Author: YO Battery Team

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Osmo Action Long Recording, Heat and Cold Weather

Short answer: when a long Osmo Action recording fails, it is usually the body hitting thermal protection rather than the battery running flat. The three things that actually help are lower power draw, continuous power delivery and temperature control. In practice: drop bitrate and frame rate to what you need, switch off unused wireless and the front screen, run a PD power bank while recording, and keep airflow around the body. In the cold you also need insulation — below 0°C a lithium pack’s internal resistance rises, the voltage sags, and the camera shuts down.

The rest of this covers power sources, a settings checklist, power setups and cold handling, and applies to the Action 3, Action 4 and Action 5 Pro; menu names differ slightly between generations.

1. Where the charge actually goes

An action camera’s battery holds roughly a third of a phone’s, yet it has to drive stabilization, high-bitrate encoding and continuous writing, so power density is high. Ordered by impact, the main draws are:

  • Frame rate and bitrate: 4K 120fps can draw two to three times what 4K 30fps does, and heat climbs sharply, often triggering a throttle or stop within minutes.
  • Electronic stabilization: continuous cropping and computation is a standing load on the processor. Turning it off, or using a lower setting, saves a clear amount.
  • Screens, front and rear: two panels running during a long take is a significant share. Dimming them and shortening the timeout pays off directly.
  • Wireless: Wi-Fi monitoring and Bluetooth remote are easy to leave on outdoors, and running them for hours drains steadily.
  • Ambient temperature: heat reduces cooling efficiency so the body protects itself sooner; cold shrinks usable capacity. Both directions cut recording time.

This matters because simply carrying another battery does not solve “it stops at 20 minutes” — the limit is temperature, not charge.

2. A settings checklist for long takes

If the goal is continuous recording rather than maximum image quality, work through these in order; they usually extend usable time considerably:

  1. Drop resolution and frame rate to what you need: 4K 30fps or 2.7K 60fps covers most documentation, with a clear step down in both heat and draw.
  2. Turn off stabilization you do not need: on a fixed mount or a car rig, switch it off and enable it only for handheld work.
  3. Dim the screen and shorten the timeout: if you are not watching it, let it go dark quickly.
  4. Disconnect Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: enable them only for monitoring or offloading.
  5. Leave airflow around the body: avoid wrapping it in clothing or helmet padding, and prefer a metal mount over plastic for heat transfer.
  6. Record in segments: keep takes to 10-20 minutes with a deliberate cooling gap, which is more reliable than running until protection stops you.

Stacked together, these usually gain more than an extra battery. Segmented recording matters even more for clip safety than for runtime — file corruption from a mid-take power loss is not rare on action cameras.

3. Power on location: three typical setups

Different shooting styles call for very different power arrangements. The comparison below is organised by scenario.

Scenario Recommended power Watch out for
Fixed-position long takes (interviews, livestreams, in-car) PD power bank + long cable, charging while recording Choose a PD-capable, stable-output model; the cable must carry both data and current, and a poor one will drop voltage
Handheld moving work (vlogging, hiking) Body battery + 2-3 spares rotated Keep spares against your body, away from keys and other metal
Cycling, skiing, water sports Body battery, no external cable Cables compromise sealing and mounting security; carry more packs instead

Charging while recording has one precondition: the body runs warmer because of the charging, so in hot conditions protection trips sooner. That makes this approach suitable for environments with airflow, air conditioning or water cooling, not sealed hot spaces. Power bank performance also drops in the cold, so in winter an inside pocket beats hanging it off the outside of a pack.

Spare count can be roughly one pack per hour, adjusted for whether you are charging while recording. Third-party packs such as YO’s are made in versions per camera generation, so confirm the match when buying. The Action 3/4 and Action 5 Pro batteries are not interchangeable; the mapping is on the Osmo Action battery category page.

4. Cold-weather drain: why and what to do

In the cold a lithium pack’s electrolyte thickens, internal resistance rises and the usable capacity falls. The typical symptom is a jump from 40% straight to 5% and a shutdown, followed by a partial “recovery” once warm. That is normal physics, not a failed battery. The Action series is officially rated to operate at roughly -20°C, but usable time is still markedly shorter than at room temperature.

There are four responses: keep spare packs in an inside pocket at 10°C or above; let the body and battery equalise in temperature before shooting rather than carrying the camera straight from a warm room outdoors; lower frame rate and brightness to reduce instantaneous current; and do not charge immediately afterwards, waiting until everything is back at room temperature to avoid internal condensation. For a more detailed cold-testing method, see our minus 10°C battery test.

If you travel or fly to shoot locations often, it is worth checking lithium transport rules in advance; the logic in whether camera batteries can fly applies equally to action camera packs.

FAQ

How long can an Osmo Action record continuously?

Officially, under ideal 25°C conditions, the figures are about 160 minutes maximum for the Action 3/4 and up to 4 hours for the Action 5 Pro. Real continuous recording typically lands at 60-70% of that, less with high frame rates, heat or stabilization, and it often stops on thermal protection before the battery is empty.

Does charging while recording damage the battery?

Short-term impact is limited, but sustained charging at high temperature accelerates ageing. Use it in a well-ventilated, reasonably cool place, avoid running maximum bitrate and fast charging at the same time, and leave the body thermal headroom.

What can I do about fast drain in winter?

Warm the pack to above 10°C before fitting it, carry spares against your body, and put the camera back in an inside pocket between takes. Cold-induced jumps usually recover partially on warming, but repeated deep discharge shortens life, so carry one or two extra packs in winter.

Can third-party batteries handle long recordings?

Yes, but choose ones that name the specific camera generation and include a temperature-sensing contact. Long recordings demand stable discharge, and packs with inflated capacity claims tend to sag in the later stages and shut down earlier than a first-party battery.

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Why the R5, R6 and R7 Need LP-E6NH, Not LP-E6N

Short answer: the R5, R6, R7 and R6 II all ship with an LP-E6NH, which is rated for 3.0A of continuous discharge. The earlier LP-E6 and LP-E6N have no such margin. Fitted with a low-drain pack, these bodies trip their protection during peak loads such as high-bitrate recording and burst buffer writes, showing up as slower bursts, errors or a straight shutdown. The pack has not failed; it simply cannot supply the current being asked of it.

Most people fixate on mAh and reason that 1865mAh against 2130mAh is only 14%, so it will do. What actually decides whether a pack works in these bodies is a different figure: continuous discharge current. Capacity decides how long you can shoot; discharge decides whether you can shoot at all.

Why discharge current is a hard threshold

A lithium-ion pack’s voltage sags under load, and the sag equals current multiplied by internal resistance. At light loads the drop is negligible; when the body suddenly calls for 5A or 6A, a high-resistance cell falls below the protection threshold and the camera concludes the pack is empty.

The pattern has a few signatures: the gauge still shows two or three bars and the camera shuts off; powering back on gives another few dozen seconds; a recording stops partway with a battery error. Many people assume a contact problem and clean the terminals repeatedly, which achieves nothing, because the cause is cell resistance rather than the interface.

Capacity and discharge capability are separate properties. A 2130mAh cell with high internal resistance looks good on paper and performs worse under load than a 1865mAh original E6N. This is also why identical capacity can carry very different prices: the difference is nearly always in the cells.

