Can I power a DSLR externally using its original battery and homemade wires instead of a dummy battery?
Asked 10/9/2019
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2 answers
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I have several cameras mounted on a rig, and removing each battery for charging requires taking the camera off the rig. Rather than using an AC adapter or dummy battery for every camera, I’m considering placing the camera’s original battery outside the camera and connecting it back to the battery contacts with wires. Is that practical or safe? Would the camera battery contacts need spring pressure from a proper adapter, and could longer wires cause power or reliability issues?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
7
As far as I can tell, at least in my two Canon DSLRs you cannot wrap a wire around the battery contacts in the battery compartment. So you could have to implement some sort of connector, for instance by disassembling an old battery(*).
You also have to make an outboard receptacle with outgoing wires on which you can insert a camera battery, assuming you use the original camera batteries.
All this is going to take a lot of time for unreliable results.
On the other hand a no-name A/C coupler is around $20 (when the brand ones are $120), and will likely be more reliable and less risky than whatever you can build yourself.
(*) which can be risky, these things can catch fire if mishandled.
Originally by user75947. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75947
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In principle, a camera can be powered from an external battery at the correct voltage, but doing it by twisting wires onto the battery contacts is not recommended. The main problems are:
- unreliable contact: the battery contacts are designed for a proper fitted battery or coupler, not loose wires
- short-circuit and fire risk: lithium batteries can be dangerous if mishandled
- voltage drop and impedance: longer wires can cause enough drop or instability that the camera may reboot, report a bad battery, or behave unpredictably
- intermittent power: brief disconnects can cause crashes, corrupted settings, or data loss
A DIY solution would need a properly made connector on the camera side, a safe battery receptacle on the external side, and careful testing. Even then, it may still be less reliable than a purpose-built coupler.
The practical answer is to use a proper dummy battery/DC coupler or redesign the rig so battery changes are easier. Third-party couplers are often much cheaper than brand-name versions and are likely safer and more reliable than improvised wiring.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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