Everything You Need to Know About NP-F Batteries

Need battery power for your camera, lights, monitors, audio devices and more? You need NP-F batteries! In this video I cover everything you need to know about Sony NP-F style batteries including the different types, uses and accessories.
NP-F550 (Small) on Amazon ► geni.us/npf550
NP-F750 (Medium) on Amazon ► geni.us/npf750
NP-F970 (Large) on Amazon ► geni.us/npf970
My Favorite NP-F Battery Brands
DSTE
Amazon ► geni.us/npfdste
eBay ► rover.ebay.com/...
Watson ► www.bhphotovid...
ACCESSORIES
Battery Plate ($12) on Amazon ► geni.us/npfadapter
Pro Battery Plate on Amazon ► geni.us/annsoba...
Dual Battery Plate on Amazon ► geni.us/dualnpf...
Indipro Adapters ► www.bhphotovid...
V-Mount Adapter on Amazon ► geni.us/fotodio...
NP-F with USB and DC Output on Amazon ► geni.us/npfusbdc

[@jrsergii1]

Believe It or not, I've got a Sony Handycam from 1998 that I bought for 10€ that was never used. It came with a NP F330 and It still lasts an hour and a half after 24 years!!

[@SuperSmosh123]

Have you tried using the NP F550? I've got a Mavica and I can't get the F330 locally, they've only got the F550 and was wondering if they were the same size.

[@itacatv2146]

I’m just curious, why would you buy a camera so old? I suppose it’s not HD. :)

[@jrsergii1]

@@itacatv2146 Because not everything has to be in HD, sometimes you are looking for a concrete look.

[@mr.how0]

I also have

[@isellcrack3537]

@@jrsergii1 damn 10 bucks? that`s quite the find there congrats! One question - how do you transfer your videos to a computer? I`m thinking of getting an rca to HDMI upscaler and than to connect it to HDMI capture card that goes into my PC. You think that`s a good enough option? (afaik the cables that are supposed to go from your camcorder directly to the computer have horrible issues with audio/video sync and are pretty much good for nothing)

[@stevesurfaro]

Finally, someone that gets right to the point, quickly: batteries that share the same baseplate but are different capacity, and use of "dummy" batteries or on camera charging. Thanks!

[@unbroken1010]

Is the npf m the same compatibility?

[@thinkoffbeat]

Caleb man it's like you are looking at my search history! Every post you've done for the last two months has been on point for what i'm personally going through with shooting, sound and lighting! Keep up the good work.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Haha! No snooping I promise! Thanks.

[@pedzsan]

Exactly what I was looking for. Bought a Ninja V and it just assumed folks had a NP-F battery. Started looking and got confused so was looking for a clear explanation and your video did the trick! Thank you.

[@BT-2013]

Got six of DSTE NP-F970s for my LED lights. Supplied charger takes over 22 hours to charge from 0% to 100%. Thankfully each battery came with a charger so I charge em all at once, but if I have more than one shoot within 24 hours, it's a close call. Thankfully I have a set of 6 NP-F550 spares which charge faster.

[@EbenVisher]

That was awesome. I knew nothing about NP-F batteries and now I'm an expert! I took good notes, too. Thank you *so* much for your time and effort.

[@SilasWilloughby]

Thanks for all these great videos! With you Film riot and Dslr guide I've learned enough to make filmmaking tutorials my self!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Echo! Keep up the great work!

[@YakovGYP]

Film Riot also rocks as well! *High Five*

[@lucasscott8516]

Actually same - I follow all of those! Really great channels :)

[@EricLefebvrePhotography]

I have 2 DSTE's and no complaints at all. A couple of things I think you omitted from this video: *1- Charging time* I have the larger 970 type batteries and they legit take all night (and then some) to charge. so that's something to keep in mind. *2- Discharge* It seems like my batteries discharge over time more than my Canon DSLR batteries. If I let them sit for a very long while (I don't do as much video work as I would like) a fully charged battery can empty out. Not sure if this is normal for these batteries. Great video as usual.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Good points. Thanks Eric!

[@06271]

The originals from Sony don't discharge mare than the competitors. It happens mainly with third party batteries. The Sony's also have a higher life expectancy. comes with a price, though.

