![DSC_0691-2-1024x768 Core FX9 V-Mount Adapter and Core Hypercore Neo Mini Batteries.](https://i0.wp.com/www.xdcam-user.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0691-2-1024x768.jpg?resize=474%2C356)
One of the things about the FX9 that makes no sense is it’s external DC input. When you are using just the camera body the FX9 requires a rather odd-ball 19.5 volts to power it via it’s DC in connector. Most cameras have a 12v to 16v input range so they can be used with the multitude of V-Mount or Gold Mount batteries that are common place in the world of professional video. But not the FX9. The FX9 is also fairly power hungry so the standard BP-U batteries can be a little limiting, especially if you also need to power any accessories as the camera doesn’t have a power output. A V-Mount battery will run the camera for a long time and they generally have D-Tap power outlets, but they are the wrong voltage for the FX9s external input. So if you want to use a V-Mount battery, as I do, then you need not only a mounting plate but also a voltage converter.
The adapter I have chosen to use is manufactured by Core. Why this one? One thing that was important for me is not only to be able to power the camera from a V-Mount battery, but also to be able to power it from a standard external 12 volt power supply such as found in most studios, or something like a car battery. The Core CXV-FX9 adapter includes a voltage regulator that takes the 12 to 16 volt range of a typical Lithium battery and converts it to the 19.5v needed by the FX9. It also has an industry standard 4 pin XLR connector that you can use to power the camera from a 12v external power supply.
Hot Swap:
If you have a power supply connected to the 4 pin XLR you can hot swap the V-Mount batteries. If you have a battery on the adapter you can hot swap to and from the external power. During hot swapping the adapter not only continues to feed the camera with power but also the 2 D-Tap ports on the adapter remain powered.
Low Battery Warning:
One issue that all these adapters have is that they have to convert the battery voltage up to 19.5 volts and this is what is fed to the cameras DC in connector. This means that the camera has no direct connection to the battery, so it has no way to know the charge state of the battery. All you will see in the viewfinder as an indication of the output of the voltage converter. This will remain at a constant 19.5v all the way until the battery is flat and cuts off, at which point the camera will just die. That’s not good, if you are halfway through recording something it could corrupt your media. You won’t have any warning in the camera of the battery going flat.
To try to address this at least in part the Core adapter has an LED light on the operators side that is green when the battery is well charged, but turns to red when there is only around 10% of the batteries capacity left. This does at least give some warning of a battery about to die.
As well as the adapter, I’m trying out a couple of Core’s Hypercore Neo Mini batteries. These are nice, compact 98Wh batteries. They are UN Tested and certified so meet all the requirements for air travel. These batteries have a clever LCD display that displays the available run time of the battery. This is much more advanced than a simple charge indicator (it has one of those too). The battery actually detects the load being drawn from it. It also knows the exact state of charge of the battery.
Using these it is able to calculate with great accuracy how long it will be before it will be flat. I have found this to be remarkably accurate, typically to within just a few minutes. I’ve been using this display to let me know when I need to start thinking about changing the battery. It’s accuracy gives me the confidence to continue shooting until I’m down to the last few minutes of run time. Typically I’m getting around 2.5 hours without the Atomso Ninja recorder and just under 2 hours with the Ninja from one of these excellent little batteries.
Attaching the adapter:
Attaching the adapter to the camera is easy. It uses the same mounting points as Sony’s XDCA extension unit. So there are lugs that slide into slots inside the FX9’s battery compartment as well as two small bolts that attach it to the top of the camera. This makes it incredibly secure with no wobble or other movement. I would have no concerns about supporting the entire camera rig from the battery adapter or adding perhaps a V-Mount wireless video link and then large or heavy batteries behind that. It’s very secure and it looks like it’s meant to be there. Another nice touch is that as well as the 2 D-Tap power ports on the top of the adapter there are also 3 additional 1/4″ mounting points for accessories such as monitors or wireless receivers etc.
I do have one small criticism. The position of the D-Tap ports is quite close to the edge of the adapter. If you are using a tall battery and you have a very fat D-Tap plug they can interfere with each other.
Despite this the Core V-Mount battery adapter gets a big thumbs up from me. The voltage indication is most useful as is the ability to use a normal 4 pin 12v XLR feed.
I have one of these core plates on order – how did you get yours?
Any idea when they’ll be available?
