In our dream world, cameras would have all the power we need built in so that all our accessories just work. Unfortunately, we rarely live in that world, and whether you are working with a vintage Panavision package with proprietary power outputs or a modern mirrorless camera with no power outputs whatsoever, you often find yourself in need of batteries to make your life work. You can rig up a DIY solution, but if you know nothing about how electricity works, having a dedicated solution is a much better approach.
Blind Spot Gear, the Glasgow-based creative gang that makes cool lighting and filmmaking tools, has that kind of solution with the Power Junkie, which has now been upgraded to V2.
Let's see what all the fuss is about.
Trainspotting With Electricity
The Power Junkie V2 is designed to power whatever you want off of a single NP-F battery as long as you keep to three devices. Let's say you have an external monitor on your camera. That will likely have a power input, and you can run that to the Power Junkie. You can then also run a camera adapter from your camera to the Power Junkie (Blind Spot has those, too), and both units can run on a single battery.
Even if you don't have an external battery, you could use the Power Junkie to power your camera with a massive external (and easy to swap) Sony NP-F rather than a tiny internal battery that you have to keep constantly swapping.
Power Junkie V2Credit: Blind Spot Gear
Even better, the Power Junkie has a battery status indicator, giving you one place to look and see how much juice you have left. It gets even better when you remember there's a USB-C PD output as well, so you could have a third device going as well like maybe a USB-C powered video converter or follow focus. As USB-C increasingly takes off as a power standard, that output will grow and grow in usefulness. Heck, you can even charge your smartphone (which is also becoming more common on film sets) be it for camera or lighting control.
Blind Spot Gear Power Junkie V2Credit: Blind Spot Gear
The inclusion of USB-C PD isn't just about power coming out of the unit. The protocol also allows for power to flow into the unit for charging. That makes the Power Junkie V2 a blazing-fast charger for your NP-F batteries as well. That can mean leaving a charger at home or just having another charger in a pinch for getting everything you need ready to get your batteries hot in a pinch.
Should You Get Your Wallet Yet
The Power Junkie is being initially released (and funded) via a Kickstarter campaign that has just launched. If you expecting to grab one for an upcoming shoot, then you might have to wait a bit. But if you need a solution now, you can always go for the V1 unit.
Blind Spot Gear Power Junkie V1
- Provides External Power to Cameras
- Compatible with NPF Batteries
- Shoot Video for Extended Period
- Compatible with Dummy Batteries
- Charge External Devices via USB Port
However, if you're worried about this update being vaporware, consider this is the 8th Kickstarter for Blind Spot Gear. The gang has used the crowdfunding platform as a viable way to bring legitimately cool products to market. So, you should sleep easy knowing your money is in the right place. The Kickstarter price is $57, which is a nice little discount compared to the $69 retail. Check out the Power Junkie V2 Kickstarter now.
What do you think of this new offering from Blind Spot Gear? Would this tool save your rig? Let us know in the comments!
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