Sony VGC1EM Digital Camera Battery Grip

One of the many great virtues of the Sony a7r is its small and light body. However, after handling the camera for several days I came to the realization that it was a tad too small for my hands and mode of shooting. The battery grip came to the rescue and it is now a permanent fixture on my a7r. It adds insignificant weight to the package, while aiding grip and handling as well as providing a second battery. Together, it is still much smaller and lighter than my Canon and Nikon bodies. Some have criticized the need to remove the batteries for charging, but even without the grip I would have opted for an external charger, so for myself it is a non-issue. If you have large hands, or simply desire the ability to shoot with the camera held in various attitudes, this grip is a must.

I bought the Sony a7 a couple of months ago, and as you probably know the battery life is one of the major issues this camera has. Not to mention the ergonamics which is not the best around. So i decided to buy this battery grip to extend the battery life and have better ergonamics and i can tell you this is exactly the solution for those issues mentioned above. The grip adds stability while hand holding the camera making it easier to shoot ( that means less blurry pictures). Also the camera looks more professional. This is a totally worth investment to your camera gear.

The good:The grip functions perfectly as far as it goes.I like the battery door holder; a much better design than the Nikon grips I've used.They designed it to work with the LA-EA4 adapter, which explains why it's so tall.The bad:The controls are not in the same places on the grip as they are on the camera body. The rear wheel in particular is hard to reach. This is the biggest drawback IMO.The strap attachment point is very thin. I'm not sure I trust it.Generally cheap feel overall.Summary:If you need a vertical grip, go for it: it gets the job done. If you're coming from an SLR, it'll be a bit of a disappointment in the handling department, but if you need it, you need it.

It is great if for no other reason than it holds a second battery. Connecting takes a little getting used to as the battery compartment door needs to be removed from the camera and connected to the grip. The small size makes that a little challenging. Clearer instructions on that would be helpful.

This grip is one of the best made battery grips that I have held on a camera. The buttons are tastefully polished, everything feels like it was carved out of a solid block. There is no shake in the grip when loaded, and everything is very secure.