I got mine direct from Core. I believe they have only just started shipping but I do see a lot of other people that already have them.
The actual plug itself is also protected by the casing of the core ..?
Yes, the casing covers the plug and holds it in place.
Just for curiosity, could the voltage output be switch to a regular BP-U voltage so the plate could be used on a FS7 (assuming the Core will fit since it has the same XDCA form factor)?
There’s no way to switch the voltage.
I just realized another use for that 4 pin XLR input on the Core adapter. All the batteries I’ve been using for my FS7 ( and before that the F3 and Ex1) are the older type of Swit and Series 7 BP-U60 and 90 (i.e. Swit S-8U62) , before they figured out how to add a chip inside to get around Sony’s attempt to stop third party batts . So they all have cables on them that needed to be plugged into the camera’s EIAJ power port. Well that cable will no longer work with the 19.5V power port on the FX9. However they all have D tap’s and I already have both D Tap to XLR connectors and V mount to BP-U adapters. So all I have to do is mount my old batts to a BPU>Vmt adapter and go into that XLR in on the Core. I’ve just salvaged 7 still working batteries.
Downside remains that the adapter mounts them horizontally so they will tend to stick out a lot more than if i could figure a way to get them vertical.
I’ve used a small 12V 5 A adapter with a 4 Pin XLR out to power my FS7 through the XDCA adapter for years. I just tried it with the Core adapter plugging it into the 4Pin XLR receptacle. It seems to run the camera OK but as soon as I turn the camera on the powerlight goes from Green to flashing red. It does record though. Do you think this would be a problem. I’m not excited about spending $270 for an IDX power supply , but i like the idea of not having to take the Core off every time I want to throw it on a tripod and switch to AC.
The core adapter is designed to work with broadcast type batteries where the voltage would be in the 13.5v to 16.5v range. 12 volts is much lower than the adapter is designed to work with, Proper camera power supplies are normally 13.8v.
If the red led is flashing you are extremely close to the adapters automatic cut off and I would be very concerned about it cutting out mid shot which could corrupt the card causing the loss of everything on the card. This shouldn’t happen, the file system is robust, but you are taking a high risk gamble.
If an XQD card is in the fx9. You are recording and your battery goes flat.. will the card keep up to when power goes ,with a restore card , like an SxS card .. or not ? you lose the whole file ..Thanks
You will almost certainly lose a few seconds off the clip that was being recorded at the time. But the camera should be able to perform a restore so that that is all that is lost. But you are playing with fire relying on an after-the-fact restore process to repair data that is corrupt. It “should” work. But this can never be guaranteed and if the cards file allocation table gets corrupted you could lose everything on the card. The restore function is meant to be recovery process for occasional emergencies, not an alternative to correct procedures. A bit like airbags in a car, they should save your life, but you don’t want to keep testing them to find the time they don’t.
Yes its not something I would be relying on.. I had it happen about 4 times over 7 years with the f5.. and it worked each time .. I just wondered if the cheaper XQD cards had the same “save” ability .. but made more tricky with the V mount /fx9 combo.. I’ll be keeping the backup BPU 30 in for doc work for sure .. even though its does seem to drain very quickly just sitting in there ..
Thanks guys – I seem to be able to find a 14v power supply on amazon thAt goes to 2.5 mm Power plug , then an adapter to 4 pin xlr . Any problem with something like that ? Do I need more than 3A . The Sony 19v supply I think was 3A a
Alister , Core actually makes a 12V adapter with 4 pin XLR and they specifically told me it was sufficient to use with the FX9 and their adapter. I was told it would blink red but not to worry about it . I did also find a 14 V adapter with a 2.5mm power plug that I can get an adapter to 4PIN for also. Do you think there is any reason to doubt the Core sales person’s advice that I will be OK with their power adapter?
The core power supply should be OK as the voltage will be fixed so it should never drop so low as to cause the adapter to cut off.
I have an electronic design in the back of my pocket that will provide a solution to the problem of losing power suddenly from a dying battery. It will provide a low voltage warning in the camera. Please let me know if you are interested in this device. It would be an inline small box from Tilta to the camera. You can email me at greg@rigidesigns.com.
Thanks for the offer, but I’ve already built my own. Pretty simple device really, all you need to do is trigger the inline regulator to drop the regulated voltage below the low batt alarm threshold as the supply battery voltage drops.