Chinese are making GH3 battery grips now. Cost is $64 and up.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_armrs=1&_nkw=gh3+battery+grip

Hi,

I've been using them now for some time with no complaints whatsoever.

With that said, The batteries that I purchased all of that time ago, may not be the same batteries they're selling now, so be aware of that.

They do show the battery life and keep a great charge... at least the ones that I have.

Hope this helps!

Hi all:

I'v ordered and have been using 2 additional Batteries and a Power coupler from a company in NJ called Best Bat.

I own 2 GH3s and have had no issues at all to date. The Batteries were $21 each and I think the coupler was around $25. http://www.bestbatt.com/

Thanks questech that's great.

I've just bought a GH3 which I will be using to film my children and cats. Can anyone recommend a good place to buy decent decoded third party batteries? I appreciate eBay will be the likely answer so was hoping someone had experience of a particular supplier they have had success with?

@questech , som step-up converters has no stable output voltage ... first needs to be checked as if step-up converter gets 7.2v and it outputs 8.4 it can be easy if you input 9v you will get 10.2 v out, so check this before you connect camera to such coupler with step up converter! Some of them work somehow as with percent (%).

@feha, thanks for the advice. Now I see how I could power the GH2 from the 7.2V output of the plate: I'm not using the original DC coupler but this one: http://www.cinegearpro.com/hdmi-cables/power-batteries/cgpro-gh2-dmw-dcc8-dummy-battery-dc-coupler-for-panasonic-lumix-dmc-gh2-camera.html

And it has step-up converter inside :)

Dumb dumb dumb but at least in the end I learned something new

@questech , i don't think is much difference ... but i would not risk using cheap batteries without any stabilizer between in order to protect Gh2,GH3 ... Using cheap 9v batteries it does not mean you can use safely 9v, as cheap batteries may drop voltage to under 8.5 when you connect them ... I would take safe route, experimenting with GH3 is not cheap ...

@flablo , you need 8.4 - 8.8 v for stable work either GH2 or GH3, Do not even try 12v it Will brun your camera ...

@VK I see. So I guess the chip you mention is different on the GH3 and GH2, because the GH2 actually works when I connect it to the 7.2V out of the plate. Question is: HOW MUCH higher voltage can the GH3 take? Can it be used at 12V input? I guess no one is going to take the risk and try, right?

EDIT: I'm examining various V-mount plates and it looks like they all have 5V, 7.2V, 12V output standards (except a new Tilta which has 8V instead of 7.2V). And DC-DC tension converters (step up or down) for this use don't seem to be very common, nor compact or handy.

Looks like the 8.4V requirement of the GH3 is gonna be a problem. Maybe a post for the "GH3 issues" topic?

mmmm, maybe I'm just utterly dumb, and "Frequency divider" means that the cable is just a normal cable meant to power an external Fequency divider device (which I don't know what is)?

EDIT: yes I AM dumb. Anyway, I used the cable and the GH3 DOESN'T power up using the 7.2V output of the plate. What I don't get is why 8.4V are required when the battery outputs 7.2V.

I guess there is a range of voltages the GH3 can use, but I don't know it. Otherwise I could try the 12V out of the plate but I'm afraid that would be too risky without knowing the exact GH3 input specs.

Any clue?

I'm curious if the cinemax kit I bought with Sony batteries to power the GH2 will work with the GH3 if I get a different plug to go into the camera and hook it into the same system? Is anyone thinking along the same lines?