Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Jann Lipka on June 07, 2007, 05:19:12 pm

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: Jann Lipka on June 07, 2007, 05:19:12 pm

I would like to set up my old Canon 60 D for a time lapse project .
What I need is  high capacity power source , so I wonder what happens if I feed my old 60D with 12 V current ( motorcycle battery )  .
Battery voltage for 60 D is the same as for 5 D = I think 8,1 Volt ...
Anyone with bad / good experience around this ?

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: Richowens on June 08, 2007, 12:02:06 am

Jann,

 Bad idea, you'll fry the camera unless you find a good voltage regulator to drop the motorcycle battery from 13.8 to the camera voltage, which is most likely 7.4 volts. Yes automotive lead/acid cells are 13.8 despite being called 12 volt.

 Applying the full 13.8 to your camera would be the same effect as plugging a 110volt TV into a 220 volt power source.......instant smoke.

 At one time there were external power cells available for flash units when cameras were still mechanical and didn't require power. You might do a search for something like this and possibly adapt to your use. Just make sure it isn't more than your cameras battery voltage.
 
 I know this doesn't solve your problem, but I hate to see a camera goe up in smoke.

Rich

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: Jann Lipka on June 09, 2007, 01:03:17 am

Rich ,
Maybe I was just lazy, hoping for built in regulator ,

Actually nowadays there is a lot of ( at least ) current adapters that are ok with both 110 and 220 v.

Anyway ,
My  assistent could make a simple current regulator ,
and yes inded  we were surprised with lead acid battery current beeing much higher then 12 v ...

Thanks .

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: jmboss on June 09, 2007, 11:49:41 am

Take a look at the Quantum Turbo series of high capacity batteries and accessories.

There may be a combination that will work for you.

Joe Bossuyt

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: mahleu on June 09, 2007, 03:16:33 pm

Small motorbikes often use 6V batteries. Othewise you can wire the battery in parallel with something else (maybe a torch) that also takes 6v. Alternately buy a battery grip.

Title: external Power source for Canon 60D ( or 5 D )
Post by: Jann Lipka on June 10, 2007, 08:02:33 am

I bought a 12AH 12 Volt battery that was reasonable heavy and  I Hope to get at least 4000 exposures ( that is the nature of time lapse )  during 24 hours from that without recharging .
I made a 4 hours test yestarday and it worked fine .