[@weeardguy]

The difference is that most of the chargers that come with the cheap NP-F batteries, do not feature a real Li-Ion charging-circuit, but instead just rely on a switching regulator that limits the maximum current and quits charging either as soon as the battery-voltage closely matches the output voltage from the regulator or current consumed by the battery drops significantly. This is not at all bad: the battery-management-system inside the battery will take care of possible overcharging and could even make sure the charger lights it's green light (because as soon as overcharge will occur, the BMS will cut power to the cells, the current consumend drops to zero and thus the charger knows it's done charging) It's also not bad for the battery itself. A real Li-Ion charger however, will charge with constant current first and at some point, switch to constant voltage, this is usually at a point where the battery is reaching something like 85% state of charge. The constant voltage charge doesn't last very long and shóuld not last very long as it stresses the cells as they reach 4.2 Volt maximum, which is usually the max for the cells in those NP-F style batteries. A charger that cuts off charging at that 85% state-of-charge point will provide you with a battery that lasts shorter than with the constant voltage charge applied to a full charge, but will have a longer lifespan overall. Charging it fully will increase capacity but shorten overall lifespan. So yes, it could feel that your batteries 'drain faster' while in reality, they did not get a real full charge. That and the fact that Sony likely uses superior cells (and a real charger) compared to the cheap knock-offs, gives you some reduced batterylife.

[@florian2123]

With switching to LED Video Lights (thanks for your help picking the right lights!) I had to deal with these batteries and felt completely lost with the sheer amount of different types and 3rd party brands. This video would have saved me alot of hassle, thank you for yet another helpful well explained video! Sadly none of the brands you suggested here or in your former videos can be bought in Germany. From the brands I tested Patona were the best value, Baxxtar the best output and quality.

[@JacobPerrry]

here 6 years later for this information. KING. Appreciate you

[@mynameispek]

Little smoke coming out from the battery (?) at 4:10 . What's up with that? : D

[@bigdap100]

Caleb flat out has one of the best gear channels on KZbin...period. This site is a frikkin’ gold mine!

[@McConnellYoga]

Thanks..years later and it's still helping people like me. Appreciated!

[@AIRWOLFMovie]

I've 16 of the big NP-F970s now for everything. Just rules the roost as far as battery power for all my kit. Just make sure you buy Li-Ion Fire-proof (Li-po) bags for them if you travel with them, or store them for any length of time.

[@NickShvelidze]

NP-F550 = 2x18650 cells in series. NP-F770 = 4x18650 cells, two series of 2 in parallel. NP-F970 = 6x18650 cells, three series of 2 in parallel. The same kind of cells are used in removable laptop batteries (do they still exist?), but in series of 3, usually 3, 6 or 9 cells.

[@nathandrake7558]

I have a video light with NP-F500 can i use bigger NP-F970 battery with it? Will is fit the light?

[@NickShvelidze]

@@nathandrake7558 I don't know, F500 seems to be shorter so it may not fit

[@nathandrake7558]

@@NickShvelidze sorry my bad it is a NP F 550

[@NickShvelidze]

@@nathandrake7558 If it's external, then it will fit.

[@nathandrake7558]

@@NickShvelidze yes bro its external thankyou

[@burning1rr]

Thank you for this video! I purchased a used Atomos recorder that was missing its batteries. The OEM replacements were $60/each, but this video made me realize that they were using a standard NP-F550 battery.

[@bat__bat]

I had an old Sony handycam that died, but I saved the battery from it before throwing it out. Glad I did because I still use that NPF for my small LED light, even years later.

[@TechLineHD]

The video I've asked you before in the comments! Thanks a lot!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Techline! After my LED light videos a lot of people asked about batteries so here we are!

[@TechLineHD]

DSLR Video Shooter awesome!

[@samartography]

Due to this video, I finally understand how NPF batteries work. Thank you Caleb!

[@Princeton_James]

Just ordered the 750 the other day. So excited to get it and extend my battery life. What a great thorough review.

[@jmillanoff]

Man, I watch your videos for fun while eating, just to enjoy the aesthetics of them

[@mlangsottile4412]

As always this is a helpful video Caleb. The battery voltage situation is a bit confusing but I think I've got it. These batteries are made up of two 3.6V Li-Ion Cells, in series (double voltage, same capacity) to 7.2V nominal. With no load (Open Circuit Voltage) at full these batteries will read 8.4V on a multimeter. When connected to a device, they actually draw a current and the voltage sags to ~7.2V (Closed Circuit Voltage).

[@montrealfilmguy]

Just bought a Cineroid LED light from a final sale table so this video comes in at the right time.