How the loads differ across bodies

Body Heavy-load situations Recommended pack Behaviour on E6N or earlier
EOS R5 8K 30p, 4K 120p, RAW video LP-E6NH (E6P also works) High-bitrate modes limited or will not start; burst rate drops
EOS R6 4K 60p oversampled, 20fps bursts LP-E6NH Will shoot, but long takes hit heat and power cutoffs earlier
EOS R6 Mark II 4K 60p, 40fps bursts, pre-capture LP-E6NH (E6P needs a firmware update) Some high-speed functions limited; buffer writes slower
EOS R7 4K 60p, 30fps bursts, in-body stabilisation LP-E6NH Noticeably shorter runtime; slower write-back after bursts

The R5 is the most demanding of the group. 8K and 4K 120p draw far more power and current than ordinary recording, and the body actively checks what the pack can deliver. The R6 and R7 are more tolerant: an E6N will power on and shoot, but you will meet thermal protection and jumping charge levels sooner. The R7, with continuous in-body stabilisation, is also sensitive to voltage stability.

One point that gets overlooked: bursts place demand on discharge capability as well. During 20fps or 30fps sequences the sensor, processor and card are all at full load, and the instantaneous current is comparable to video recording. So even for stills only, a low-drain pack can leave you feeling that the burst stalls after a second or two.

Spotting a third-party high-drain pack

The original E6NH’s specification is unambiguous; third-party products are where the trouble starts. Plenty of listings claim “fits LP-E6NH” and very few state a continuous discharge current. Filter with the following:

  • Is a discharge current stated? A clear 3.0A or higher at least shows the maker knows what question has to be answered. Capacity alone usually means an ordinary cell in a moulded shell.
  • How does it behave in continuous recording? Fit it to an R5, shoot 8K or 4K 120p, and see whether ten minutes pass without an error and with a smooth decline. Anything that trips mid-take is out.
  • Feel the temperature. Warm after a take is normal; too hot to hold is not. Excess heat means high internal resistance, with energy going into heat instead of the recording.
  • Watch the curve. A healthy pack falls evenly from 100% to 20%. One that drops slowly at first and then jumps from 40% to 5% is padding its estimate.

YO builds the LP-E6 series to a 2130mAh specification, and the same four checks are worth running yourself rather than trusting the packaging. Packs are consumables, but a verification method lasts for years.

Four practical habits

  1. Do not run to shutdown. Repeated deep discharge accelerates capacity loss. Swap at the last bar, especially before an important shoot.
  2. Rotate packs. Alternating two packs balances wear and stops one sitting at full charge for months.
  3. Use external power for long recordings. For fixed-position interviews, streams and conferences, a dummy battery or USB-C PD supply is more stable and reduces body heat. The approach in this FX3/FX30 video power setup applies here too.
  4. Carry an extra in the cold. Below freezing internal resistance rises and usable capacity shrinks; the records in this minus 10°C battery test show how far. Keep spares against your body and swap only when needed.

If you are still weighing whether to save money with an E6N, do the arithmetic this way: one important shoot lost to a mid-take power failure costs far more than the difference between two packs. The logic in this range differs from that of small LP-E17 bodies: there, capacity carries more weight because loads are light; here, discharge capability comes first.

FAQ

What is the difference between E6NH and E6P on an R5?

Both are 2130mAh; the E6P is rated 6.0A continuous discharge against the E6NH’s 3.0A. An E6NH already supports every function on the R5, and moving to an E6P mainly adds margin and slightly lower heat — no extra features unlock. Where the price gap is large, the E6NH is the better buy for an R5.

A third-party pack claims 2130mAh and is very cheap. Will it work?

Ask whether it dares to state a discharge current. Capacity alone usually means an ordinary cell that will drop out under the R5’s high-bitrate modes. Buy one and stress-test it before ordering more; do not buy four at once.

Why is a fully charged pack flat after a week?

First check whether it was left in the body. A camera on standby still draws power, so remove the pack for long gaps. If it still loses half its charge in a week when removed, self-discharge is abnormal or the protection board is leaking, and the pack should be replaced.

Should I worry about a warm pack?

Warm after a long take is normal. Too hot to hold, slight casing deformation, or an odd smell — any one of those means stop at once and isolate it. Do not put it back in a camera, do not keep charging it, and dispose of it through battery recycling. More fault diagnosis is in the LP-E6 section.

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Can You Fly with NP-FZ100 Batteries? TSA and FAA Rules

The direct answer: yes, you can fly with them — and they have to come in the cabin with you, not in checked bags. The NP-FZ100 is rated 7.2V / 2280mAh for roughly 16.4Wh, comfortably under the 100Wh threshold. Under TSA and FAA guidance, loose spares belong in carry-on only; putting them in checked luggage is prohibited. A battery installed in your camera travels with the camera. Spare terminals need short-circuit protection — original packaging, a terminal cover, or insulating tape — and some airlines impose a per-person limit on how many you may bring. Carriers apply the rules with some variation, so confirm details with the airline before you fly. Below: the rules, how to pack, and how many to carry.

The number that matters: 16.4Wh

Aviation rules classify lithium batteries by watt-hours (Wh), not milliamp-hours:

  • Under 100Wh: spares allowed in carry-on. Airlines commonly cap the count at around twenty per person.
  • 100–160Wh: airline approval required in advance, with a lower per-person allowance. Typical of large camcorder bricks.
  • Above 160Wh: prohibited.

At roughly 16.4Wh, the NP-FZ100 falls squarely in the most relaxed bracket. The math is Wh = capacity (Ah) × voltage (V): 2.28Ah × 7.2V ≈ 16.4Wh. The 2400mAh variant works out to about 17.3Wh, still nowhere near 100Wh. How to read those figures is covered in what mAh, Wh, and V mean.

Three non-negotiables

1. Spares go in carry-on, not in the hold

An installed battery stays with the camera; every loose spare goes in your cabin bag. The reasoning is straightforward: if a cell goes into thermal runaway in the cargo hold, nobody can reach it quickly. Security finding loose lithium cells in a checked bag will typically pull the bag for inspection.

2. Protect the terminals

Metal contacts touching keys, coins, or another battery can short. Three accepted methods:

  • Keep them in the original retail packaging — easiest and most common;
  • Fit terminal covers or snap them into a plastic battery case;
  • Tape over the contacts with insulating tape, or use a divided storage wallet.

3. Quantity limits follow your airline

Most carriers set an internal cap — commonly around twenty spare batteries per person under 100Wh — and some are stricter, with higher counts requiring advance notice. There is no single universal figure; check your airline’s website or call. On crew trips, split packs across team members rather than concentrating them with one person.

Getting through security without friction

  • Out of the bag. Put the battery wallet in a tray on its own to reduce the odds of a manual search.
  • Keep markings legible. Capacity and voltage printing should be readable; worn labels are worth re-marking before you travel.
  • Separate camera and spares. Leave the installed pack alone, but carry spares separately.
  • Say it plainly. “Camera lithium batteries, about 16.4Wh, spares in my carry-on” answers most questions in one sentence.
  • Keep them with you. Don’t wedge spares into gaps in an overhead bin where they can be crushed.

