Getting to Know Your Sony Alpha Battery Pack
Sony cameras in the Alpha series share a unique feature: They accept dozens of interchangeable lenses. Some utilize mirrorless lens technology while others have fixed, semi-reflective mirrors, but all of them are designed to produce professional-grade photos and videos with the benefit of advanced technology. When you are focused on taking pro-style pictures with your Sony Alpha, the last thing you want is to be shut down due to the lack of a fully charged spare battery.
What batteries does the Sony Alpha 99 II use?With powerful features that include continuous shooting, movie recording, six image-quality modes, exceptional resolution and TTL phase-detection automatic focus, the a99 II requires a solid power source for optimum performance. It comes equipped with an NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery that recharges inside the camera. You can also purchase spare battery packs with a plug-in charger, a rapid travel charger that fits into your car lighter receptacle, or the AC-PW10AM plug-in adapter. You can get up to 85 minutes of continuous recording or up to 490 still shots on a single recharge.
What are some other Sony batteries for current Alphas?- Sony a77 II: Lithium-ion NP FM500
- Sony a68: Lithium-ion NP FM500H
- Sony a58: Lithium-ion NP FM500H
- Sony a99V: Lithium-ion NP FM500H
The manufacturer recommends Sony batteries for its Alpha a7 series as well as the a6000, a6500, a6300, a55, and a5100 cameras.
However, other batteries and recharger brands are designed for use with these models, such as:
- RAVPower NP-FW50 replacement set
- Powerextra NP-FW50 replacement charger set
- Wasabi NP-FW50 replacement charger set
- LP NP-FW50 replacement charger set
- Newmowa NP-FW50 replacement set
The A7 E-mount is a lightweight Alpha series camera equipped with a 35mm, full-frame CMOS sensor.
The battery specifications for this camera are:
- NP-FW50 W-series
- Takes up to 340 still shots on a single charge
- Provides up to 65 minutes actual recording time
- Uses the AC-PW20 power adapter
- Charges internally
If it seems that you spend a lot of time waiting for your Sony Alpha battery to recharge, try experimenting with these strategies to cut down your power use:
- Strategy 1: Turn the camera to airplane mode when not in use to prevent it from burning up power searching for Wi-Fi.
- Strategy 2: Avoid exporting full-sized images from the camera to a phone.
- Strategy 3: Keep the camera on a lower ISO setting, such as ISO 400.
- Strategy 4: Use manual focus rather than the camera's auto-focus feature.