ARRI endorses B-Mount as a universal 24V battery standard
Apr 16, 2021
ARRI announces its endorsement of B-Mount as a universal 24 V battery industry standard.
The new B-Mount battery interface, as used in current and future ARRI cameras and lights, is rapidly being adopted as a brand-agnostic industry standard, bringing benefits to ARRI customers and the entire global industry. B-Mount, developed by bebob, is a documented and openly available new battery mount industry standard.
Major battery manufacturers such as bebob, Blueshape, Core SWX, Fxlion, Hawk-Woods, IDX and SWIT are developing BMount products, recognising that modern digital cameras, accessories, and rigs often exceed the limits of existing power systems. LED lighting fixtures can also be powered by on-board batteries, so an industry standard that accommodates both cameras and lights offers great advantages, opening up new possibilities for fast and efficient mobile shooting. Issues with camera systems can often be traced to battery capacity limits.
A new 24 V industry standard with high capacity offers a future-proof solution for the growing power demands of professional camera and lighting systems. The potential for increased power is three times greater with B-Mount than traditional 12 V systems.
ARRI product manager Jeanfre Fachon commented: “By establishing an open, international industry standard that meets customers’ needs and is compatible across all manufacturers, the B-Mount will enable productions to source batteries locally, rather than transporting them. With battery transport restrictions getting stricter, this will save productions time, money, and effort. At ARRI we fully endorse the B-Mount industry standard and will be using it in our cameras and lights from now on.”
The B-Mount system offers robust construction, a compact form factor, and seamless interlocking. Unlike some other battery mounts, it is capable of withstanding intense vibrations from powerful modern camera stabiliser systems, and is compliant with stringent on-board safety standards for the lighting industry.
Another advantage of B-Mount is the opportunity it can provide for advanced communication between batteries and camera or lighting equipment. This can facilitate, for example, highly accurate readouts of remaining run time and charge time, increasing efficiency on set. B-Mount plates or adapters are available for all current ARRI cameras, as well as SkyPanel S30, S60 and S120 lights.
Comment / Karl Liegis, head of production, 60Forty Films