Customer Reviews

Sony ACCFH70 Accessory Kit w/NPFH70 Battery & LCS-VA30 Case for most Sony Camcorders

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought my accessory kit back in mid-August and am just now getting around to reviewing it here, near the end of November. I shopped and researched it thoroughly before deciding to purchase from Amazon. They had the best price with super saver shipping, so I saved quite a bit by not purchasing directly from Sony or other retailers. I should also mention that I got the kit (bag with battery) for roughly the same as what I would have paid for the spare battery by itself. Expect to wait a week or two if you use the super saver option. I got email confirmation that my order shipped 3 days after placing my order, then I received it about 8 to 10 days later. I was willing to wait in order to save the shipping cost.

The spare battery that comes with the kit is a MUST have. It lasts 3.5 hours compared to 80 minutes for the included battery that came with my camcorder. I have the Sony DCR-DVD308 handycam which comes with the NPFH40 battery.

As for the camera bag, I could sum it up with a few words or phrases. Functional and practical; attractive, sleek and stylish; compact, yet roomy enough to store all of your essentials.

To elaborate on some of it's features: the main compartment is divided into 2 sections. I use one half to store my handycam and the other half will hold 6 of the mini DVD-RW discs. There's room in the camera compartment to hold about 3 discs with the camera in there so that's convenient for keeping recorded discs separate from your blanks. There's a small, see-thru mesh, zippered pocket in the lid enclosure that would hold your camera's USB cable or memory sticks for picture taking. There are small, enclosed, zippered pockets on each side of the bag, big enough to hold a couple of discs or extra batteries. I keep the extra battery that came with the kit in one of these pockets when not in use. The front of the bag has a narrow zippered pocket that I use to store my camera's audio-video cables for hooking up to a TV for playback. There are also 3 small pouches sewn into each side of this pocket where I store my camcorder's remote, along with lens cleaning fluid and tissues. I should note that this pocket cannot be accessed without first opening the lid flap because it closes via locking clips directly in front of this pocket. That's not really a big deal to me, but the lid would be more convenient if it zippered closed rather than with the clips. I believe the clips are a lot sturdier than they appear, as another reviewer was concerned about them breaking. Unless you're really rough in handling your bag, I don't think that will be a problem. All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. I think the bag is sturdy, well made and adequately padded to protect it's cargo if you're careful with how you handle it. It's not designed for mountain climbing or other such activities where being dropped is a consideration. If that's what you need, then you should look for one of the more expensive backpack bags with lots of extra padding.


April 10, 2010 Review Update:

I decided to come back and add some additional comments to this review after owning this bag for quite some time now. It's in great shape and holding up very well in terms of sturdiness and quality. What I really wanted to add is that since purchasing this bag, I have added several other accessories to my camcorder such as a wide angle lens attachment that allows me to get everything in the frame when recording in small enclosed spaces. I've also added an external bluetooth wireless microphone which is actually two parts; a receiver that mounts on the camcorder's shoe mount and a transmitter that you place wherever you wish to record sound away from your camcorder. While the addition of these other accessories have greatly enhanced the use of my camcorder, the relevance to the camcorder storage bag is that I am able to fit all of these accessories in the bag. Presently, I am storing the following items in this bag: in one of the side zippered pockets is the wide angle lens attachment which has it's own hard protective case, along with a quick release plate for tripod use; in the other side pocket is a battery charger with the extra battery that comes with the accessory kit; in the front zippered pocket are the audio/video cables and the usb computer transfer cable; the main inside compartment is divided into two sections and can be customized according to your needs by moving the placement of the divider; I have the transmitter and receiver for the wireless mic, along with AAA batteries for the microphone and an extra lithium battery for the camcorder in the smaller side of the divided main compartment; in the larger side of the main compartment is the camcorder itself, along with a ten pack spindle case of mini DVD-RW discs and a zippered, sleeved, DVD storage case for keeping recorded discs separate from blanks; in the zippered pouch of the lid in the main compartment is the camcorder's remote control unit, a memory stick case and an additional quick release plate. While I realize this may qualify as way too much information, I wanted to give you an idea of just how much stuff you can get into this amazingly compact storage bag. Prior to my own purchase, I remember reading reviews of others who purchased this bag who thought it was too big for their camcorder. I think what they may not have realized when they received their bag ( because neither did I ), is that you will most likely add other accessories to your camcorder as you begin to use and enjoy it. This bag has enough space in it to allow room to grow in your use of your camcorder, while still being relatively small and compact in size. After owning this bag for going on three years now, I can say I am completely happy with it and it's been a great investment. I hope this lengthy review will be helpful to anyone who may be considering purchasing this great accessory kit.

I bought this bag for my Sony HDR-SR11 about a month ago and have used it about a dozon times. Overall the bag is too big for the handheld camcorder but you can carry alot of stuff so I recommend this bag. The camcord takes about half the size of the designated space. There are about 5 other storage compartments or side pockets, so plenty of space to carry the extra battery, cables, portable charger, etc. As for the batter that comes with the bag. I use it all the time and it lasted past my child's one and a half hour school program. And I recorder all acts in the program.

Bought this after finally purchasing a replacement for my very aged Sony 8mm camcorder. Battery allows much better record time as opposed to the one that ships with the camcorder (Sony HDR-SR11). At the price it's like getting the bag for $10.00, if you already plan on purchasing a second battery. Bag is big enough to hold camcorder, and cables etc. Can't go wrong with this package....

Camera case and battery arrived in 3 business days in original sealed Sony packaging. Great value since BestBuy and others want 100.00 for battery only. I am very pleased with my purchase. Bag has room for cables, several DVD+R, and still does not feel bulky. Overall very satisfied and will buy from Amazon again.

I have had the battery and carrying case for about three weeks and found the case to be very light, durable, and more than adequate in size to carry any extra accessories (cables, docking station, etc.). I have used the battery in place of the standard battery to insure that I will not run out of power in the middle of something important (such as a recent wedding ceremony). I was not disappointed though I haven't put it to an extended test to determine total battery life. The combined offer sweetened the deal even more.

Purchased this for a new Sony Camcorder DCR-SR42. Price was way lower than all the Big Box stores. Battery is awesome & has the 3x the life of the regular battery. Bag is nice. I can fit all the accessories in it. Only complaint is that I wish the top zipped instead of the plastic buckle system. If the buckle were to break, the bag would not close. Hopefully, this never happens. Satisfied w/ purchase so far.

This one looked big when I bought, but for storing my camcoder along with spare batteries, lens and cables, this one is just perfect!

It's a nice case with lots of very handy pouches but if you want something smaller, pretty close to size of camcorder, look at something else. But if you want something that you can put your digital camera in or some other similar-sized item, this is good. I've got the Sony HDR-HC9 and if I stood it on it's side in the bag I could easily fit two of these inside the main compartment. It's actually bigger (in width, due to the side pouches) than my old bag which came with my Sony Hi-8 Handicam. I like to carry a lot of accessories so I do like the bag.

The bag is stylish, construction looks sturdy and can handle my Camcorder, P&S Camera, cables and accessories. Price is lower than other online stores.

Received the unit in 5 days upon order with free shipping selected, the combined free prints offer from Shutterfly with purchase is great.

The battery only shows 144/151 min recording time with LCD on/off. Was expecting more battery life, the stock lasts less than an hour so this is a must during vacations.

The bag should be zipped instead of a clip-on since water/dirt might get in the bag easily.

The bag is nice and the battery adds the extra footage time I will need. It is basically the same size as the npfh60 battery. It cost me about $20 less than in store with free shipping.