We all know what these massive camera batteries look like hanging iconically off the back of TV news cameras. They, along with long lenses, seem to remove any doubt among casual onlookers that what they are looking at is a “serious” camera. Such is the attention grabbing power of these batteries that I pull OFF my camera when I’m trying to go relatively unnoticed, replacing them with little quick burners.
Well. They are priceless to have in the back country, I’m stuck in a blind for countless hours on end, or when I’m in the heat of the action and a dead battery would mean missing that moment when the rams clash, the hummingbird visits, or the mantis finally snatches.
These huge batteries have always come with a tether, however. They need AC to recharge, or for me, I could only charge them off an inverter in my truck while en route from one shot to another. Lame. Big battery, big constraints. This is why small batteries kick ass—I can charge them with my 14W Solar Roll in no time and be done with it.
Well, now the game has changed…sort of.
Solar Charging for HD Camera Batteries
Anton/Bauer has introduced a solar charging system for these big batteries.
The packet unfolds into a grid of cells about 3 foot x 4 foot wide, and will charge the biggest batteries in 3-4 hours, which is about how long it takes on AC. If you’re in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end, then this really is a fantastic product.
