SWIT B-Mount Batteries Explained – Interview with Neal Ni

by Francesco AndreolaApril 15^th, 2022

With the new B-Mount battery standard on the horizon, we took some time to learn more about this power system by interviewing Neal Ni, Senior Marketing Director at SWIT Electronics. In this video, Neal will walk you through the advantages of the new SWIT B-Mount batteries and accessories.

While V-mount and Gold Mount cells are still the most popular power options in the industry, a new battery standard is ready to take over. Co-developed by Bebob and ARRI, the new B-Mount power system was first announced in 2019. It soon became ARRI’s new standard for powering their camera and lighting products.

This revolution is already taking place. Indeed, Bebob and SWIT recently released their first generation of B-Mount products. A few days ago, my colleague Johnnie sat down with Neal Ni from SWIT Electronics to learn more about their B-Mount product lineup and the advantages of this new universal standard.

Advantages of B–Mount batteries: higher voltage

A few weeks ago, ARRI released a Tech Talk covering all the advantages of the new B-Mount standard and it looks like Neal Ni from SWIT largely shares their point of view. Indeed, according to both companies, the new standard is essential to power today’s and tomorrow’s cinema cameras and lighting equipment.

Shooting at extremely high resolutions and frame rates with large format cameras requires such an amount of power that standard 12V V-Mount/Gold Mount batteries cannot provide. On the contrary, the higher voltage of B-Mount batteries (24V) can easily meet the power requirements of high-end cinema cameras, such as the ARRI ALEXA LF and ALEXA 65.

Better usability

The advantages of the B-Mount system go beyond just power capabilities as they also include functionality. In fact, unlike existing V-Mount batteries, the new cells feature a side-loading mechanism that makes them more easily accessible on most camera setups. According to Ni, this locking design also offers increased stability against vibrations and a more solid grip for camera operators.

Moreover, with the B-Mount standard, the mechanics for battery release is built into the cell rather than the battery plate, making the latter more compact and thus suitable for powering monitors, lights, and accessories, as well. Finally, the B-Mount battery plates feature ID pins that automatically recognize the working voltage of the connected battery (12V/24V).

SWIT lineup of B–Mount products

Although the industry is slowly moving its first steps towards the adoption of the new standard, SWIT’s offering of B-Mount products is quite consistent already. Indeed, their lineup currently consists of a 28.8V 290Wh battery (SWIT HB-A290B), a fast four-channel battery charger (SWIT PC-P461B), and three hot-swap battery plates for ARRI ALEXA SXT, LF, and 65 as well as Mini and Mini LF cameras.

It looks like the company is fully committed to the new standard. In fact, by introducing V to B-Mount conversation plates in the near future, this family will only continue growing. According to Ni, the transition to the new power system is also made easier by pricing. Indeed, the new B-Mount products have a price point similar to that of existing V-Mount batteries and accessories.

For more information, please visit SWIT’s website here.

Have you used the new B-Mount battery standard yet? What do you think of SWIT’s lineup of B-Mount products? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!