Camera batteries with a USB-C port are nothing entirely new anymore. See my article on the NP-FZ100 battery with a USB-C port.
However, a Sony NP-FW50 battery with a USB-C port is even more exotic. These batteries are simply physically smaller, making it more challenging to incorporate USB-C charging electronics without significantly affecting the capacity.
Yet, this is precisely what SMALLRIG claims to have achieved with its NP-FW50 Battery. This battery is said to offer 1030 mAh, which is 10 mAh more than Sony’s own battery, despite having the USB-C port.
Sounds intriguing, right? But how does it perform in practice? Does the SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery with USB-C truly deliver the full capacity despite the USB-C charging function? Let’s find out in the test!
SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery 1030mAh with USB-C Charging Function
The form factor of the SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery is naturally defined by the NP-FW50 “standard.”
Therefore, this battery fits into all cameras that can accommodate this battery type.
Initially striking is the light blue color, which I have never seen before in a battery.
Moreover, the USB-C port is not found on the top of a standard NP-FW50 battery. This USB-C port allows charging the battery using a regular USB charger.
So, you don’t need to carry a special charger when you travel. To indicate the current charge level, there is a small LED on the top. While charging, it lights up red and later turns green when the battery is fully charged.
How do I test the battery?
For akkutest.org, I conduct the test using an electronic load. This allows me to discharge the battery at a specific discharge rate determined by me and record the amount of energy withdrawn.
For this test, I have chosen discharge rates of 0.2A and 1A, which correspond roughly to the power consumption in standby mode and while filming with a camera.
The battery is discharged to a voltage of 6V.
Capacity
Let’s look at the capacity measurement of the battery. SMALLRIG advertises 1030 mAh; here’s what I measured:
| mAh | Wh | |
| 0,2A | 1047 | 7.569 |
| 1A | 971 | 6.511 |
This looks quite promising! At 0.2A load, I measured 1047 mAh, which is even slightly more than what the manufacturer claims.
At 1A load, we reach 971 mAh.
Let’s compare this with other NP-FW50 batteries.
Here we can see that the battery ranks in the middle, ahead of the original Sony battery!
Charging
The exciting aspect of the SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery is, of course, charging via USB-C. As advertised, you can simply connect the battery to a USB-C charger, and it charges.
A full charge takes approximately 2:23 hours, which is relatively fast!
Conclusion
In my view, the SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery with USB-C charging capability is highly recommended if the charging option interests you.
It can be very convenient, especially when traveling light, to charge your battery directly via USB-C.
Moreover, the battery offers good capacity! Even better than the original Sony NP-FW50 battery!
Therefore, if the additional cost for the USB-C port is worthwhile for you, the SMALLRIG NP-FW50 Battery is absolutely recommended.
