Anton/Bauer Batteries Power The Outdoorsman with Buck McNeely

For more than 20 years, Anton/Bauer batteries have crisscrossed the globe with Buck McNeely, host and producer of the Outdoor Adventure TV series The Outdoorsman with Buck McNeely. From the frozen wilderness of Siberia Russia to the steamy jungles of Africa, Anton/Bauer (a brand of The Vitec Group) have accompanied McNeely and his crew. The Outdoorsman series is now the largest syndicated outdoor adventure program in the world, airing on over 520 TV stations in the U.S. and on multiple cable and satellite networks.

“In extreme climatic conditions, from deserts to the frozen wastes of the Arctic, from mountains to swamplands, we’ve found that Anton/Bauer products hold up,” says McNeely, founder, Outdoorsman International, which produces The Outdoorsman with Buck McNeely. “They perform well even in cold weather conditions, which in my experience, is the ultimate test for batteries. We also like the longevity of the Anton/Bauer batteries, because when we’re shooting, it’s usually from dawn to dusk, and this really comes in handy. They are pretty portable as well, which enhances our ability to get into remote locations and shoot great footage.”

McNeely and his crew first began using Anton/Bauer batteries in the 1980s, back in the days of ProPacs and TrimPacs. Over the years, the Anton/Bauer batteries evolved right along with his technology. “We used to shoot on 3/4-inch,” he recalls. “We’d have to carry a camera, a 3/4-inch deck and then all of the gear. Now the way things have evolved, our HD cameras are a fraction of the size, and most of the batteries have become lighter weight as well.”

These days, The Outdoorsman uses Anton/Bauer DIONIC 90 as well as HyTRON 140 and 100 batteries. The DIONIC 90 weighs only 1.7 lbs. and can be transported without restriction under the IATA and DOT safety regulations, which is integral when it comes to the globetrotting nature of The Outdoorsman, and can handle a maximum load of 90 watts, offering runtimes ranging from six hours at 15 watts to 1.75 hours at 50 watts. The DIONIC 90 also offers a RealTime display that continually updates the operator on how much run-time remains and the state of the current charge.

Weighing in at 5.5 lbs, the HyTRON 140 is ideal for a high current draw and can be used with portable HMI lights. It features a 14.4v 140Wh NiMH battery. The HyTRON 100 features many of the same characteristics as the HyTRON 140, but with slightly less runtime. As with the DIONIC 90, both batteries have the RealTime display tool.

McNeely’s Anton/Bauer systems power his primary camera, a Panasonic HDX900 DVC Pro HD, equipped with a Fujinon 22 x 7.8 telephoto lens. He generally travels with around eight batteries, usually four DIONIC 90s and four HyTRONs, though this can vary greatly depending on where he’s going. He also uses the ElipZ battery system on his Panasonic HVX200.

“Once, on a Costa Rica trip, two of my trunks [carrying batteries] didn’t arrive when I did, and for a couple of days we had to go shooting on the Pacific Ocean without any battery chargers using only the two batteries that did arrive with us,” McNeely says. “The batteries were able to hold up until we got the trunks with our chargers in them. I think that’s a real testament to the superiority of the Anton/Bauer product.”