To power his new Arri Alexa camera, DOP Robert Shacklady selected CINE VCLX/2 and DIONIC HC batteries from Anton/Bauer. Shacklady works closely with UK hire company Arri Media, which does research into which batteries are the best to power the Alexa.
“If a big camera hire company like Arri Media was going to invest in a particular battery, I knew it would make sense to follow their lead,’ says Shacklady.
He recently shot a Citroen commercial campaign using the Arri Alexa and Anton/Bauer combination. “The DIONIC HC is very small but extremely powerful. It provides 91Wh and can operate a 40-watt HD camera for over two hours. Transported as carry-on luggage without restrictions, the DIONIC HC incorporates a special honeycomb design to protect cells and is the perfect lightweight battery for shooting on location anywhere in the world. I’ve also got the QR-HOTSWAP AR dual-battery Gold Mount.’
When operating the power-hungry Alexa, the QR-HOTSWAP Gold Mount allows for two DIONIC HC or DIONIC HCX high-current batteries to seamlessly hot swap. “I can hot swap batteries off the back of the camera, which is very useful and the QR-HOTSWAP displays the combined batteries’ remaining run-time right in the camera viewfinder. In addition, the brains behind the battery management systems have really impressed me. When you plug your batteries into the TM4, the charger knows how much charge to put in, how quickly to put it in and all that sort of stuff.’
When it comes to using the CINE VCLX/2, Shacklady appreciates Anton/Bauer’s acknowledgement of how professionals are using the gear in real-world applications. “I selected the CINE VCLX/2 batteries primarily because of how they fit in the Fisher Dolly, which is my preferred dolly. I’m so pleased to see that somebody at Anton/Bauer actually looks at how these batteries are being used—they’ve made the dimensions to the right size,’ he says.
The CINE power system provides ultimate power performance, extended run-times and flexibility. Ideal for remote locations, CINE VCLX batteries are used in the world of film and digital cinema on cameras such as ALEXA, RED ONE, EPIC and SCARLET. The CINE VCLX/2 is powerful enough to run an ARRI ALEXA for more than two hours. The safe and high-power-draw performance of the nickel metal hydride cell technology can also power microwaves, recorders and lighting, including HMIs and the Litepanels 1×1 LED panels. The CINE VCLX/2 includes (one) 4-pin XLR for 14.4V and (one) 3-pin XLR for 28V and provides dual simultaneous outputs (10 amps at 14.4v; 12 amps at 28v). “I also really like the rubber housing around the battery. If you’re in very cold or damp conditions, it still keeps the battery itself slightly off the floor,’ says Shacklady.
