Sony VG-C70AM Alpha Vertical Grip (Retail Package)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.7 x 5.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000VUIXO4
• Item model number: VG-C70AM
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 18, 2005

Product Description

Simply connect this vertical grip to your Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 camera and experience its convenient design and ease of use. Handling the camera for tall, narrow shots is now more comfortable than ever —- and the integrated buttons and expanded power supply options are just a few more reasons to consider the VG-C70AM a go-to accessory for just about any photo shoot.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best one, February 21, 2008

By 

Olivier Douin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony VG-C70AM Alpha Vertical Grip (Retail Package) (Electronics)

I owned several grips from different brands (mainly Canon and Minolta). It was either to be able to shot more pictures, either to shot... vertically.
This one seems to be unbeatable.
First, all the functions you need are really under your (at least mines) fingers.
Second, it is the first time, while shooting vertically with my camera (here a Sony Alpha 700) that I feel so comfortable that I could forget that I am not shooting horizontally.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sony a700 Grip Review, March 3, 2008

By 

Bill "Bill" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony VG-C70AM Alpha Vertical Grip (Retail Package) (Electronics)

This grip has proven to be excellent in construction and with the extra battery, your shoot time is doubled. It does make it monstrous in size and when i brought it to a family gathering, everyone was blown away by its size. So in a world where size matters, this gives you a major boost. Seriously though, all the buttons and comfort are top notch and it gives you more grip on your expensive camera, especially if you have high dollar optics. The only thing that I don't care for is that with my old 80-200mm 2.8 G, without the adapter I was able to rest the whole camera and lens on the tripod mount, now with the grip, it has to tilt which can put undesired stress on the rotating front lens element, so have to rest it on books or in the bag. It is a bit pricey, but if you compare to other brand's grips, it basically gives you a second set of all the controls...a more realistic no-brainer price would be around $250...

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Add a Battery and a Grip and some Drain, August 17, 2008

By 

Dustin M. Werstler "photographer" (Fall River, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony VG-C70AM Alpha Vertical Grip (Retail Package) (Electronics)

This is a cool piece to have. If you take a lot of photos, especially lots of portraits, this can seriously make things easier on you. Of course, it takes some getting used to using the new shutter button for the portrait shots.

This grip allows you to hold two batteries in place of one, plus it gives you a bunch of the controls you'd use with your thumb were you shooting in landscape orientation. That's a great bonus and touch.

The only gripe comes from whether or not this unit drains the batteries even when the camera is off. It has its own power switch, which makes me wonder if that's the case. I haven't tested it thoroughly for that, however it seems to be the way things are turning out. Fortunately it isn't a major amount of drain (1%-3% from the meter) in the course of a day or so, but it really shouldn't be that way in the first place. A simple solution, mind you, is to turn off the power of the grip --- which won't affect the main body from being able to use the batteries.

Drain aside, this is an awesome addition to the A700 camera, and will prove invaluable to anyone that shoots a wide variety of image types and styles.