Review: SmallRig VB99 Pro mini V-mount battery

Friday 23 August 2024, 14:14 by Nando Harmsen | 3,940 views | 3 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Video requires a lot of power. A camera battery then runs out relatively quickly. If you want more capacity, you can choose a V-mount battery. SmallRig has the VB99 Pro mini V-mount battery, the VB99 Pro.

For anyone unfamiliar with V-mount, here is a brief explanation. It is a mounting system shaped like the letter V. You can connect batteries or other accessories in no time. It is widely used for video setups.

A beautifully designed V-mount battery with high capacity: the SmallRig VB99 Pro mini.
A V-mount battery is usually large and heavy. It is mounted on a plate with various connection options. These can include USB connections, D-tap and DC plugs with different voltages.

The SmallRig VB99 Pro mini from the front and back. You can clearly see the V-mount on the rear.
All these connections make it possible to connect an external monitor, an audio recorder, a video light and even your camera. When the V-mount battery is empty, you can easily replace it with a full one, provided you have a few.

The SmallRig VB99 Pro mini V-mount battery

The manufacturer SmallRig is known for its many accessories for cameras and video. Its cages are well known, allowing videographers to screw all kinds of accessories onto them, such as handles, a monitor and a microphone. And of course, a V-mount plate for a battery.

SmallRig also has a series of unique, compact V-mount batteries. A very interesting one is the VB99 Pro, with a capacity of no less than 100 Watt. What makes this battery different from many standard V-mount batteries is the large number of connections.

The rubber cover can easily be secured. A small but very useful feature.
Because the connections are built directly into the battery, the VB99 Pro is much more versatile. You no longer need a mounting plate with the connections. This allows you to create a much more compact video setup.

The VB99 Pro has a power switch, a D-tap connection, USB-C, USB-A and an 8 VDC and 12 VDC connection.
The VB99 Pro has two USB-C connections, one USB-A, an 8 VDC and a 12 VDC barrel output, and a 14.8 V D-tap connection. A clear OLED screen on the front provides clear information about the capacity, input voltage and output voltages for each connection.

The battery consists of eight built-in LG A-grade 18650 batteries, each with 3500mAh. A Battery Management System (BMS) protects the VB99 Pro against overcharging, short circuits, excessive discharge and temperatures that are too high or too low, and ensures the correct current and voltage.

The instruction manual provides a good overview of the options.
The VB99 Pro can be fully charged in just two and a half hours with a 100W GaN fast charger via the USB-C-PD port. It can also be charged via the D-tap connection.

The battery measures 107.2 x 73.2 x 55.2 mm and weighs approximately 660 grams.

A clear OLED screen

Many V-mount batteries have only a few LEDs to indicate their status. What makes this battery so pleasant to use is the colour OLED screen. It displays detailed information about the capacity and the connections.

With every connection you make, the power being used is clearly displayed. The remaining battery time is also shown.
You activate the battery with a button on the side, after which the remaining capacity can clearly be read as a percentage. When you connect a device, you immediately get information about that device's power consumption.

The BMS chip keeps an eye on everything. You get a warning if something is wrong. When the maximum capacity is reached, this is shown in red. If the battery gets warmer than 45 degrees Celsius, a yellow icon with HT appears.

When more than the maximum output is requested, the text lights up red. At a high temperature, you get a yellow button with HT as a warning.
The display of the available time is very useful. It gives you an idea of how long you can continue before the battery runs out. When charging, it shows how much time is still needed to reach 100% charge.

Versatile to use

Thanks to its high capacity and many connections, the VB99 Pro is very versatile. Naturally, you can power an entire video setup, as mentioned earlier.

Ready for video recordings. In this case, the camera and monitor are powered by the VB99 Pro battery. There is still room to connect more devices.
You can also use the VB99 Pro as a power bank. Think of powering COB LED lights or a laptop. You can power your camera, provided it has a USB-C-PD connection. Naturally, you can also use it to charge your smartphone. Or several devices at the same time.

The output is enough to power a 14-inch MacBook Pro and fully charge it one and a half times.

Conclusion

It is easy to see the SmallRig VB99 Pro as just another battery, but with a V-mount connection for video. The VB99 Pro is much more than that, however. It is a compact battery with a large capacity that can be used in many ways thanks to its many connections.

The VB99 as a battery for an LED light. On the left, the SmallRig RC 60B COB, and on the right, the Zhiyun Molus X100, which demands the maximum from the VB99 Pro at full power. The original Zhiyun battery lasts a maximum of 30 minutes, while the VB99 Pro lasts more than 40 minutes.
The strength of the VB99 Pro is not so much its size and capacity. It lies in the wealth of information provided by the colour OLED screen and the many connection options. This makes a video setup more compact and lighter, which is particularly useful when filming handheld.

The difference between a video rig with a standard V-mount battery and the SmallRig VB99 Pro.
The battery is beautifully finished, with neat covers for the connections. The large cover can be secured, which is a very useful detail. The OLED screen is easy to read. The downside is the finish of the front, which is glossy and a magnet for fingerprints.

The glossy front looks smart, but is also very prone to fingerprints.
At around 300 euros, the SmallRig VB99 Pro mini V-mount battery is not cheap. The many extras and useful features more than make up for the higher price, however. Especially since you no longer need to buy a separate bracket for the connections.

The SmallRig VB99 Pro with an optional mounting plate next to a regular V-mount battery and the required mounting plate with connections.
The SmallRig VB99 Pro mini is also available in a smaller 50 Watt version, and larger 140 Watt and 212 Watt versions. Both the VB99 Pro and the VB50 Pro are probably the most interesting versions.

Pros

• Compact design
  
• Many connection options
  
• High capacity
  
• Good information on the colour OLED screen
  
• Protected against incorrect use via the BMS chip
  
• Versatile
  
• Fast to charge, 2.5 hours with a 100W GaN fast charger
  
• High-quality 240Watt USB-C cable included
  
• Rubber cover can be secured
  
• 3/8 and 1/4 inch threads built into the V-mount
  

Cons

• Glossy front finish is prone to fingerprints
  
• Connection on the top can be difficult to access when mounted behind the camera
  
• The 12 VDC connection is not compatible with the Atomos Ninja V recorder, while the 8 VDC one is
  
• There is no protective cover for the bottom contacts
  

Many thanks to SmallRig for providing this battery.

You might also like

• 

  Review: SmallRig RC 60B COB LED video light

  by Nando Harmsen

• 

  Review: SmallRig RM 40C mini LED video light

  by Nando Harmsen

• 

  Review: SmallRig RM-03 Macro Photography LED lights

  by Nando Harmsen

• 

  Review: SmallRig 25L backpack

  by Nando Harmsen

• 

  Review: Canon EOS R50 V vlog camera

  by Nando Harmsen

• 

  Flash photography tip: Save your batteries

  by Elja Trum

3 comments

Have your say

Please note: Articles older than a week can only be commented on by signed-in visitors.
Would you still like to comment? sign in or create a free account.