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Lithium Ion

Here are the dangers of using 26V V-Mount batteries

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I don’t tend to use V-Mount batteries all that much for my gear. At least not recently. Battery power isn’t all that important when you can’t actually go out and film anything on location. But V-Mount batteries are hugely popular in the world of video, particularly when it comes to lighting, but they also often power cameras, monitors and countless other devices.

V-Mount batteries are not without their potential dangers, though, as this video from Gaffer & Gear explains. In short, there are multiple voltages and apparently multiple “standards” for V-Mount batteries that might potentially cause you to accidentally kill your gear or even make your batteries explode (they are lithium-based, after all).

PSA: Not shooting for a while during lockdown? Check on your gear’s batteries!

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So many of the tools we utilise in our photography and filmmaking adventures these days are battery-powered. Many of those batteries, whether they’re removable or built-in, are based on lithium-ion technology, which generally doesn’t do well when left for a long time at a near-full or empty charge. Other devices may also use alkaline batteries which can leak when unused for long periods.

For the latter, just go and remove them from the devices. Flash triggers, speedlights, intervalometers and other devices which utilise AA, AAA or other non-rechargeable batteries. Just take them out, and you’re good. For the lithium-ion devices, there’s a little more to it.

This handy guide offers five tips to extend the life of your Godox and other Lithium-Ion batteries

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Godox has been getting an unfair, I think, hard time lately about its batteries. With reports of them spontaneously catching on fire or just dying completely. But as I’ve said before, this isn’t something that’s unique to Godox. The fact of the matter is that lithium-ion battery technology can be dangerous when not respected. Lack of proper care can also cause them to become useless fairly quickly, too.

In this video, photographer Wes Perry, who has a background in engineering and alternative energies, walks us through five simple tips to prevent our lithium-ion batteries from catching fire or exploding and to extend their life for as long as possible.

Watch as this Flashpoint/Godox battery pack explodes on camera

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Lithium-Ion batteries are not to be trifled with. They can be very dangerous things, as evidenced by massive recalls from companies like Samsung and Apple. You have to be very careful when flying with them, and some devices aren’t even allowed on flights anymore. Manufacturers do everything they can to try to ensure their batteries are safe, there is always a risk that one can go bad.

One went bad for one photographer, though when he says his Flashpoint branded Godox AD360 battery exploded on him. He put his batteries on charge the night before a session, as many of us do, when one of them started to swell. He unplugged it, and rushed outside with it, unprepared for exactly what would happen next. Fortunately, his security camera captured the whole event.

Cactus suspends the RQ250 strobe as Kickstarter campaign falls short of its target

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Cactus has today announced that the Cactus RQ250 portable strobe has been suspended. The reason, it seems, is down to the fact that the Kickstarter campaign was not fully funded. There just weren’t enough people interested. So, Cactus posted an update to the campaign, as well as to their Facebook page.

Cactus takes to Kickstarter to launch new RQ250 portable strobe

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Well, this is a bit of a surprise. The Cactus RQ250 strobe announced shortly before The Photography Show earlier in the year is being taken to Kickstarter. Originally scheduled to ship in September 2018, it looks like it’s seen some slight delays, with the campaign showing backers will now receive theirs in October 2018. Now that it’s on Kickstarter, though, we finally know the price. And it’s not cheap.

The Godox AD400Pro is official, here’s what you need to know

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A few days ago, some photos leaked out of a new strobe claiming to be the Godox AD400Pro. It seems the photos were accurate, as Godox announced the strobe earlier through their Facebook page. Following on from the AD600Pro design, the AD400Pro is about as we expected it to be, but now the details are official.

New Godox AD400Pro strobe photos leaked on Facebook

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Well, people have been wondering what would replace the Godox AD360II in the Godox flash lineup ever since the AD200 was released last year to replace the AD180. Now it seems we may have an answer, thanks to some photos posted to Facebook by “Rainbow Store-Camera“. The post and photos claim to show a new AD400Pro strobe unit.

If it is a fake, whoever’s made the images has gone to great lengths to trick everybody. so I would imagine that it’s likely real. As to when we’ll hear an official announcement, though, is anybody’s guess.

Everything you need to know about flying with Li-ion batteries and TSA restrictions

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Since the Samsung Galaxy’s exploding battery issue, people have become concerned about flying with Lithium-Ion batteries. TSA has some restrictions when it comes to carrying them on a plane, and it can be confusing and frustrating if you need to travel for a photo shoot. In this video, Jay P. Morgan shares plenty of useful information that will help you prepare your batteries for a flight and arrive happily and safely to your shooting destination.

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