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GH2 batteries discussion
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    This discussion was created from comments split from: Official GH2 "Stalin" hack development topic.
  • 52 Replies sorted by
  • kazuokazuo

    Any battery that is not decoded is trouble for yr GH2. That means the camera cant read the battery life, and the battery icon is not manifest on yr screen. @tetakpatak was obviously freaked out by my experience. he still remembers it :-)

    Yeah, my camera came to a point where it couldnt read original batteries, and kept telling me it didnt recognise them. Shortly after, my logic board short circuited. Cost me $350 to change the damn thing. Lesson learnt: like @tetakpatak said, dont stinge on original bats.

  • trevmartrevmar

    Tetakpatak is correct. GH2 / FZ200 batteries are not the place to save money. Use Panasonic.

    I could give you discharge curves, voltage cutout points, and capacity figures, as I have studied this extensively. I use these batteries to power my HERO3 and other USB-powered cameras. But I doubt it would change the decision of anybody thinking of going down the clone pathway.

    The Panasonic BLC12 is a unique battery, with a very smooth discharge curve. I have never seen any equivalent batteries, although I have tested many of the much-touted 'clones'...

  • tetakpataktetakpatak

    I've had really bad experiences with 3rd party batteries and lost some important takes due to this.

    Some other of our forum mates (like @kazuo) had severe problems and camera damages and they adviced to treat those batteries like a plague.

    IMO, GH2's battery is quite wrong place to save money. Just be warned, mates... it was my good willing advice.

  • nomadnomad

    Would be sheer coincidence, I suppose. I have two third parties which work like before under Moon T5. One of them DSTE, BTW, and I have discharged it until shutoff several times without having troubles charging it again.

    I tend to put them in a charger immediately after having mains around, though.

  • producerproducer

    Don't know why, but after loading Moon T5 patch my GH2 stopped working with my third-party battery which was no problem before that.

    Any ideas and suggestions?

  • StraffiStraffi

    I posted this in the other battery thread, but it wouldn't hurt to include it here too

    Here is the cheapest deal I've found for an official battery in the UK

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DMW-BLC12E-Battery-Lumix-GH2/dp/B0046Y0VY6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347703309&sr=8-1

  • rubefinkrubefink

    Anyone have any experience with aftermarket charges like this one?

    http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-GH2-Digital-adapters/dp/B004LTT994/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1347699771&sr=1-1&keywords=gh2+charger

  • stoneystoney
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/761043-REG/Panasonic_DMW_BLC12_DMW_BLC12_Rechargeable_Lithium_ion_Battery.html

    bhphoto sells original battery around $50. I'm thinking to get original and find peace of mind.
  • stefanosstefanos
    cool thanks!
  • chrimsbroomechrimsbroome
    Well,

    When I asked the cable to be made i made sure it was at least 2 metres long so that i could put it in my back pocket or a backpack. Honestly if you want to use it on a video camera rig you would have to tie it to the rig with some sort of cable ties. They are on ebay at 99p for a pack so its as cheap as chips.

    The only downside is the camera thinks you have connected it to the mains so it wont tell you when you run out of battery power, so I really not 100% sure when that will be but the guy who came up with this idea said something like 6 hours. After that he got board of waiting for it to run out.
  • stefanosstefanos
    @chrimsbroome
    thanks for that.
    2 questions:
    apart from the three components you listed, I would need the panasonic DMW-DCC8 dc coupler in order to connect to the tamiya to DC PLug(coupler) right?
    Also, how do you mount/carry your battery setup?

    cheers
  • zcreamzcream
    @chrimsbroome Where do you mount this battery ? There is no battery grip for the GH2
  • chrimsbroomechrimsbroome
    Hi all, you can use a custom made battery setup to power the GH2, which I have done to give me at least 6 hours worth of use on video & photographs.

