There are many ways to power your gear, but if you're going with rechargeable batteries, one of the most popular and most versatile ones out there is the Sony NP-F. These things can work with your camera, lights, monitors, and pretty much anything else you've got. However, they've got many different styles and options available for a wide variety of needs, and here to explain a little bit more about them is Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter.


Pike does a great job thoroughly explaining what to look out for when shopping around for NP-F batteries, but here are a few basic things that are especially important to understand.

The great thing about Sony NP-F batteries is their versatility. As I said before, they're compatible with many different types of gear, including cameras, lights, and monitors from all different types of brands. 

The main thing you'll want to look out for, though, when choosing which kind to purchase is the size and capacity, represented in the number at the end. NP-F batteries come in everything from F330 to F990, but Pike explains that the most popular sizes are the low-profile, lightweight NP-F550, the NP-F770, which is a great all-ground battery, and the high-capacity NP-F970.

If you've got the money, I would suggest buying a couple of each one so you can be prepared for all types of different shooting situations. For example, if you're shooting out in the middle of nowhere without electricity, you'll want to be carrying batteries with the highest capacity possible so you don't run out of juice before you run out of shots. However, if you want to keep your setup as lightweight as possible, batteries with less capacity will have a lower profile and allow you to travel light.

Before you buy, think first about what you or your project needs in a battery solution, and make sure to consider weight, size, battery life, and compatibility.

Source: DSLR Video Shooter