How many to bring, by trip

Trip type Suggested count Notes
City break, light shooting One in the body plus one or two spares No issue in carry-on at all
One week, daily shooting Three or four plus a dual charger Recharge at the hotel, rotate through the day
Polar, altitude, or cold destinations Five or six Cold may leave you around half capacity
Commercial crew travel Confirm the cap with the airline first Split across people, carry a spec sheet

One more thing that trips people up: chargers and power banks ride in the cabin too. A power bank counts as a spare battery, is banned from checked luggage, and must have its capacity printed on the case.

Onboard handling

  • Charging during the flight isn’t recommended, particularly through unfamiliar in-camera charging features.
  • Keep packs away from pressure, bending, and loose metal objects.
  • Swelling, leakage, odor, or unusual heat means stop. Don’t use it, don’t fly with it, and route it to recycling.
  • On arrival, bring batteries up to working charge before heading out, and leave extra margin if temperatures are low.

FAQ

Do I need to declare NP-FZ100s to the airline ahead of time?

Usually not for batteries under 100Wh, though the quantity cap still applies. Carrying a lot, or flying a carrier with explicit requirements, means calling before departure.

Does the battery inside the camera count as a spare?

No. A pack installed in equipment travels as part of that equipment. Only loose batteries are treated as spares, with the carry-on and terminal rules attached.

Can I fly with a swollen battery?

Don’t, and don’t keep using it either. It belongs in a hazardous waste or recycling stream — see what to do about a swollen battery.

Are international rules different?

The framework is similar everywhere — Wh-based tiers, spares in the cabin — but specific caps and enforcement vary. On international itineraries, check both your departure and transit carriers.

Do power banks count toward my battery total?

Depends on the carrier, but they’re carry-on only and must be labeled with capacity. Video shooters hauling large banks should confirm before the trip.

Bottom line and travel checklist

Three sentences to remember: 16.4Wh sits well under 100Wh; spares ride in carry-on and never in the hold; protect the terminals and confirm quantities with your airline. Before you go, put everything in a purpose-made battery wallet, screen it separately, and keep a small card noting the spec (7.2V / 2280mAh / about 16.4Wh). Need more packs before the trip? YO’s NP-FZ100 compatible battery is around $17.89, about $22.93 with one battery and a charger, and about $36.74 for two with a charger. The TNP-FZ100 (2400mAh / about 17.3Wh) adds headroom at around $19.66, or about $39.92 as a two-battery kit; Sony’s original runs $70 and up. More quantity-planning logic is in one battery or two. Studios, rental houses, and resellers needing 100 units or more should request pricing via the wholesale inquiry page.

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NP-F Runtime Math for Monitors and LED Panel Lights

Short answer: estimating how long an NP-F pack lasts needs one formula — runtime in hours ≈ battery Wh × 0.85 ÷ device wattage. The 0.85 accounts for conversion losses in step-up and step-down regulation, and Wh = nominal 7.2V × capacity in Ah. An F970, for example, is 7.2V × 6.6Ah = 47.5Wh; driving an 8W monitor, 47.5 × 0.85 ÷ 8 comes to about 5 hours. Learn the formula and you can work out any device yourself instead of guessing.

1. First, convert mAh to Wh

The 6600mAh printed on a pack describes charge, not energy. At the same 6600mAh, a 7.2V battery holds twice the energy of a 3.6V one. Any comparison across devices has to be made in Wh.

The conversion is simple: Wh = voltage (V) × capacity (Ah), where Ah = mAh ÷ 1000. Every NP-F pack is 7.2V, so you just divide the capacity by 1000 and multiply by 7.2.

Model Nominal capacity Voltage Energy (Wh)
NP-F550 About 2200mAh 7.2V About 15.8Wh
NP-F570 About 2600mAh 7.2V About 18.7Wh
NP-F750 About 4200mAh 7.2V About 30.2Wh
NP-F770 About 5000mAh 7.2V About 36Wh
NP-F960 About 5600mAh 7.2V About 40Wh
NP-F970 6600mAh 7.2V About 47.5Wh

One useful reference point: civil aviation allows lithium batteries up to 100Wh in carry-on without declaration, and the F970’s 47.5Wh is barely half of that, so carrying two or three is comfortably within the rules. For the declaration thresholds and quantity limits, see the rules for flying with lithium batteries.

2. Second, confirm what the device actually draws

The usual mistake in runtime estimates is not the formula but the wattage you put into it. Manufacturers’ “maximum power” and “typical draw” often differ by a factor of two. The ranges below are real-world starting points.

Device type Typical draw Notes
5-inch monitor (400-500nit) About 4-6W Moderate brightness, no internal recording
7-inch high-bright monitor (1000nit+) About 8-12W The bright panel is the main load
Wireless video receiver About 3-5W Add to the monitor figure
Small LED panel About 10-20W Varies with brightness setting
High-output LED spotlight About 25-40W At full power, close to the pack’s output ceiling

When no rating is given, there is a rough workaround: take the input current from the manual and multiply by the voltage. A 12V / 0.7A rating works out to about 8.4W. If the manual only says “NP-F970 recommended”, that usually means the draw is mid-to-high and a small pack will hit low-voltage cutoff quickly.

3. Third, run the numbers into a schedule

Feed the first two steps into the formula. The table below already applies the 0.85 efficiency, so it can be used directly for planning.

Device draw F550 (15.8Wh) F750 (30.2Wh) F970 (47.5Wh)
5W monitor About 2.7 hours About 5.1 hours About 8.1 hours
8W monitor About 1.7 hours About 3.2 hours About 5.0 hours
15W panel light About 0.9 hours About 1.7 hours About 2.7 hours
30W spotlight About 0.4 hours About 0.9 hours About 1.3 hours

When scheduling, take another 20% off the result. The reasons are in the next section. In other words, an F970 running an 8W monitor should be planned at 4 hours, not 5.

  1. List every load: if a monitor, a video transmitter and a follow-focus share one pack through a D-tap or splitter, add the wattages together.
  2. Calculate at the highest setting: light output gets adjusted, but the schedule has to assume the brightest setting you might use.
  3. Convert to hours per pack: write the result on a label on the battery so nobody recalculates on set.
  4. Size the count to the day: total hours ÷ hours per pack, round up, then add one spare.

4. Four things that throw the estimate off

The formula gives a theoretical figure, and reality always drifts. Knowing where the drift comes from lets you build in margin ahead of time.

  • Inflated capacity claims: a cheap pack labelled 8000mAh in the same shell as an F970 usually delivers around 5000mAh. Volume sets a physical ceiling on the cells, and labels beyond common sense are not credible.
  • Cold: usable capacity drops noticeably below 0°C, and at -10°C it may be only 60-70% of room-temperature figures. On winter shoots, keep packs in an inside pocket and fit them only when needed.
  • Voltage sag at the end of discharge: a lithium pack’s voltage falls quickly over the last 10%, and many devices trip low-voltage protection early, so usable capacity ends up below the nominal rating.
  • Conversion losses rise with current: efficiency drops below 0.85 at high current; when powering a 30W device, 0.8 is closer to reality.

