SmallRig Just Made V Mount Batteries Much More Useful

V mount batteries are usually built for big cameras. SmallRig wants to put one in your everyday camera bag. Its new Nano36 and Nano72 power banks combine detachable V mount plates with USB charging, giving photographers and videographers a way to power camera gear without carrying the bulk normally associated with cinema batteries.

The company has introduced the Nano36 Power Bank and Nano72 Power Bank, compact power solutions that combine a detachable V mount plate with USB charging. 

The idea here is very simple actually. Photographers and videographers can use the batteries with camera equipment when needed, then remove the V mount plate and use them like conventional power banks.

That flexibility could make them particularly useful for creators who move between small camera setups, smartphones, action cameras, and other portable gear.

A V Mount Battery That Can Leave the Camera Rig

The smaller Nano36 has a 36.5Wh capacity and 10,000mAh battery, while the Nano72 doubles that capacity to 73Wh and 20,000mAh.

Both models use a detachable V mount plate, allowing the battery to attach to compatible camera equipment. Removing the plate turns the unit into a more conventional portable power source.

The Nano36 is particularly compact at 52.7 x 68.5 x 52.6mm and weighs 292g. SmallRig describes it as roughly the size of a credit card, although its thickness gives it a different form factor from a typical phone power bank.

A built in 70cm retractable cable is another notable feature. Instead of carrying a separate charging cable, users can pull out the integrated cable when they need to power a device and retract it when finished.

The Nano36 supports up to 45W output and 30W input. Its USB C cable and port can deliver up to 45W, while the USB A output supports up to 22.5W. When multiple ports are used, the maximum combined output is 20W.

The Nano72 takes the same basic concept and scales it up. It supports up to 100W input and output, giving it enough output capacity for more demanding equipment. Its USB C cable and port can each provide up to 100W, while USB A remains capped at 22.5W.

SmallRig Gives the Batteries More Information to Show

One of the more useful additions is the TFT color display built into both models.

Rather than showing only a basic battery percentage, the screen can display battery level, input and output power for each port, battery health, cycle count, and temperature. That gives users a better idea of what the battery is doing while equipment is connected.

For people working with several devices, seeing the power draw can also make it easier to determine which setup is consuming the most energy.

The batteries include several protection systems covering short circuits, overcurrent, overtemperature, overvoltage, and undervoltage.

SmallRig also includes a 1/4 inch 20 threaded hole and a locating hole on the back of both models. These allow the batteries to be mounted with accessories such as magic arms and crab clamps, giving creators another way to position the power source around a compact rig.

The Nano36 has an additional low current mode for its USB A output. If the connected device draws less than 100mA, the display and output shut off after two hours and the battery enters sleep mode.

Built for Smaller and More Flexible Camera Setups

The biggest difference between the two models comes down to power capacity and output.

The Nano36 is aimed at users who want something smaller and lighter for a portable setup with its 45W output. The Nano72, meanwhile, is the more capable option for equipment that demands more power. With 73Wh capacity and 100W input and output, it is positioned closer to the needs of more serious camera rigs while remaining substantially smaller than a standard V mount battery.

Both models support a wide range of devices, including smartphones, action cameras, compact cameras, and cinema cameras. SmallRig lists compatibility with products such as the Canon EOS R5 II, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, Nikon Z6, Panasonic GH6, DJI Osmo Action cameras, DJI Osmo Pocket cameras, and Insta360 cameras.

The approach is interesting because it blurs the line between camera battery and everyday power bank. For photographers and videographers trying to keep smaller rigs mobile, that could be the more useful evolution of the V mount battery.

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