Battery specialist manufacturer HEDBOX recently announced a new lineup of V-Mount and Gold Mount batteries: the NINA Series. These batteries will be available in two capacities: 99.2 and 148.8Wh. All models feature two D-Tap output ports, one USB-A and one USB-C port. Also, there is an OLED display to give you battery status information and an indication display ring that can blink and change color to alert you if your battery level is low or if something is wrong, thanks to the IDR emergency alarm. So, let’s take a closer look at these!
HEDBOX was founded in Switzerland in 2009 but has since moved their headquarters to Slovenia and their production lines to China, leaving only the research and development in the country of watches and excellence. The company specializes in professional power solutions for filmmakers and content creators, with an entire lineup of battery plates, DV, V-Mount, and Gold Mount batteries. I had one of their battery plates for my Canon EOS C200 back in the day, and now one with a built-in barrel connector to power my director’s monitor cage, for example, and I never had an issue with these. Their products are very well-made, they have excellent customer service, and you can trust the products.
HEDBOX is now back with a new lineup of V-Mount and Gold Mount batteries with an interesting patent-pending Low Capacity Smart Alarm (LCA) system: the NINA M and NINA L.
HEDBOX NINA batteries – features
The HEDBOX NINA is available in two capacities: the NINA M, which has a capacity of 99.2Wh, and the NINA L, which is 148.8Wh. Both models are available in either V-Mount or Gold Mount flavors. According to HEDBOX, they use only Samsung and LG li-ion inner battery cells (18650) with no memory effect.
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The NINA M measures 4.1 x 3 x 2″ / 105 x 75 x 52mm for a weight of 1.1lb/511g, while the NINA L is 105 x 75 x 68mm/ 4.1 x 3 x 2.7″ and weighs 1.4lb/650g.
Regarding input and output ports, the NINA series batteries have two D-Tap output ports – one on each side – and USB-A plus USB-C ports on top of the battery.
You can charge the batteries using a regular V-Mount or Gold Mount charger. Furthermore, you can also charge the NINA batteries via USB-C, which is extremely handy. Each battery comes with a USB-C PD cable that has a built-in display.
The front of the batteries features a built-in OLED display that can show you the remaining time, battery percentage, battery cycle count, and charging status.
Below the status screen, you’ll find what HEDBOX calls the IDR ring and button. According to the company, the “continuous monitoring Smart alarm notify users of low battery capacity. With a pending patent, the IDR Emergency Alarm is engineered to activate when the battery capacity level drops below 20%. It triggers a distinctive and easily visible flashing IDR Ring in silent mode (no buzzer).”
I find this low-capacity smart alarm system very clever. Indeed, you can immediately notice when you’ll soon have to swap batteries and don’t need to check your battery level regularly. As a solo operator, this is one less thing to think about.
In conjunction with the display, the IDR Ring can also notify you if you’re draining too much power from the battery or if it reaches high or low-temperature levels.
Pricing and availability
The HEDBOX NINA M 99.2Wh retails for $295, and the NINA L 148.8Wh is $375. Both models will be available in your choice of V-Mount or Gold Mount and should start shipping next month.
For more information, please visit HEDBOX’s website here.
What do you think about the HEDBOX NINA batteries? Have you already used HEDBOX products? Do you believe the IDR Ring could be helpful to you? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!