There is one more point that often gets missed: for LED lights, continuous discharge capability matters more than capacity. Small packs sag badly under high current, which produces the “40% left but the light will not strike” situation. That is exactly why high-output lights are generally paired with an F970 rather than an F550.

If what you need is long-term power for a mirrorless body rather than for monitors and lights, the approach is different: the body’s compartment uses a dedicated adapter, which means a dummy battery setup — see NP-FZ100 dummy battery power for the form it takes. YO’s NP-F range is conservative about capacity figures, so the calculated times generally match real use, which suits anyone scheduling by these methods. For more on the model tiers, see the NP-F960 / F970 category page.

FAQ

Why can’t I compare runtime using mAh?

Because mAh measures charge only and ignores voltage. A 7.2V 6600mAh pack holds twice the energy of a 3.6V 6600mAh pack. Only after conversion to Wh are packs at different voltages comparable.

What is the 0.85 in the formula?

It is conversion loss. The pack outputs 7.2V while the device may step up to 12V or regulate down to 5V internally, and part of the energy becomes heat along the way. Most devices land between 0.8 and 0.9, so 0.85 is a reasonable general compromise.

Why does the monitor’s remaining-time reading differ from my calculation?

Most monitors estimate remaining charge from voltage, and a lithium pack’s discharge curve is very flat through the middle, so the error is large. The display shows an approximate ratio for the current voltage, not true remaining energy. Timing by the clock is more reliable than watching a percentage.

Can two packs in parallel extend runtime?

Yes, with conditions. Parallel operation requires closely matched voltage and internal resistance; mixing old and new packs causes uneven current sharing, and the weaker pack drags the pair down. Proper dual-battery plates usually include isolation circuitry, which a plain splitter does not.

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Nikon Z fc Battery and USB-C Charging Explained

Short answer: the Z fc uses an EN-EL25 battery (7.6V / 1120mAh / about 8.5Wh), the stock charger is the MH-32 dock, and the body has a USB-C port. The most dependable everyday setup is the dock plus one spare. On the road, a USB PD power bank into the body’s USB-C port is a useful supplement for light travel, but it depends on supply wattage and cable quality — plugging in does not guarantee fast charging.

The Z fc’s retro styling makes it easy to underestimate how modern the camera is. It shares its sensor and processor with the Z50 and has a similar power profile, but because the port moved from Micro-B to USB-C there are far more ways to charge it. Choose well and it is effortless; choose badly and it feels as though the camera will not take a charge.

Battery specs and real-world runtime

The EN-EL25 is a small cell at roughly 8.5Wh, half the energy of the full-frame EN-EL15c. The Z fc is an APS-C body with a lighter processor load, though, so frame counts do not shrink in proportion. The CIPA figure sits around 300 shots, and real use tends to land between the low 200s and the mid 300s.

Three things dominate Z fc runtime:

  • EVF or screen. The electronic viewfinder keeps the sensor reading out at continuous high speed, which draws noticeably more than the tilting screen. Street shooters who habitually raise the camera to the eye should plan for the lower end.
  • Dial operation, indirectly. ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation are all physical dials on the Z fc, so adjusting them does not light up the screen. That actually saves power.
  • Wireless. SnapBridge left running with auto transfer drains the battery in the background. Switch it off when you do not need it.

A related point: the Z fc has no in-body stabilization, which also makes it a little more frugal than the full-frame bodies in the same family. The trade-off is that slow shutter speeds handheld depend on lens VR or a faster shutter.

Three charging routes compared

Route What you need Approx. full charge Best for Watch out for
MH-32 dock Stock dock + wall outlet Around 2 hours Home, hotel overnight Most reliable; stricter about third-party packs
In-body USB-C PD-capable supply + C-to-C cable About 2-3 hours Outdoors, car, café Depends on wattage and firmware; faster with the camera off
Power bank 18W or higher PD bank Depends on capacity Long shoots, travel Compare in Wh; check airline limits

The times above are empirical ranges and will drift with ambient temperature and battery condition. Slower charging in the cold is normal: the battery management system lowers current deliberately to protect the cells.

Four pitfalls of USB-C charging

1. The charger does not support PD

Plenty of older chargers have only a plain 5V/2A USB port. The camera will detect power and start charging, but the current is tiny — a whole night may add only a little. The quick test is the label: look for a 9V or 12V output step. If there is one, it is PD.

2. The cable is a charging cable, not a data cable

Some budget USB-C cables wire up only the power pins and omit the full communication lines, so the camera and the supply never negotiate a higher profile and fall back to 5V. Swapping in a C-to-C cable rated for 60W or 100W usually solves it.

3. Not enough power while shooting

With the camera on, the body’s own consumption is served first and only the remainder goes to the battery. If the power bank outputs 18W and shooting draws close to that, the level barely moves. To gain charge while shooting, budget 30W or more of headroom.

4. Cold-weather protection

Below freezing the body may refuse to charge outright, or stop at some percentage. That is a protection mechanism, not a fault. Warm the battery against your body first, then charge. For how cold affects discharge, see our minus 10°C battery test; the mechanism is common to every brand.

What to pack

  1. Decide whether the dock comes along. For a single day in the city, two EN-EL25 packs are plenty and the dock can stay home. For trips of two or three days or more, bring the MH-32 for peace of mind.
  2. Pick a power bank of 10000mAh or more with 30W PD output. That spec refills the body two or three times and the weight is still reasonable.
  3. Budget one battery per 250 shots. Lean lower if you use the EVF a lot, higher if you mostly compose on the screen.
  4. Spares need not be expensive. Third-party EN-EL25 packs are usually inexpensive; pick one labelled 7.6V / 1120mAh that names the Z fc explicitly. Brands such as YO that list supported bodies make the comparison straightforward.
  5. Check airline rules before you fly. Lithium batteries must stay in the cabin, not checked baggage, and limits on capacity and quantity vary slightly by carrier — see whether camera batteries can fly.

The Z fc’s battery ecosystem is simple: one EN-EL25 plus a dock covers the vast majority of situations. For a side-by-side look at sibling bodies, the EN-EL25 category page compares Z50 and Z30 runtime.

FAQ

Can I charge the Z fc with a phone charger?

Yes, if the charger supports USB PD and has enough wattage. A plain 5V slow charger will usually only maintain the current level and charge very slowly. Use an 18W-or-higher PD charger with a good-quality C-to-C cable.

Can the Z fc shoot while charging?

Usually yes, but whether the level rises depends on supply wattage and the current shooting load. Video draws more; an 18W supply may only hold the level steady. If you want the charge to climb while shooting, 30W or more is the realistic target.

Are the EN-EL25 and EN-EL15 interchangeable?

No. They run at 7.6V and 7.0V respectively and differ in size, so one physically will not fit where the other belongs. The Z fc takes only the EN-EL25 or EN-EL25a.

What if a battery left unused for months will not charge?

First check whether it was stored flat for a long time, which can over-discharge it. Try seating it in the dock and reseating it a few times to wake it. If there is still no response, the cells have gone into protection and the pack should be replaced. For daily storage, keep about 60% charge and top up every three to six months.

