DigitalFoto x PHOTOOLEX VB79 Introduced – 79Wh V-Mount Battery With 500W Output and Retractable USB-C

by Alexandra ThompsonSeptember 15^th, 2026

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At IBC 2026, we spoke with Ivan Kwok at the DigitalFoto booth about the new DigitalFoto x PHOTOOLEX VB79, a co-branded 79.2Wh V-mount battery designed for camera rigs, lights, monitors, and mobile production. The battery supports up to 500W total output, includes a retractable USB-C cable, and offers multiple USB-C, USB-A, D-Tap, DC, and BP connections in a compact body.

DigitalFoto is presenting the VB79 as its first V-mount battery, developed together with PHOTOOLEX, with both brands appearing on the product itself. The design is deliberately smaller and more portable than a conventional block-style V-mount, with the companies targeting content creators and smaller crews that still need the flexibility of a professional battery system.

Why a smaller V-mount

Ivan said the size answers who is buying V-mount power now. A V-mount battery, as he put it, “should be a portable and small size so that it’s easy to carry,” which explains the 79Wh starting point rather than the usual 99Wh or 150Wh. The published figures put the pack at 119 x 69 x 43mm (4.69 x 2.72 x 1.69in) and 521g (18.4oz), with a rated capacity of 79.2Wh from 5500mAh at 14.4V. That also keeps the battery under the 100Wh threshold airlines generally apply to lithium-ion packs carried in hand luggage, which removes the approval step larger V-mount batteries usually require.

Up to 500W total output

The headline output number is 500W. Ivan said the battery can supply that across its connections at the same time, including the 7-pin port, and he was direct about the limit that comes with it: at that draw, a 79Wh pack will last around ten minutes. The arithmetic is consistent, since 79Wh divided by 500W works out at slightly under ten minutes before the cells are empty.

He positioned the higher-capacity models due later as the ones that make sustained high-draw work practical, suggesting that half an hour or an hour at that kind of load becomes possible once the capacity goes up. For now, the 500W rating is best understood as a peak the battery can handle rather than a figure anyone will run against for a full setup day.

Retractable 100W USB-C cable

The most unusual feature is a retractable magnetic USB-C cable built into the front of the battery, extending to 50cm (19.7in) and pulling back into the body when it is not in use. Ivan said it is rated at 100W in both directions, so it can run or charge a device such as a laptop, and it can also be used as a power input to charge the battery itself. The Photoolex listing gives the same 100W figure for the cable in both directions.

Ports and mounting on the top plate

The top of the battery carries the rest of the connections along with mounting points, including a 1/4″-20 thread with ARRI locating holes, so the pack can be attached directly to a rig rather than only to a V-mount plate.

On the power side, there is a DC output at 12V and a second at 8.4V, plus USB-A and two USB-C ports running at different levels. Ivan identified the yellow USB-C port as the 100W connection and the second USB-C port as a 36W output, which puts the 100W figure in line with the retractable cable at the front. PHOTOOLEX rates the USB-A output at 22.5W, the D-Tap at up to 200W, and the 7-pin connector at up to 500W, which is where the headline figure comes from.

Four ways to charge it

Charging can go through four different routes, which is unusual for a battery of this size. The yellow USB-C port accepts power in, the D-Tap can be used as a charging input, the retractable USB-C cable works as an input as well, and the 7-pin connector on the V-mount interface can charge the battery through a compatible plate or charger.

Two of those can be used at once. Ivan gave the example of running the retractable cable and the USB-C port together to bring the charge time down, which matters more on a small pack that is likely to be topped up between setups rather than cycled overnight in a rack charger. PHOTOOLEX lists the combined USB-C input ceiling at 140W, with the D-Tap and 7-pin inputs rated at up to 135W each.

Display and app

A screen on the front shows the remaining capacity as a percentage. Holding the button for three seconds rotates the readout, so the display can be flipped between horizontal and vertical depending on how the battery is mounted, which is a small thing that matters when a pack ends up on its side on a cage or a stand.

There is also a companion app. According to Ivan, it reports the number of charge and discharge cycles the battery has been through, an estimate of how long it will keep working under the current load, the remaining capacity percentage, the internal temperature, and live voltage and current figures. Cycle count and cell temperature are the kind of data that rental houses and anyone managing a set of batteries tend to want, and they are increasingly appearing on packs at this size rather than only on larger professional models.

The silver button

A silver button on the side operates a light built into the battery. Ivan described it as a mounting aid for dark environments, where lining a V-mount pack up with the plate by feel is awkward. A short press switches the light on, and pressing the button again turns it off.

Price and availability

The V-mount battery costs $160 (around €140) and will be available in about a month in the DigitalFoto online shop. Both the black and white versions use the same battery, with no difference beyond the finish.

Larger capacities are planned before the end of the year. Ivan mentioned a 158Wh model and a second, larger pack above 200Wh, which would extend the line well past the airline-friendly size the range starts with.

Does a V-mount battery this small earn a place in your kit, or do you want the capacity of a full-size brick? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!