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Sony got smart with the new Sony A7r III and equipped it with a new processor, increased buffer, a touch screen, and a completely new battery—the same battery as the Sony A9.
Why is this important?
Because the battery has twice the power as the earlier model. I know this is a disappointment to some people as it makes the camera heavier, but the battery life in the Sony A7rII was so inconvenient it almost made the camera unusable, at least in any professional setting, other than maybe product or studio photography, where you’re wired in.
The Sony A7r II battery life traumatized me to say the least, so much so that I had to buy the vertical grip for the Sony A7r III.
Sony A7r III / Sony A9 Vertical Grip VG-C3EM – Amazon / Adorama / BHphoto
Sony NP-FZ100 Battery – Amazon / Adorama / BHphoto
Sony A7rIII / Sony A9 Vertical Battery Grip Review
The Sony A7R III uses the exact vertical grip as the Sony A9. It’s not a bad grip, but it won’t win any awards either. Although I have to say, it is rather beautiful. It looks nicer than the A7R II grip in my opinion.
My biggest complaint is that it doesn’t offer any new features. The Nikon D850 and Fujifilm X-T2 grip give the camera improved performance, a higher frame rate, and in the X-T2, a higher frame rate in the EVF. The Fujifilm X-T2 grip also features a headphone jack and functions as a dual battery charger, allowing the camera to utilize three batteries instead of just two. It also features a small compartment for storing the terminal cap that detaches when you connect the grip, and my favorite, a felt lining.
The Sony A7 III vertical battery grip doesn’t offer anything extra beyond improved ergonomics and extended battery life. You can’t charge the batteries with just the grip, and it’s not built all that well. There is nothing there to justify the price.
Sony A7R III Vertical Grip Build Quality
The main shell of the Sony A7R III grip is well-made; it’s constructed from rigid magnesium and is both durable and weather-sealed. However, the components of the grip feel somewhat cheap. So the tray that slides out and the section that slides into the camera body all feel of very lightweight, cheap plastic. You can even see in my sample photos how the plastic on these parts doesn’t maintain a firm shape. Of course, once the grip is all set up, none of this matters. This design reflects the problem with Sony’s ethos, where they often fail to pay attention to detail.
The vertical grip also features the same spongy buttons and plastic, chunky dial as the camera itself.
Charging The Grip
The charge of the grip isn’t that quick. The user manual recommends charging the batteries in the grip via the USB-C port on the camera. While this works, the problem is that I can only get about 7.4 watts into the camera, and it takes forever to charge both batteries.
I’ve tried QC 3.0, iSmart, and a generic USB. The most I can get is about 7 – 8 watts, or around 5 volts at 1.3 amps into the camera.
On the other hand, the external battery charger that comes with the camera can charge at around 13 watts, or 8.4 volts at 1.6 amps.
Since the USB-C port on the camera is only capable of handling this light load of power, I’ve found it best to remove one battery from the grip and charge it with the external battery charger that comes with the camera, while charging the second battery inside the grip via USB. This is the fastest way to charge both batteries without incurring additional costs for other chargers. Otherwise, you’re looking at an overnight charge, which is probably fine, considering you won’t burn through both batteries in a day anyway, unless maybe you’re a video shooter.
When I first saw the USB-C port on the Sony A7R III, I was excited because USB-C could potentially allow quick charging with at least 15 watts. USB-C in devices like the MacBook Pro is capable of delivering 100W of charging power, but in the Sony A7R III, I can only get around 7.4W.
I’m ordering additional voltage meters to see if I can achieve better results when connecting USB-C to USB-C.
I also recommend that, if you plan to charge your camera via USB, you should do so through an external power bank, such as a RavPower or one with QuickCharge or iSmart technology. This will protect your camera from any sort of surge that could damage it. Additionally, you can always strap one to your tripod and tether it to the camera when shooting video, as the Sony A7R III will charge while tethered via USB.
Considering it takes 150 minutes to charge one battery with the official Sony charger, it would take 300 minutes, or approximately 5 hours, to charge two. With the battery grip getting almost half the watts, expect to see a full charge of the grip in about 9-10 hours.
Now, The Good News
Battery life with the grip and the two batteries lasts days! I took the camera out for its maiden voyage and shot all around Beverly Hills, shooting 418 photos and I think I only got one battery down to about 70%. That’s fantastic because I would have probably burned through at least one battery in the A7r II.
The camera with the grip is a bit heavier but this is good because it helps balance out heavier lenses and makes the camera more comfortable to hold. I have never had a weight complaint with a camera like this and personally wouldn’t mind if Sony even made the camera a little bigger, which is why I love these battery grips.
I’m also not seeing the perpetual battery drain even when the camera is turned off like many people reported with the Sony A7r II.
Sony A7r III / A9 Vertical Grip Review Bottom Line
While the body of the grip is very rigid and feels good in the hand, the rest of the grip feels cheap, mainly with the buttons and plastic components.
The grip has nice ergonomics for shooting portraits and an impressive battery life, but charging the grip is a bit slow and somewhat inconvenient. The grip also doesn’t add any extra cool features for the camera.
I feel like Sony is sort of taking advantage of us by charging what they do for this grip. It may be worth looking or waiting for any third-party grips if you’re on a budget. However, if you’re someone like me who prefers consistency, the grip does feel one with the camera. Same matte finish, with the exact rubber grip and buttons. It also features a small focus adjustment knob.
Ultimately, I’m very happy with the grip, how it feels in the hand and the extra battery life it provides and it’s probably one of the best accessories for the Sony A7r III. I can live with the spongy buttons and cheap plastic, I’m just a little disappointed by the price. I need the grip and would repurchase it, but it’s a subpar grip at this price and rather disappointing when compared to Fujifilm’s vertical battery grip. It should be $200-$250 at the most, especially considering the grip doesn’t take AA batteries, so you also have to buy an extra $70 Sony battery. Sony, you’re one sneaky son of a bitch! 🙂