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Why NP-W235 Fits Both the Fujifilm X-T4 and X-T5

Short answer: the X-T4 and X-T5 use the same NP-W235 pack, so batteries are fully interchangeable, chargers are shared, and moving from an X-T4 to an X-T5 requires no new batteries. The NP-W235 and NP-W126S, by contrast, cannot be mixed — both are 7.2V, but the physical dimensions, compartment structure and contact positions are completely different, so one will not physically go into the other’s body. In other words, batteries do not carry across generations, and within a generation compatibility is conditional — that is the real shape of Fujifilm’s battery system.

“Same voltage means it works” is the most common misconception in questions like this. The relationships break down layer by layer below.

1. Three relationships, sorted out first

Body Battery model Interchangeable with
X-T4 NP-W235 X-T5, X-H2, X-H2S, X-S20, GFX series
X-T5 NP-W235 As above
X-T3, X-T30 II NP-W126S X-T2, X-Pro3, X-E4, X100V, X-S10, X-H1
X100V, X-E4 NP-W126S As above

The dividing line is very clear: fourth-generation bodies, starting with the X-T4, moved to the NP-W235, while third-generation and earlier bodies use the NP-W126S. Nothing crosses that line.

2. Why W235 and W126S cannot be mixed

Different size and compartment. The NP-W235 is distinctly larger than the NP-W126S, and the compartment depth, width and latch position were redesigned for it. Drop a W126S into an X-T5 and it sits loose and will not lock; push a W235 into an X-T3 and it will not go all the way down.

Different contact layout. The positive, negative and communication contacts sit in different places on the two packs, so even forced contact will not establish a stable connection. The body’s detection logic will simply report no battery or a battery error.

Different discharge capability. The NP-W235 holds about 1.7 times the capacity of the NP-W126S, and the X-T5 and X-H2 processors and stabilization systems are designed around higher continuous current. Running a high-draw cell in an older body would serve no purpose — and physically it cannot happen anyway.

Chargers are not shared. The NP-W235 uses a dock such as the BC-W235, whose slot shape is entirely different from the W126S charger. Mixing them fails at the physical level, which conveniently rules out the mistake.

The body adds another layer of foolproofing. Locating ridges inside the compartment correspond one-to-one with recesses on the pack, so even if someone forces a battery in at an angle, the latch will not close and the body will not power up. The design intent is to make “wrong battery” impossible rather than to rely on users remembering rules.

Contact condition affects this too. On a well-used pack, oxide or wear appears on the contact surfaces, showing up as an occasional failure to power on that needs a reseat. Rubbing the contacts with an eraser is an emergency fix; do not scrape them with a blade, because removing the plating makes oxidation faster.

3. Even within a generation there are exceptions

Sharing the NP-W235 does not mean every accessory carries over. The X-T4 supports a vertical grip that holds two more W235 packs, giving a three-battery system; the X-T5 dropped grip support, so an X-T4 grip cannot be used on it. If you relied on the grip for endurance, that shortfall has to be covered with spare packs after the upgrade.

Charging differs as well. The X-T5 and X-H2 support USB-C in-body charging, while the X-T4’s USB-C port is mainly for data transfer and charging still depends on the dock. On a business trip that directly changes how many chargers you pack.

Also, because both bodies use the same pack, mixing packs in different health states makes the camera report the weaker one. Before a long recording, try to keep the cycle counts of the two packs close. A fitment list for related models is on the NP-W235 category page.

4. Dealing with old batteries when you upgrade

  1. X-T3 to X-T5: none of the old W126S packs will work. Selling them with the old body is better value than hoarding them.
  2. X-T4 to X-T5: keep every battery and the charger. You only need one new pack to cover the endurance the grip used to provide.
  3. Running two systems: an X-T3 plus X-T5 combination needs two sets of batteries and two chargers, which adds bag weight. Work it out before the trip.
  4. Disposing of old packs: do not resell swollen or clearly degraded batteries — take them to a lithium battery recycling point.

If you are still on a W126S body, the recommendations are on the NP-W126S category page. A YO NP-W235 compatible pack works well as a spare for the X-T4 and X-T5, while the primary slot is still best left to a first-party pack, especially for continuous recording.

Watch the model labelling in used sales too. Some sellers bundle a W126S body with a W235 battery, and the buyer only finds out at home. Before paying, ask for a straight-on photo of the battery label and check the model and capacity — that is more direct than trusting the body’s model number.

FAQ

Can an X-T4 battery go straight into an X-T5?

Yes. Both bodies use the NP-W235, and batteries and chargers are interchangeable with no adapter needed.

NP-W235 and NP-W126S are the same voltage, so why are they not compatible?

Voltage is only one parameter. The external dimensions, contact positions and compartment structure all differ, so it cannot physically be fitted and the body cannot recognise it.

Can the X-T5 use a grip to extend runtime?

No. The X-T5 does not support a vertical battery grip, so extra runtime has to come from spare packs or USB-C power.

Does a third-party W235 affect burst speed?

Usually it does not directly change the burst frame limit, but unstable voltage can cause the frame rate to drop mid-burst or trigger an early warning. For important work, use a first-party pack in good condition.

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“LP-E6: Swelling, Fast Drain and Unreadable Packs”

Short answer: a swollen LP-E6 must come out of service immediately. It cannot be repaired and it must never be punctured to vent gas. Fast drain is usually a rise in internal resistance from aged cells, cold conditions or long storage at full charge. When the body refuses to recognise a pack, check contact oxidation and the decoder circuit first. Each of the three has a completely different remedy, so identify which one you have before deciding to repair or replace.

All three share one trait: none of them happens suddenly. Swelling is usually preceded by long periods stored full or used in high heat; fast drain is often preceded by charge levels that jump; a pack the body will not read has often been dropped, exposed to water, or left with blackened contacts. Watching for those early signs is far more useful than reacting afterwards.

Swelling: the only correct response is to stop

The physical cause of swelling is gas generation inside the cell. Overcharging, over-discharging, high heat and simple ageing all break down the electrolyte and release gas, which pushes the foil pouch out and bows the casing. The process is irreversible, and no household method reverses it.

How to check. Lay the pack flat on a table or a sheet of glass and press gently on the corners. If it visibly rocks or lifts, it has swollen. If it feels tighter than usual going into the body, or the door needs force to latch, suspect swelling too. A slight bulge is invisible to the eye but changes how the pack seats.

Three things never to do. Do not pierce it to release gas — lithium reacts violently with air. Do not put it in a freezer — condensation inside raises the short-circuit risk. Do not put it back in the camera to “use it a few more times”. None of these is excessive caution; each is a common origin of real incidents.

What to do instead. Stop using it, cover both terminals with insulating tape, keep it alone in a metal container away from anything flammable, and get it to a hazardous-waste point or battery collection bin promptly. Do not put it in household rubbish and do not leave it sitting at home for months.

One related note: if a swollen pack is already jammed in the bay, do not lever it out with tools. Take it to a repair centre — damaging the bay or puncturing the cell both cost more than a new battery.