[@archiewells1023]

You have it covered. Every time I have a question, there is your channel popping up with the answer. That's why I'm subscribed.

[@davideastham]

Going to pick some of these up for sure. Was out on vacation taking photo's and video and my LP-E10's would only last about a half hour of shooting.

[@nadirelizalde]

Seis años y sigue vigente este video. Muchas gracias por tus aportes!!

[@halebale00]

Great explanation! I was worried that these batteries were not "inter-compatible" but this sorted out all questions.

[@pedroarruda7878]

Thanks for the topic covered, there are really a lot of doubts regarding the NP-Fxxx formats. In my case, I still have a Sony SR-7 that I continue to use in underwater imaging, with an Amphibico Dive Buddy EVO HD Elite housing, which cost twice the price of the camera! ;-) At this time, I needed to buy two batteries of greater capacity - NP-FH100. Not long ago I bought a LED light panel, compatible with the Sony NP-F standard. In short, I had to buy a battery kit, the NP-FH are different in size and do not 'fit' in the standard NP-F format.

[@OrdnanceTV]

I was literally just shopping on Amazon and eBay for the dual NP-F adapter and this popped up in my notifications. THANK YOU 🙏🙏

[@amoraquisqueya]

Uff Thankyou!! You don't even imagine the much you helped me with an issue!

[@TheBlueScarecrow]

Very professional... very informative... right to the point... no goofy haircut... no Tattoos. Well done!!! 5 Stars!

[@kn00tcn]

WELL... if the content was the same, if the speech wasnt full of slang or entertainment, then a goofy haircut & tattoos would be fine

[@puledressdesigns]

Thank you for this! I wasn't watching one of your old videos not realizing it was your video and I kept thinking "why does this guy look familiar? haha! Your videos have been so very helpful.

[@shanescott3168]

A follow up video on battery longevity and performance would be awesome!

[@YakovGYP]

I showed my friend your channel and he has subbed to it. Funny, we were both talking about these types of batteries just yesterday for his LED panel he recently purchased and now you come out with a video on them. How did you know?!? Thanks for making these, they're helping out a lot!

[@LFPAnimations]

I have been looking for a video like this for a while, thanks for making this! I have wanted to consolidate my battery type for my camera, lights, and monitor and this just helped me figure that out.

[@DiscoverRajivVlogs]

The intro sound is most satisfying.

[@ErikssonTord_2]

Sound in left channel only?! Discovered these batteries recently, and has good experience with Neever and DSTE! Great review!

[@samdief]

I'm liking these frequent uploads my dude, keep it up

[@filmmakerscut9681]

Thank you for the video man, I was thinking about buying a battery for my lights but I didn't know anything on these NP-F batteries, you couldn't help me better !

[@robertharker]

I have had great luck with Kastart batteries. Good build, honest capacity.

[@GlenDomulevicz]

Thank You Very helpful even 5 years later. Thanks for sharing.

[@McKayStewart]

Thank you for the simple, nicely shot, very efficient video tutorials. You're great!

[@zachjames2285]

watching this in 2021... still amazing information and helped a lot! thanks dude.

[@ivanh3]

Holy crap, I had such a specific question, and dang, here it is. It's not the explanation I deserve. It's the explanation I need.

[@AnthonyGreene15]

Thanks for this man! It helped a lot. I've been trying to find ways to power my camera with bigger batteries.

[@bgcreations6995]

I have these. I have the NPF-950 and they work great.

[@astrofunkofficial]

Thanks for this. I just ordered a smallhd Focus (my first monitor) and even after watching all the videos I somehow managed to miss that without the bundle you do not get the battery. So I had to order third party batteries and I actually did order the ones you recommended. I was still unsure if I ordered the right ones so this totally cleared up the confusion.

[@estatemedia3600]

Great info! Wondering if there is any meaning behind the numbering system. I understand NP-F970 has more capacity than the NP-F770. But what is the difference between the NP-F770 and NP-F750? Is it just little bit more capacity with NP-F770? Or some other significance?

[@Crusader1089]

Coming in way late, but the F770 has a 5200mAh capacity, and the F750 has 5000. This the difference of 38 watt hours and 37 watt hours.

[@andrewhowe4266]

I've bought quite a few of the DSTE batteries too and they've been good. The only problem I've had is that when I put them on a Luxpad 43 I really struggled to get them back off again. Not sure if that is light or battery design issue. Temporary solution involves gaffer tape - as always.

