If you're tired of juggling batteries, having to switch them out ever couple of hours, and interrupting the flow of your shoot, then you might want to take a look at Caleb Pike's super cheap power solution for Canon DSLR cameras. Using a $100 battery plate and two compatible $20 batteries, you could power your DSLR, as well as a separate monitor, for an entire day, or roughly at least 8 hours, of shooting. Continue on to find out how to get your hands on this nifty rig.

There are several ways to increase the amount of power supplied to your camera -- of course, switching to a larger battery, connecting to an  AC adapter, using a V-mount power system, or any number of external power supplies. However, all of these options, like all options, have their limitations, one of the more restrictive being the price.


This is why the power solution from DSLR Video Shooter's Caleb Pike is such an enticing option. Less than $150 gets you a full day of power (12+ hours) for your DSLR, and as an added bonus, a more well-balanced rig.

The items Pike uses are:

The aluminum plate consists of two spots for Sony NP batteries, a cable that connects to an LP-E6 battery pack, and a slightly cartoonish on/off button.

Pike power plate

Like I said before, every option has its limitations. Pike says that though this setup works exceptionally well to power your camera/monitor, it's not very well-built. It tends to move around even after tightening, however Pike solves this issue by fastening a 15mm rod clamp ($30) behind it. Furthermore, this particular system isn't universal -- it's specifically for Canon cameras. (You could potentially use this for Canon's Cinema series cameras as long as you locate the right power adapter.) However, in my opinion, the price certainly makes up for poor construction.

If you're curious about whether or not your camera will work for this setup (or a similar one), I'd highly suggest going to Pike's original post and scrolling through the comments section. It's there where Pike says that a similar battery plate could potentially work for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.

What do you think of this power solution from Caleb Pike? What inexpensive power solutions would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

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