Fast drain: rule out the environment, then suspect the cell

Symptom Most likely cause How to check What to do
Full pack drops to half in a week Standby drain inside the body Remove it and repeat the week Take the pack out when not in use
Drains very fast outdoors in winter Cold raises internal resistance See whether charge partly returns once warm Keep spares against your body
First 70% is fine, last 30% shuts down Aged cell, steeper voltage curve Watch whether it repeats Replace the pack
A new pack is worse than the old one Overrated capacity or poor cells Compare charge time and heat Return it, buy one with clear ratings
Gauge jumps from 3 bars to 1 Inaccurate decoder estimate Run a full charge/discharge calibration Replace if calibration does not help

Cold deserves separate treatment. Below freezing, electrolyte viscosity rises and lithium ions move more slowly, so usable capacity shrinks — you see two bars left and a warning after a handful of frames. The pack is not broken; capacity partly returns once it warms up. For how much is lost at different temperatures, the data in this minus 10°C battery test comes from another pack, but the trend is the same.

A pack the body will not read: start at the contacts

When the body reports a communication error or an unrecognised battery, work through the following in order. Eight out of ten cases are solved by the first two steps.

  1. Clean the contacts. Take the pack out, rub the terminals and the metal tabs inside the bay with a clean pencil eraser, then wipe with a cotton swab and anhydrous alcohol, let it dry and refit. Oxide layers and fingerprint grease are the most common cause.
  2. Cross-check with another pack. Fit a known-good pack into the same body. If it behaves, the original pack is the problem; if the error persists, the fault is in the body contacts or firmware.
  3. Check the firmware. Some bodies change how they handle third-party packs after an update. If you upgraded recently and the pack used to work, read the official release notes first.
  4. Check for water damage or a drop. Corrosion on the protection board after moisture, or cracked solder joints after a fall, both break communication. Damage of that kind usually comes with a deformed casing or an odd smell.

If cleaning and cross-checking both fail, the decoder circuit inside the pack has failed. Such a pack will often still supply power, but the body cannot read its charge and treats it as unknown. That is acceptable for unimportant work, but do not take it out for anything that matters — you have no way to predict how much is left.

Making one last longer

  • Do not store packs at full charge. Around half is the most stable state; top up before you go out.
  • Do not run them to shutdown. Swap at the last bar, because deep discharge damages the cell cumulatively.
  • Avoid heat. Do not leave packs in a car in summer, and do not charge them on a duvet or a sofa.
  • Use a matching charger. The LC-E6E will charge all four LP-E6 generations; unbranded chargers with inaccurate cut-off voltages are a common cause of swelling.
  • Run a full charge and discharge every so often so the body can recalibrate its curve — every three to six months is enough.

For how the four generations differ in capacity and discharge, see the LP-E6 family section. Owners of smaller bodies face the same logic but a different pack, covered in the LP-E17 section.

FAQ

Can a slightly swollen pack still be used?

No. Swelling means gas has formed inside and the casing has lost mechanical strength; continuing to charge and discharge risks rupture and fire. “Slight” only means it is not yet visible — a tighter fit in the bay is already the signal. Retiring it is the only recommendation.

Does fast drain mean the pack is failing?

Not necessarily. Rule out three external factors first: was it left in the body on standby, was it used in the cold, had the firmware just been updated. If none applies, run a full charge and discharge to recalibrate. Only if it still drains fast should you conclude the cells are aged.

Can a third-party pack damage the body?

A properly built compatible pack will not harm the camera in normal use. The risk comes from two kinds of product: cheap cells with no protection board, which can overcurrent, and casings with poor dimensional tolerance that are hard to insert and wear the contacts in the bay. Choosing a brand with clearly stated specifications keeps the risk manageable.

What is the safest way to store an old pack?

Charge to about half, store it separately, keep it away from metal objects and top it up every three to six months. Once a pack has swollen or leaked, treat it as hazardous waste rather than keeping it at home. Store it away from radiators, balconies and anywhere children can reach.

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A7S III Two-Camera Shoot: A Four-Battery Rota with DR-FZ100

Short answer: the right way to run four packs across two cameras is not to give each body two — it is to number all four, pair them permanently by camera position, and stagger the swaps so that at any moment only one pack is recharging in the case and another is ready to go. That way you never reach a point where both bodies are flat with nothing charged. What follows is a rota you can copy directly.

The scenario: two A7S III bodies, one as the main angle (wide, head-on) and one as the second angle (side or hands), four NP-FZ100-class packs — two OEM and two third-party units such as the TNP-FZ100. Audio is recorded separately, with each take running 40–50 minutes and a 15-minute break between takes.

Step one: number and pair

Label the packs A1, A2, B1 and B2, with the sticker on the back away from the contacts and the heat path. Group A belongs to the main camera, group B to the second camera; they do not cross over or mix.

The reason for fixed pairing is that two packs used in the same body gradually converge in how they discharge, so your sense of how long a given pack will last gets sharper over time. Random allocation each day means relearning that every time. Constant mixing also levels out the wear across all four, which removes the buffer of always having one pack in better condition.

If the four are a mix of OEM and third-party, pair by capacity and condition rather than by brand. Two packs in similar shape in the same group make the swap rhythm predictable.

Step two: work out usable time per pack

Recording format Whole-camera draw Runtime per pack At 40 minutes a take
4K 24p 10-bit 8–9W About 100–120 minutes 2 takes, margin is tight
4K 60p 10-bit 9–10W About 85–100 minutes 2 takes, comfortable
4K 120p 10-bit 11–12W About 70–85 minutes 1 take, swap before the second

The figures are ranges derived from a power model, not measurements from a particular body. Temperature, screen brightness and whether stabilization is on all shift them, and a twenty percent deviation is common. Plan around the lower end of each range rather than the upper — the margin you leave is your room for error.

At 4K 60p and the 85-minute lower bound, one pack covers two 40-minute takes with something to spare. That means a morning of four takes needs only one swap per camera. That is the most comfortable rhythm available: fewer swaps, fewer interruptions.

Step three: stagger the swaps

This is the most important rule in the whole plan. If both cameras swap at the same moment, you get a window where both are stopped — precisely the situation you least want, especially when the two angles have to be matched, since realigning timecode after an interruption is a chore.

The method: swap camera A after take two, and camera B after take three. That way, whenever one body is swapping, the other is still recording, and only one camera goes down at a time. The pack that comes out goes straight into a DR-FZ100 slot to recharge, with the second slot reserved for the pack due to come out next.

A schedule you can copy

Time Camera A (main) Camera B (second) Case status
Take 1, 09:00 A1 recording B1 recording Empty
Break, 09:40 A1 continues B1 continues Empty
Take 2, 09:55 A1 recording (margin tight) B1 recording Empty
Break, 10:35 Swap to A2, A1 on charge B1 continues A1 charging
Take 3, 10:50 A2 recording B1 recording (margin tight) A1 charging
Break, 11:30 A2 continues Swap to B2, B1 on charge A1 full, B1 charging
Take 4, 11:45 A2 recording B2 recording B1 charging

What matters in this table is not the clock times but the constraint behind them: only one pack charges at any moment. That guarantees the case always has a free slot ready to receive a pack that has just come out, and that you always know exactly how long the other pack has been on charge and roughly where it stands.

Step four: the recharge rhythm

Breaks are usually only ten to fifteen minutes. Taking a pack from low to fifty or sixty percent in that window is realistic; reaching full is not. So do not expect a break to finish a pack — the right expectation is partial top-up between takes, full charge at lunch or after wrap.

