Adapter plate for mounting V-Mount or Gold-Mount batteries to cameras and equipment, delivering 5V to 15V via D-Tap, USB, or barrel connector.
Technical Details
Battery plates operate with 12V or 14.4V input voltage and deliver various voltages between 5V and 15V via D-Tap outputs (4-pin XLR), USB ports, or barrel connectors. V-Mount plates use three spring-loaded contact pins for power transmission, while Anton Bauer Gold Mount relies on four contacts. High-quality plates integrate voltage regulators, overload protection, and LED capacity indicators. Mounting is achieved via 1/4"-20 or 3/8"-16 threads, sometimes with additional 15mm rod mounts.
History & Development
Anton Bauer developed the first Gold Mount system for portable ENG cameras in 1970. Sony introduced the V-Mount system in 1999, characterized by a more robust locking mechanism and higher power capacities. RED digitized the market in 2007 with modular battery plates for their DSMC cameras. Since 2015, modern plates support intelligent battery communication via SMBus protocol for precise runtime displays.
Practical Application in Film
On "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015), custom V-Mount plates enabled the operation of Blackmagic cameras on vehicles during over 12-hour shooting days. Steadicam operators prefer ultra-light carbon plates under 200g. Netflix productions rely on redundant dual battery plates for uninterrupted recording in 8K workflows. D-Tap outputs simultaneously power monitors, wireless systems, and follow-focus systems with up to 80W total output.
Comparison & Alternatives
V-Mount dominates digital cinema cameras (ARRI Alexa, RED), while Gold Mount is primarily used in ENG equipment. Core SWX developed the Nano Mount system in 2018 for drone cameras under 2kg. Permanently integrated batteries in consumer cameras offer no modularity but a more compact design. Hot-swappable plates allow battery changes without interruption, but cost 300-800 Euros compared to 80-200 Euros for standard versions.