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It’s not surprise that “smaller”manufacturers like Neewer and K&F Concept have entered the high-end V Mount battery field. It’s actually more surprising that it’s taken so long, especially given how generic the rechargeable battery technology is. Their competitive price-point advantage has been narrowed by mid-level companies like Smallrig that have already forced a reckoning in the market. Now with small names like Powerextra, Viltrox, Moman, and Came-TV, the V-Mount opportunities are dizzying. So how do the Neewer PS099E and K&F Concept KF V99 Pro versions hold up?

Both manufacturers offer the newest bells and whistles of the nano-V-mount ecosystem. They’re chargeable by USB-C (eliminating the cumbersome chargers that made the full-sized versions such a pain); they have nice screens that provide information on not just battery level, but power output through each of its ports. They have a variety of ports, including DC, USB-A, and USB-C.

Their prices are reasonably competitive, with the Neewer at $166, but currently offering a $50 discount on Amazon; and the K&F at $160 offering a $24 discount. Their current discounted status is one of the reasons for this review. The PS099 is obviously cheaper at the moment, but who knows how long that will last so read on!

The batteries are by no means identical. NEEWER’s PS099 E Mini V Mount is a solid entry in the battery competition.The OLED display is great, giving you not just the overall battery level, but the individual power draw on each port. The ports provide all of the cable options you could ask for (except if you want two of the same port), and their positions on the sides and top makes sense if you want to plug in multiple devices. The PS099 has two DC options (8 and 12 volts), and a D-Tap port that goes up to 14.5V out, which ever-so-slightly is lower than K&F’s 14.8V max. In all honesty, I’m not sure there’s an actual difference, since both indicate 7amps. The “grip” area on the Neewer is pretty necessary because otherwise the plastic is a bit slick, and I do wish it was little larger. The plastic itself seems pretty thin– this battery won’t take being dropped, but then that’s about the worst thing you can do to any battery in any housing. I do wish it was a little more rugged, and a little less table-top sleek.

The most noticeable difference in the K&F Concept 99Wh battery is the aluminum body. The V-mount section is plastic, but the majority of the casing in metal. The grip section is larger, which definitely feels nicer in the hand, the DC and USB ports are all on the top. The K&F has two USB-C ports, one of which is capable of outputing 100W, a nice upgrade. It can also input 100W for charging, compared to 65w with the Neewer, so it has the ability to charge 30% faster… provided you have brick with that much output. Maddeningly, neither battery comes with a brick, only a suitable USB-C cord. One downside of the K7F is that it’s near impossible to read the output markings on the ports (the Neewer the dual DC ports written in white for more clarity, and only one of each USB formats). And it should be noted that the K&F uses a color TFT screen.

In the field they perform identically in terms of battery power. Given that the K&F has two USB-C ports (65 and 100 watts), and the Neewer has two DC ports (* and 12 volts), your choice may depend on your needs. But to my surprise I found I prefer the K&F for its aluminum casing and greater USB-C output.

V-Mount batteries are somewhat hyped in my opinion. A few years ago they became the “it” form for powering your gear, even if it didn’t need 14 volts to operate. I think it’s important to step back and consider if you really need the additional power output of a V Mount, because NP-F batteries are far cheaper and power banks with AC output is far more versatile (and will power those higher capacity items like lights). The ability to charge the V Mount with a special charger has made the form much more attractive and practical, but often not the most practical option in the field. Personally, I don’t power my camera or my monitor from V-Mounts due to their bulk, wires, and general awkwardness; I’ll go with camera batteries, battery handles/grips, or NP-F batteries. That said, both of these batteries are good options if V-Mount is the right choice.

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