The lunch hour is the most effective window. One pack will very likely reach close to full in that time; two depends on the case’s total output, and if the slots share power, charging both is considerably slower than charging one. That is a practical point: at lunch, charging a single pack is often a better use of the hour than loading both.

If your packs are TNP-FZ100 units with a built-in USB-C port, there is a further option: a pack that comes out need not go into the case at all — plug it into a power bank and leave the case free for the other one. You have effectively gained a third charging position. On long location days this combination is very practical, and the FX3 power article covers the underlying approach.

Details that catch people out

  • Never swap mid-take. A pack reading 15% can hit the warning within minutes. Put swaps in the breaks and do not gamble.
  • Confirm the pack is seated before you walk away. A pack that is not latched may still light the indicator while not actually charging, and you only find out when you fit it and it is empty.
  • Let a hot pack cool first. After continuous recording the pack surface is warm, and going straight into a closed case stacks the heat. Give it five minutes, or charge with the lid open.
  • Log how each pack performs. Note on your phone that A1 lasted to the end of take two with one bar left; after a few takes your estimates correct themselves.

The value of a rota is that it absorbs uncertainty in advance. At the scale of four packs, two bodies and four takes, getting numbering and staggering right means almost no on-the-spot decisions. More detail is in the DR-FZ100 category, and judging pack condition is covered in the direct-charge battery category.

FAQ

Are four packs enough for a full day of two-camera work?

At four takes a day of forty minutes each in 4K 60p, usually yes, but without much spare. With more takes, longer ones, or 4K 120p, go to six packs or add external power to the fixed camera. The test is whether you can hold the state of two packs in use, one charging and one full at the start of every take — if you can, you have enough; if not, add packs.

Can the two cameras share packs?

Physically yes, but it is better not to swap them mid-shoot: it breaks your runtime expectations and levels out the wear curves. Swap only in an emergency, then update the numbering notes afterwards.

Can the case sit next to the cameras?

Yes, with two cautions: do not put it on the floor where it can be kicked, and do not press it against equipment that runs hot. A partly open lid helps heat escape but lets dust in, so on a dusty set keep it closed and top up back at the hotel.

Why stagger the swaps rather than doing both at once?

Swapping both saves you a few movements and costs you the risk of both cameras being down together. On a two-camera shoot the angles usually complement each other, so a simultaneous interruption means that stretch exists on neither card. Staggering costs two extra minutes and guarantees at least one camera is always recording, which is the better trade.

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TNP-FZ100 Buying Guide: Capacity, Decoding, Swelling

Short answer: to judge whether an NP-FZ100 replacement is worth buying, work through three steps — check that the rated energy and the weight agree with each other, run a ten-minute recording test in the camera, then squeeze the pack and lay it flat to look for swelling. The three steps map onto three different problems: inflated capacity claims, decoding compatibility and cell ageing. The first two can be finished before you order and on the day the parcel arrives; the third is a routine check for as long as you own the battery. Below are the pass criteria and the warning signs for each.

Step one: use Wh and weight to catch inflated capacity

Battery labels usually carry both mAh and Wh, and the two figures have to agree: Wh = mAh × voltage ÷ 1000. The original NP-FZ100 is 2280mAh / 7.2V / 16.4Wh, and all three numbers line up. If a pack claims 3000mAh while still listing 16.4Wh, the spec sheet has been copied from somewhere else, and the real capacity will not exceed the original.

The second check is weight. Energy density in lithium cells has a physical ceiling, so a larger capacity has to show up on the scale. Most NP-FZ100 packs sit around 80 grams. A product that claims 3000mAh at seventy-odd grams and feels hollow in the hand is hard to believe. Conversely, be wary of a pack that is noticeably heavier than the original — some products add ballast to create an impression of solid construction.

The third is price. Replacement batteries being cheaper than the original is normal; that is the whole reason they exist. But a price that is unreasonably low usually means the cell grade, the protection board or the quality control has been cut. A competent pack under a hundred yuan is plausible; below that, it is fair to ask where the cost was removed.

Check Pass Warning sign
Wh against mAh Converts correctly at 7.2V within a reasonable margin Claims 3000mAh but Wh is still 16.4
Weight Around 80 grams, proportionate to capacity High claimed capacity but noticeably light
Camera recognition Percentage displays normally after power-on Percentage jumps, frequent warnings
Discharge curve Falls linearly to auto-shutdown Shows 30% then shuts down
Physical condition Sits flat, even thickness Rocks on a flat surface, bulges at the sides

Step two: a ten-minute recording test for decoding compatibility

“It powers on” is not the same as “it works”. Some packs start the camera normally but never update the percentage, or cut out halfway through a clip. Those faults only surface under actual recording. A ten-minute continuous take on the day of delivery costs almost nothing and screens out most of the risk.

Watch whether the percentage falls linearly

Record for ten minutes and watch whether the number moves smoothly. A healthy pack loses a few points over ten minutes of recording, and the curve is gentle. If the figure sits still and then drops in one jump, the fuel gauge is estimating badly, and usable capacity may be well below what is displayed.

Watch for early shutdown

The more serious case is the camera shutting down with a fifth of the charge still showing. That usually means the protection board is cutting output when a single cell’s voltage sags, which points to poorly matched cells. One occurrence is enough reason to ask for a replacement.

Watch how it behaves after a firmware update

Sony’s body firmware has changed battery recognition logic more than once, and a third-party pack that behaved perfectly can start throwing warnings after an update. Before buying, check whether your body model and firmware version have any publicly reported compatibility issues. If you hit one afterwards, update the firmware before concluding the battery is faulty.

Step three: swelling, judged by flat lie and thickness

Swelling is an inevitable part of lithium ageing; the question is when it starts and whether you notice it. The simplest check is to lay the pack flat on a table and press gently on opposite corners with a finger. A slightly swollen pack has already domed in the middle, so one corner will always lift.

The second move is to sight along the side edge against the light. A healthy pack has a straight side; a swollen cell pushes it into a curve. If you have calipers, measure the thickness and compare it with the day you bought it — anything past a millimetre of growth deserves attention.

The third signal is temperature while charging. Getting warm is normal. Feeling distinctly hot to the touch, or the shell staying much warmer than usual after a full charge, suggests internal resistance has risen. Stop using it at that point, and do not leave it in the camera overnight.

Cold weather magnifies all of this. Internal resistance rises below freezing anyway, and an aged pack degrades more sharply, so before a winter shoot it is worth running the checks in our sub-zero field test first.

How many to buy, and how to pair them

  1. Buy one first to test the water, confirm the percentage readout and shutdown point suit your body, then order more.
  2. Packs from the same batch behave more alike, and rotating them keeps the gauge estimates from drifting.
  3. Always keep at least one original or best-condition pack as insurance for the jobs that matter.
  4. Size the kit to the work: two packs covers a day of stills, and for video budget one per hour.
  5. A dual-slot case for charging and storage keeps the contacts from knocking against each other in a bag.

The point of this routine is not to find “the best battery” but to keep the risk inside a range you can live with — validate with one pack, then buy the rest. For more body compatibility and the wider product line, see the TNP-FZ100 range, or check the model list in our FZ100 battery section to see which group your camera falls into.