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-4V-4600mAh-SC-NiMH-rechargeable-battery-pack-/110612550307?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item19c10592a3

    This the battery that is identical voltage to the GH2

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Intelligent-Multi-Fast-Charger-NiCd-NiMH-batteries-/110685840351?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item19c563e3df

    This the charger that you use for the battery

    The last thing you need is a cable which can be custom made from the same shop. Just ask them to make you one - ask them a guy called chris got a cable made from you.

    Its a Tamiya to DC Plug (coupler)

    :-)
  • RamboRambo
    I've have 3 5400mA aftermarket batteries ($35 each vs $370 for original) i purchased for my Panny HMC 152 and over the past year none have given me any issues and perform identical to the original, including runtime. Same with many others as reported in the HMC thread at DVX. Obviously there are good and bad suppliers. I also have 5 aftermarket batteries for my 3 GH1's, no issues.
  • velociveloci
    @fatpig
    What I mean is that the file is still intact with the use of PQI C10 sd cards, unlike the Kingston cards I have had, where even file recovery software are unable to salvage those last video recording right before sudden shut-off.

    @stefanos
    I don't know exactly how much longer battery life I could get out of the power 2000 battery, since it does not display the battery bar, I never consciously take note of it, I say it is comparable if not more than the genuine oem battery.
  • PtchawPtchaw
    @fatpig @lsocorro Same problem here, with 2 DST batteries. Charged once, worked in the camera once, but have been dead and unchargable ever since they became flat.

    Seller said he has posted me some more, but a month on and I've received nothing!
  • fatpigfatpig
    @veloci:
    "I have been able to at least salvage the last recorded video from sudden power loss consistently." - what do you mean by this? was the video saved or did you use a restoration software or was it lost?
  • B3GuyB3Guy
    I've used the power 2000 batteries and not had any trouble. I've run them to shutoff and the GH2 hasn't had problems yet.
  • stefanosstefanos
    @veloci
    thanks veloci. what about battery life compared to OEM battery? also, apart from it shutting off when finished, have you had any other problems? I remember someone using a cheapo ebay battery got his GH2 bricked and so I am desperately out of ideas as to what to do. I could live with the camera just shutting off unexpectedly but I couldn't live with the danger of bricking my camera. So not sure what to do:(
  • velociveloci
    @stefanos

    I use the same battery from your provided link, it is pretty much the same deal, no battery indicator. It will shut off abruptly when it ran of juice making the last recorded video/photo unrecoverable.

    However, with the use of PQI Class 10 sd cards, I have been able to at least salvage the last recorded video from sudden power loss consistently.
  • stefanosstefanos
    anyone tried this yet? http://cgi.ebay.com/DMW-BLC12-DMW-BLC12E-Battery-Panasonic-DMC-GH2H-/280655914592?pt=Batteries_Chargers&hash=item4158656660

    It seems like it's better and more reliable than the ultra cheap ebay batteries that cost 10$ but this just speculation. It has 1500mAh and costs 24$. I wonder if it's any good...
  • Amadeus5D2Amadeus5D2
    that's fine, thanks a lot svart!
  • svartsvart
    @fatpig: That's NOT normal. I still sense that there is a disconnect in the understanding on Li-Ion batteries here.

    Again, you should NOT be able to FULLY discharge a Li-Ion cell. The pack will shut it's outputs off well before you get anywhere near that point.

    Most smart batteries cannot be read like a normal battery. They have to be commanded to turn their outputs ON if they are off, which means you will read 0V on their outputs if they have been depleted to shutoff. The cells will still have ~3V charge internally at pack depletion even though the battery pack reads 0V externally.

    Once a battery is depleted and has turned off, the charger should give a small trickle charge which triggers the battery controller(inside the battery pack) to turn on and then turn on the battery pack terminals at which point the battery will start charging.

    @Amadeus5D2: Li-ion is not picky about half charge cycles. Li-ion batteries do not like to be discharged and left for periods of time(months to years). This can cause them to become unrecoverable.
  • Amadeus5D2Amadeus5D2
    orig. panasonic battery
  • fatpigfatpig
    @isocorro:
    same for me! never charged again- according to battery guys at another forum, thats supposed to be NORMAL if fully discharged. which brand did you use?
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