[@sunnybizz4857]

You have the gift of knowing what questions video newbies have and the information they need. Thanks a ton for this... as I am checking out reviews for small lights and deciding how to progress beyond LED house lights in cone reflectors. Your content and presentation is as good as it gets.

[@eleones]

Great video, as always! I totally didn't know about the NP-F with USB and DC Output battery. Genius! I'm getting a couple to try out. Thanks again!

[@zachonias]

I didn't realize there was this much to know about NPF batteries! I just got a dummy battery and plate, I got the cheap one, so I'll look out for the issues you mentioned. The DSTE batteries are well rated on amazon, glad to hear they've worked so well for you, they're so inexpensive!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks! Yeah, they are the best affordable batteries I've been able to find.

[@EPHONIC]

Thanks, Caleb. So glad you made a video just on these. I was confused as to which to buy. I'll be buying a few through the links you provided to support you and your awesome content channel.

[@redkittyproject]

Even though this came out in 2017, it was still useful to me in 2021.

[@SloggerVlogger]

What's the difference between NP-F and NP-FZ Is there on charger that does both of those?

[@bronzyamakeup6809]

thank you, i was wondering which one i should buy.

[@EZTechTraining]

Thanks again for another great video. The batteries can certainly get confusing. This helps immensely.

[@Vojtakrasa]

NP-Fs are the MVP of batteries. I use them with my BMPCC4K (with a tilta cage and a plate attached to it) even on a gimbal and it does kind of work. The worst part is really the form factor of the 970/990s. They have that weird height to them. Wish there was a similar standard that would be maybe longer or wider but not as tall.

[@blazablaza]

Ohhh I was looking at this solution. What kind of battery life compared to the standard Canon one should I expect?

[@Vojtakrasa]

@@blazablaza I can get around 3 hours from an F970 that is 8600 mAh. I use Neewer which are roughly the same price as LP-E6.

[@Vojtakrasa]

@@blazablaza for reference, I shot a running event. I was just shooting short clips on a gimbal, full brightness, UHD ProRes Proxy on an SD card. The event started at 1 pm and ended at 4 pm and I still had some little juice left in the first battery. Didn't touch a second one. Mind that with an external SSD the power demand increases.

[@PabloAM93]

I've been waiting for a video like this one for ages! Can't thank you enough Caleb.

[@arniet1]

WOW. You've saved me buying one Sony battery costing £144, and I can get 2+charger for under £90!

[@sebasmediaprod]

I was loking EXACTLY for this VIDEO THANKS!!!

[@alphaartisan]

You are a major resource for all of us, thank you!

[@PeterZelinka]

Thank you! This video cleared everything up for me!

[@KoteGreen]

You have been so helpful with researching gear!! Thank you!

[@SteveKluver]

Thanks for this video. I have heard nothing but good things about the B&H Watson batteries as well.

[@OriginalSharpe]

Super helpful video Caleb. These were questions I have been wondering about for a long time!! Thanks for taking the time to explain.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

No problem Matthew! Thanks for watching!

[@ChrisFrancia]

Another decent note is if you prefer brand name batteries and find the sony brand versions are out of stock (often the case on amazon), you may want to consider Anton Bauer's version (same expensive price as the sony). I however did not compare the size/capacity of the sony vs anton bauer

[@djspecialpaul]

Nice Info - i use this for my A7-Series via a Adapter for Timelapse but - i need more -> so i switch to an car-jump battery - yes it is heavy but if you want e.e timelapse a whole tide (in Hamburg around 12h) you need this.

[@TMM6900]

4:35 , omg those soft light, so beautiful ~

[@feryjory]

fantastic video as always mate, always wondered the difference between those batteries

[@gatorsuarez]

best channel iv found all month, extremely useful information

[@dadlife8289]

Dang you lost a ton of weight since this video! Good work. This video still showed up in my recommended

[@poman911]

I agree with DSTE brand. all of the nfp550 have been solid. The wasabis are good but they cost more.

[@richardsatoru]

Exactly the video I needed. Your channel is seriously the best

[@AboutArchie]

Great video. Would have liked a little more discussion on mAh, but certainly equipped me with enough info to go shopping. I have the small batteries now to power my Aputure F7 and YongNou 300 Air but the Aputure drains it midway through recording too aften. Will have to move up to 770's I guess.

