Product Description

Sony NP-FP90 InfoLithium(R) P Series Rechargeable Battery Pack - Our ultra-high capacity NP-FP90 InfoLithium(R) rechargeable battery pack was designed for our most demanding users. While designed for our smallest camcorders, it still provides maximum battery life and unbeatable reliability.

Product Details

• Brand: Sony
• Model: FP90
• Dimensions: 2.30" h x 4.70" w x 8.80" l, 2.00 pounds

Features

• Compact and lightweight InfoLithium P series battery
• Ultra-high storage capacity
• Perfect for smaller camcorders
• Fast recharge rate
• Compatible with DCR-HC20, DCR-HC30, DCR-HC40, DCR-HC65, and DCR-HC85

Customer Reviews

trade offs
Just so potential buyers are aware, the battery itself is pretty big (the dimensions currently listed by Amazon includes the packaging). For comparison, the FP50 battery that came with my HC42 camcorder is about 1/3 the thickness. I realize the larger battery size is the tradeoff for having a significantly longer run time before recharging (I'd guesstimate almost 4 times as long).

The size doesn't bother me since I use the camcorder mounted solidly into place, and long battery life is my primary requirement.

But if I were primarily handholding while recording, I'd consider getting two FP50's (instead of one FP90) because of its compact size. The FP90 is heavier, and as it sticks outward pretty far the camcorder is less balanced; both conspire to make the camcorder more difficult to hold steady.

The Genuine Article, Thick As A Brick
A word of warning:

** You must use a genuine Sony brand InfoLithium battery with any Sony camcorder **

If you've shopped around, you may have run across some off-brand FP-90's that are a fraction of the price of the Sony brand - that's because they're Chinese-made knock-offs that are kind-of sort-of InfoLithium compatible, and they only work as they should perhaps 50% of the time. Reviews of these batteries report them working fine one minute and not at all the next, sometimes working fine for days and then stopping, sometimes requiring the camera being turned on and off several times, etc. Skip the hassle and buy this actual Sony product, I paid only $72 from an Amazon Marketplace Seller.

The FP90 is certainly large on a modern camcorder battery scale, though 1 3/4" deep doesn't sound like much, it does make my DCR-HC36 resemble a sub-compact car hauling a couch. No one will mistake this for being a slight battery. I personally find the extra mass helps balance and steady the camcorder.

Manufacturer claims of battery life are usually overblown, but I'm still pleasantly surprised at the 4+ hours I can get from this battery. This is hours longer than any stock/included battery, and more than adequate for recording an entire one-hour MiniDV tape. High-capacity batteries are best charged overnight, so I'm not sure what the charge time is, only that it's ready to go in the morning.

Overall, the FP90 is big in every way, and worth the price of admission. Five stars for Sony's marathon battery.

Long Life battery review.
About what I expected. I get plenty of life from the battery, though I haven't yet depleted a full charge, so I can't really estimate the life I get out of it. The bulkiness/weight of the batter actually seem to help stabilize my camcorder when I'm shooting.

The price was acceptable (I pain about $95 via Amazon). I chose free shipping and received it in a couple days, despite the website's claim that it would take about 10 days.