edited) To the original poster's question... Yes you can power your Sony EX3 with the Flyer. The battery draw concern is real if the ones you have are old, however, new Anton Bauer DIONIC 90's will last stay above 13 watts until they are all but depleted. The camera draws around 10 watts so a set of batteries on your Flyer is going to last a LONG time if that is all you have on them. Vortex Media sells a 4 pin XLR to SONY EX3 plug. It's a bit long for the Flyer so you can chop it up if that is all you will use it for. Your Flyer should have a 2 pin LEMO to 4 pin XLR as part of the kit. So with those two cables and some twist ties you are set. BTW I was doing a 4.5 hour "event" shoot yesterday and had to move to an external battery that was not fully charged. It was at 12.4 volts. The camera was fine. It kept recording. In case you haven't mounted the EX3 on the Flyer yet, you will want to remove the diopter snoot from the viewfinder otherwise your dynamic balance will be way off. -Andrew Edited January 13, 2010 by Andrew Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted January 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 In case you haven't mounted the EX3 on the Flyer yet, you will want to remove the diopter snoot from the viewfinder otherwise your dynamic balance will be way off. -Andrew hunh? why would the diopter affect DB? That's a function of how you place the masses on the rig, not the masses themselves (within reason). Just shift the camera the opposing direction; if you can't get far enough with the top stage, move the camera screw over one notch on the baseplate. Steve: I'd check your question in the other thread again. You got a comprehensive response from Brian Freesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike and Nancy Flynn Posted January 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Thank you all so much. Great community here :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted January 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Mike and Nancy, The cables Andrew mentioned is a good way to go, I discovered a couple hours ago that that connector was non-standard, only just got back now to tell ya. His suggestion would be a quick and easy way to get the connectors you need to make it happen. Sydney, Wow, I got something right regarding electricity? I must be learning. |-)~ Charles, Thanks for that, I read Steve's response and was like, "I think I responded to a question like that recently..." For a second there I thought I made it up! Steve, What Charles said. |-)~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike and Nancy Flynn Posted February 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well the wife wants me to find an adapter that goes straight from the 3 pin power connector on the top of the stage to the EX3's power adapter but I cannot for the life of me find it. I am thinking that the http://www.vortexmedia.com/DC1.html is the only real option here - Would you agree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted February 1, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well the wife wants me to find an adapter that goes straight from the 3 pin power connector on the top of the stage to the EX3's power adapter but I cannot for the life of me find it. I am thinking that the http://www.vortexmedia.com/DC1.html is the only real option here - Would you agree? I wouldn't say it's the only option, it's probably the simplest, quickest, easiest, etceteraest. You can have the cable you need made as well, depending on the availability of that Sony connector you may need to buy a cable to get it, but it has to be available somewhere. Though it may be just as economical to buy a cable and hack off the 4 pin connector to attach the Lemo for the Flyer. Whatever you do, you should get 2 full set-ups. Also, how are you powering the wireless focus device? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Stone Posted February 2, 2010 Report Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) If you want to get a cable made or make one yourself. the Sony connnector is called a "eiaj-04" connector. Sometimes just called a "EIAJ". If you want to get a cable made from your Flyer plug to the EX3, Terry West who makes cables for Steadicam ops can do it as well. The route I am going to go from the Flyer sled LEMO to an Anton Bauer Multi-Tap. From there I have cables going to the camera and other accessories. This way only one LEMOed cable has to be made. Simpler & less expensive in the end. Edited February 2, 2010 by Andrew Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kellett Posted February 2, 2010 Report Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) If you want the lead qucikly and cheaply and if you can do basic soldering, then here's what you can do. On the sony charger, cut the lead which you can use to power the camera, don't cut it near the plug end cut it a few inches away from the charger end, now you've got a piece of lead with the sony end on it, which you need. Get 2 connectors (5mm jack plug, male x 1) and (5mm jack plug, female x 1). On the end of your length of sony lead solder on the male, that's your power lead done. Going back to the charger, solder the female onto the bit of left which is still coming out of the charger, so now you can still use the output from the charger, just plug your made up power lead back in, male>female. Also a way of getting more power from the rig without swapping batteries is, on my pilot i have a swit EX1 battery on the camera, on the bottom of the rig i have a dolgin EX-V plate with a sony BP-U60 running the monitor, now i'm betting that the swit powering the camera won't last as long as the BP-U60 running just the monitor, now the swit battery has a little lead which plugs into the camera for powering, if the swit battery goes flat and the monitor battery still has power then all i have to do is unplug the swit lead but leave the swit battery on camera, now my power lead which i made goes from stage to camera and i have power again, no swapping of batteries or rebalancing, i made my power lead the exact length so it weighs nothing. Paul. Edited February 2, 2010 by Paul Kellett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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