Meike MK A9 Professional Vertical Battery Grip for Sony A9 A7RIII A7III Camera Replacement for Sony VG-C3EM

This grip fit the bill for exactly what I was needing.I have a Sony A7III and the body is just a little too small to give me a strong sense of a secure grip. I researched all the different options that are out there and this Meike product seemed to be the best value in terms of affordability and quality. With Sony's model being so expensive (in my opinion), I wanted to find something similar not only in function but also in aesthetics. I didn't want to slap a cheap, toy-feeling piece of equipment on this $2,000 camera.The Meike grip's quality is sufficient for the price I paid ($70). Ideally I would have liked the non-textured areas to be made of a metal or some sort of alloy rather than plastic, but for the price I can't object. It seems durable enough though, and I couldn't find any weak spots anywhere on the plastic. The rubberized texture is very nice and "grippy" - but I love that it almost matches identically to the native texture grip on the camera itself.The buttons worked just as expected - power, shutter, custom, and the joystick.The shutter button does seem to have a little bit of extra "travel" in the actuation, and the actual click of the actuation is slightly different than the shutter button on the camera, but that is certainly to be expected and is not a negative in the least bit.My batteries (1 Sony brand and a 3rd party brand bought through B&H) both work and provide accurate power levels on my camera screen.I read some reviews of this model and different models that the grip seemed to be draining their cameras even when off - I can personally and honestly say that I have not experienced this AT ALL.My most recent trip to New York I filmed and shot for hours on end - I still have 85% life leftover.This is by far the best alternate to Sony's model. You will absolutely not regret this purchase.

After researching the a7iii grips, and not wanting to spend a ridiculous amount for the official Sony one, I decided on this. I am very happy with it. The plastic feels the same as the a7iii body. The rubber grip material is a bit more of a matte finish than the camera, and feels more "rubbery", but I actually prefer it to the camera's. Unless you are deliberately looking for differences in the finish, you can't tell.The shutter button has a more tactile feel to it than the camera, and has a more distinct half press, which I do prefer to the a7iii (I've taken so many accidental shots while attempting a half press on the camera body). The wheel has a good feel to it. The AEL and AF-ON buttons also feel good and have a distinct click. The joystick button is the only one that has noticeably lower quality than the camera, but works well.The grip attaches tightly, and there are no gaps between it and the camera. The batteries snap into the tray nicely, and the tray inserts into the grip without any play. The last push bit of push when you insert it is a nice clean 'click', and the locking tab also snaps down cleanly. There is a space in the tray to store the camera's battery door.I have not had any issues at all with the camera recognizing and registering the batteries. The status of each battery shows up on the camera's display.Overall, I am very happy and I recommend this grip.

Edit: I’ve owned this grip for quite some time now, we’ll over a year. Still works like the day I bought it and I haven’t been careful with it. Upgrading to 5 stars because this truly is an fantastic product for an unbelievable price.I’ve owned this grip for a little over a month now and I can’t imagine going back to shooting without one. As far as value goes, it can’t be beat at $60 to Sony’s $350. Sure, the build quality is not as good but the difference isn’t enough to justify an additional $290 IMO.Pros:-$290 less than Sony version.-Extra battery slot, haven’t needed to change a battery during a shoot since I got this.-Easier to shoot in portrait orientation.-Doesn’t drain batteries if you switch off the camera but leave the grip switched on.-Grip texture matches camera body.- Has a slot for your battery door so you don’t lose it.-If it breaks you can just buy another one and still save over $200 vs the Sony grip.Cons:-No wheel on the back so ISO adjustment is a bit annoying unless you have extra long thumbs and can reach the wheel on the camera without moving your hand.- Focus/shutter button has a different feel than the camera. More of a tactile click. Could be a + for some but dealbreaker for others.

This is the best of the knockoffs according to other reviews and saving $300 is probably worth it for most folks. I’ve run both this version and the Sony version on my A7iii, so I thought I’d give you the comparison.Unsurprisingly, the Sony version is an exact match to the A7iii camera. Same grip texture, same buttons and controls, perfect color match.The shutter button on the Meiki is the most different. The half-push to focus makes a noticeable click and has more travel than the stock Sony shutter. It’s not bad, just different enough to notice. The shutter button on the Sony grip is a perfect match. I prefer the Sony version in this case, because it’s familiar.The joystick is very different between the two. I don’t use that control as much. But you can see the differences in the pictures.Finally, the thing I hate the most about the Meike is the on-off switch. On the Sony, this is a vertical grip control lock. Ok the Meike, this disconnects the battery, which functions like a hard power off of the camera. This means that when you turn it back on, it’s a noticeably slower startup than when you turn the camera on from the main body. Really strange design choice on Meike’s part. The control lock on the Sony is much more useful. Also, you need to keep the Meike switch in the on position to charge the battery.Is the Sony grip worth 350? Probably not. But at least you know what the differences are.