FAQ

If the rated capacity is higher than the original, will it last longer?

Not necessarily. The NP-FZ100 bay is a fixed size and the cell volume is limited, so a large jump over the original rating usually means a different rating method or an inflated figure. The more reliable approach is to check whether the Wh is self-consistent, and to measure how long it actually runs.

Can a third-party battery damage the camera?

A competent one will not. The pack delivers a standard voltage through its protection board and the body draws power from the contacts; there is no mechanism by which it “burns out the mainboard”. The risk comes from poor cells and failed protection boards, which is exactly why abnormally cheap products are worth avoiding.

It has swollen slightly — can I still use it?

Not advisable. Swelling means gas has formed inside the cell, and continued charging and discharging carries a risk of further expansion or leakage. Stop using it, discharge it to a low level and take it to a local collection point under your regional rules. Do not put it in household waste.

How can I tell whether the cells have been refurbished?

Three things: whether the shell seams are rough, whether the contacts show obvious insertion wear, and whether runtime after a full charge is clearly shorter than the rating. When all three appear together, the cells are almost certainly not new.

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Sony NP-BX1 Fitment Guide for RX100, ZV-1 and HX90

Short answer: the NP-BX1 is the standard battery for Sony’s compact range, rated 3.6V / 1240mAh and about 4.5Wh, used from the first RX100 in 2012 all the way to the RX100 VII, and also by the ZV-1, ZV-1 II, ZV-1F, the RX1 series, the HX90/HX90V and the WX500. At 4.5Wh it is a small capacity today; official CIPA figures mostly sit between 220 and 330 shots, and planning around 250 is the safer travel estimate. Because these bodies generally support USB charging, two packs plus a power bank is enough for most people.

1. Specs and fitment: one pack behind a whole line

The NP-BX1 is roughly the size of two sticks of gum stacked and very light, which is part of how these cameras fit in a pocket. The cost is capacity — 4.5Wh is about a third of a typical phone battery.

Product line Main models Notes
RX100 series RX100, II, III, IV, V, VA, VI, VII All seven generations, no battery change across them
ZV series ZV-1, ZV-1 II, ZV-1F Vlogging bodies, draw more than the RX100
RX1 series RX1, RX1R, RX1R II Full-frame fixed-lens cameras
HX / WX series HX90, HX90V, HX80, HX60, HX50, HX30, WX500, WX350 Long-zoom compacts
Action cameras HDR-AS50, FDR-X1000V and others Used by some models

One warning: Sony also has a similarly shaped but different NP-BN / NP-BN1 line, used by early TX and WX models, and the two are not interchangeable. Check the battery bay or the manual for BX1 before ordering rather than assuming that “small black Sony battery” means the same thing.

2. What 4.5Wh actually delivers

Official CIPA numbers work as an upper bound: the RX100 series mostly lands at 250-330 shots, and the ZV-1 at around 260. Real use comes in lower, because these cameras are typically cycled power-on, compose, shoot, power-off, and every power-up pays a fixed cost in lens extension and system initialisation.

  • Stills: 200-280 shots in most situations, closer to 180 if you wander and review frequently.
  • 4K video: the RX100 VII and ZV-1 are limited by body thermals and usually stop after 5-20 minutes per clip, so charge is not the main constraint; total continuous recording runs about 45-70 minutes.
  • Vlog pieces to camera: a ZV-1 with the screen out, stabilization on and an external mic needs a swap after about an hour.
  • Cold: drain speeds up noticeably below 0°C, and at -10°C usable capacity may be only 60-70%. Our -10°C runtime test has more detail; the mechanism is the same for all lithium packs.

The conclusion is straightforward: under 200 shots a day, one pack will do; for travel and full days out, two is the floor and three is comfortable. Fortunately the pack is small enough that three take up almost no room.

3. RX100 and ZV-1: same pack, different appetite

The battery is identical, but the two body types draw quite differently, which directly changes how many you carry.

RX100 series

From generation one to seven the bodies gained a lot — pop-up viewfinder, a wider zoom range, a faster processor — but the battery stayed the same. The result is that newer models are tighter on runtime. The RX100 VII’s 24-200mm power zoom draws heavily while zooming, and constant in-and-out costs charge quickly. Older bodies such as the RX100 III are easier on power.

ZV-1 series

The ZV-1 is positioned for vlogging: screen out, stabilization on, microphone often attached, so it draws considerably more than an RX100. Its CIPA rating is only about 260 shots, and video makes the gap plainer. The ZV-1 II moved to a wider lens with roughly the same runtime.

Both types support USB power, but while shooting the charge rate usually cannot keep up with consumption, so it only slows the decline. For genuinely long recording, external power is less hassle than rotating three packs — though dummy battery options for compacts are less mature than for mirrorless bodies, so confirm that a solution names your specific model.

4. Buying: first-party, third-party, or USB-C built in

BX1 prices span a wide range, from a few dollars to well over a hundred. The difference is not the shell but the cells and protection board. Work through these in order.

  1. Are the specs honest? 4.5Wh is this pack’s physical ceiling, so claims above 2000mAh are not realistic.
  2. Does it have communication contacts? Some bodies check the pack and may show a “non-genuine battery” warning or fail to display a percentage if the contacts are missing.
  3. Does it have a built-in USB-C port? These versions charge from a phone cable and skip the dock, which is genuinely useful when travelling. The downside is an extra opening, so water resistance is slightly reduced.
  4. Cycle life: the BX1 is small, so at the same shooting volume it cycles more often than a large pack and will show wear after two or three years. That is normal.
  5. Quantity beats unit price: two ordinary third-party packs are often more useful than one expensive first-party pack, because the real limitation on these cameras is not being able to swap when the charge runs out.

YO’s NP-BX1 sits in the honest-specs, restrained-price bracket, suitable as a supplement rather than a replacement. It does not chase inflated numbers, and real run time broadly matches the rating — for a 4.5Wh pack, that is worth more than a 2000mAh label. For more compact-camera accessories, see the NP-BX1 category page.

One last practical tip: whichever you buy, run a full charge and discharge on arrival and record the actual shot count. With your own baseline in hand, you can later judge whether a pack is fading instead of guessing.

FAQ

Do all seven RX100 generations use the same battery?

Yes. From the 2012 RX100 to the 2019 RX100 VII, Sony never changed the battery model; all use the NP-BX1. That is also why BX1 packs circulate so widely on the used market.

Can a ZV-1 use an RX100 battery?

Yes. The ZV-1, ZV-1 II and ZV-1F all take the NP-BX1 and are fully interchangeable with the RX100 line. Just do not mix up packs and chargers — the dock is shared, and so is in-body USB charging.

Will a third-party BX1 trigger an “incompatible battery” warning?

On some bodies, yes. In most cases the camera still shoots normally, it simply will not show an accurate percentage or it displays a prompt. When buying, favour packs that explicitly list RX100 VII and ZV-1 compatibility, which tends to work better.

Is a swollen BX1 still usable?

No. When a pack this small swells it presses against the compartment walls, and the risk is more immediate than with a large battery. Take it out of service, isolate it, and send it for recycling — do not try to flatten it or keep charging.