[@Sameir8055]

Excellent... Thank you so much. Got some new info, for example, the jacket for Sony A7 series etc. Good job.

[@ericbulington2421]

Hey Caleb, you didn't address the discharge rates from these batteries. I'm assuming they have a limit regarding the amount of current they can sustain? It may not be an issue for video but for for other applications including USB charging, it could be.

[@777TonyRamirez777]

Anyone else notice the slight hint of smoke at 4:10 ?

[@MrBirdsancho]

One of the capacitors probably burned out inside.

[@zzarkS]

yeah yeah, it's trying to quit

[@jessemount6420]

I think it's actually a hair floating out of focus close to the camera

[@somethingsfishy2695]

Lol

[@TechReflex]

Wow I was really looking for information on these, and somehow KZbin recommended this video to me even though I never searched for it on KZbin or on Google.

[@pinefilms3141]

JUST WHAT I NEEDED THANKS!

[@UltraTopSecret]

I was wondering if my charger had overcharged my battery to 8.4V! Thanks for the information!

[@LeoMaverick]

Great video! Very helpful!! Thanks!!

[@studebakerclarksnyder3681]

Thanks! I like your research, preparation and style.

[@Art_Wine_And_Anarchy]

I looked up the NP-F 970s you recommended. The Kastar brand has a bit higher mAh rating at 8700 vs 7900

[@HygerProductions]

Had me curious about the Watson brand - evidently they are part of the Gradus Group - Brands that exclusively sell at B&H - Luxli Lights, Impact Studio Lighting, Senal Sound, Ruggard Bags, Vello Gear are a few more!

[@philemotion8876]

I will keep this review in my pocket.... Very useful Caleb, thanks a lot !!!

[@BooKooBrands]

Fantastic video! I use so many of these batteries and have been trying to get the skinny on where to buy the best. Thank you so much! I need an addition ten 770 size. Ciao

[@herminigildojakosalem8664]

Thanks but what I really am looking for is: How to store the Sony NP-F970? Do I store it full/partially charged? If partially and if its a 7.2 V, at what voltage should it be stored ( long-termed, say three to six months? Any tips to help its longevity? Thanks again.

[@weeardguy]

40 to 60% State-of-charge is recommended for Li-Ion batteries of this kind. Downside is that the chargers do not provide you with information on the state of charge most of the time. Charging these batteries fully charged will stress them and damage them in the long run, just like storing them fully depleted will not do them good and can even render them useless (when the battery-management-system inside measures the cells below a critical voltage, it can cut the cells off permanently)

[@syetube1]

Great Info, Thanks. I am looking at replacing my old Sony batt's that do not hold a charge for long and have been told to only use sony as my Sony handy cam DCR-HC36E will pick up the fact that the Batt's used are not sony and will not function. Any advice would be great before I commit to Buy. Thanks again.

[@BomJimmy]

inside every lithium batteries in ever-changing pack formats, there lies 3.7-volt cell (two in series to make 7.4v .( it has max 4.2 and 3.3 v lowest to work normally). My most items work on standard 18650 lithium standard batteries adapted with BMS boards for perfect charge and discharge limits. This is just $4 each for genuine Samsung/LG batteries (beware of fake capacity Ultrafire). to run power hungry LED panels, I adapted 40V tool battery pack which can run for hours.

[@YEIYO1]

hi, wonder if anyone can answer this ¿ does all NP-F batterys discharge when they are not in use? i bought 2 newer and i was wondering if that happens to all brands of NP-F battery.

[@NotAnEnglishman]

Learned a lot from this one, thanks! Can you make a video about which variable ND filter is the best?

[@elcasanelles5806]

That v-mount adapter tip, priceless.

[@chloet7385]

You are an incredibly helpful human, thank you!

[@billzidis2656]

Very informative video!I'm using dste and Ravpower and I'm really happy with those

[@Panther-]

Thanks bro...I needed this,never thought Id find a vid that cleared this up lol

[@IntermitTech]

I was just looking on Amazon to pick a few up for the new lights I'm ordering. Thank you very much for your great videos and I'll be sure to use your affiliate links! :D

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Intermit!

[@nanocake]

This was super helpful. Thankyou for the clarifications!

[@antoniawildmedia]

OMG. Thank you! I've been trawling for over an hour to buy a battery!!! Ug.

[@legendp2011]

could you expand more on the "low voltage protection", I already have the cheaper unit. just wondering what "issues"