SHAPE Mini V-Mount Kit Announced – Two Batteries & Dual Hot Swap Plate

Battery News

by Olaf von VossOctober 25^th, 2022

SHAPE has an interesting offer on their website that might come in handy if you’re new to mini V-mount batteries and want to get everything you need in one go. The SHAPE Mini V-Mount kit consists of 2x 99Wh V-Mount batteries and a dual V-Mount battery plate that can also be used to hot-swap your new batteries.

Mini V-Mount batteries have been around for quite a while now and since cameras which use them have become smaller and smaller over the years, having an appropriately sized battery seems to be a good idea.

So if you have a camera and want to make the switch to an external power solution, this new SHAPE Mini V-Mount kit might be worth a closer look.

You get 2 Mini V-Mount batteries with a capacity of 99Wh each, plus a dual V-Mount hot-swap battery plate. To clarify, the back of the battery plate has the regular V-mount format. So, the idea is this: Attach the plate to your camera the same way you would attach a regular V-mount battery. However, this plate offers two slots for the included mini V-mount batteries, allowing for hot swapping the batteries.

That said, if you have a smaller camera and only want to use one mini V-mount battery for power, you’ll simply need a mini V-mount plate, which of course lacks hot swap capabilities.

SHAPE Mini V-Mount Kit

Although the dual V-mount plate can be connected directly to a camera’s V-mount port, you can also attach this plate to a rod or other mounting solution and use the 14.8 V D-tap output to power your camera via a dummy battery, for example.

The dual V-mount plate offers two of these D-tap connectors, a quick release, and useful indicator lights, so you know exactly which battery is being used at any given time. Only one battery is used at a time, allowing hot-swapping of the other battery.

The two batteries included in this kit have a capacity of 99Wh and support a continuous current draw of 10A between the V-mount, D-tap and USB ports (2x USB 5V, 2A). They are also equipped with a small LCD that displays essential information.

It’s also worth mentioning that these batteries are approved by IATA, which means that they are safe for air travel.

See the full specs below:

• Mount / Series Type: V-Mount
• Chemistry: Lithium-Ion
• Capacity (Wh): 99 Wh
• Output Voltage: 14.4 VDC
• Maximum Load: 15A (Peak), 10A (continuous)
• Accessory Port: 2 x D-Tap Outputs 2 x USB Type-A Outputs
• USB Output: 5 V
• Operating Temperature: 4 to 104 °F / -15 to 40 °C
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 2.8 x 3.9 x 2″ / 73 x 100 x 5.1 mm
• Weight: 1.1 lbs / 529 g

Pricing

The SHAPE Mini V-Mount Kit is available directly from the manufacturer’s website. It sells for $649. If you want just one of the Mini V-Mount batteries, they retail for $245.52 each.

Link: SHAPE website

What do you think of them? Would you opt for one of these kits, or do you prefer other power solutions? Share your experiences in the comments below!