Make no bones about it, digital cinema cameras have gotten smaller. From the Red Raven to the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 to many more the size of these cameras have progressively gotten smaller and smaller. It is also time to have batteries sized to fit these cameras well instead of standing taller than a camera. Bebob has taken this to heart and showed us their V-Mount Micro Batteries.
The Bebob Vmicro battery line is available in a few different capacities: 14,4V 43 Wh, 98Wh and 147Wh. Compared to their bigger brothers they are actually much smaller: 75 x 101mm. Each model has a twist-D-tap output that can be used on both sides and a 5V USB output. The twist-D-tap features three pins, a positive ground pin in the center, and a negative one on each side of the positive. You can plug in your cable one way or flip it around and connect it the other way. The V150MICRO also provides a USB port for charging your mobile devices on location.
Making batteries smaller makes complete sense to me. There are zero reasons to have a rear tail fin, large battery, on a smaller camera with a large external battery if you have other options available and work for you and your shooting situation. The smarter sized battery on a smaller camera may even open up room accessories to be mounted to the camera. Now, the Bebob Micro batteries may be smaller, but they are the same weight as the larger batteries.
The V150MICRO features lithium-ion trimix cells made in Japan and offers a max draw of 10A and a capacity of 150Wh. It has a 5-step LED fuel gauge which can be optimized for Arri or Red and is compatible with Bebob, IDX, and Sony chargers. Charging time is approximately 3 hours when using Bebob VS2/VS4 chargers.
Bebob Micro Key Features
- 10A draw
- 5-step LED fuel gauge
- Withstands falls from up to 4.9′
- Modular design allows any mechanical component to be replaced
- Can be re-celled at a discount when capacity weakens after years of use (capacity status alarm LEDs built-in)
- Twist D-Tap (allows inserting cable from either side)
- USB port
- Compatible with Bebob, IDX, and Sony chargers