One of the few ergonomic issues with the a7 series of cameras, especially for professionals used to working with larger DSLRs is that there isn’t a buit-in bottom grip for shooting the camera held vertically. When shooting portraits or other vertical shots, a camera grip allows control of the camera without having to reach over the top of the camera to reach the controls, which bends the hand in an unnatural angle and makes hand-holding more difficult.
Sony makes an add-on vertical grip for the original a7 series (a7, a7S, a7R) and for the a7II, but it carries a price tag of $298 for the a7 version and $348 for the a7II version.
The Meike Mk-ar7 Wireless Control Grip is a much more affordable $89 and includes a built in 2.4G wireless transmitter/receiver for remote control of the Sony a7 series.
Perhaps the best feature of this grip is the ability to place two of the standard Sony batteries inside the base, giving the camera twice the battery life. For many photographers this will be reason alone to use a vertical grip, as the Sony battery leaves a lot to be desired.
The grip provides AF front and rear control dials, a C1 button near the shutter release and an AEL/AF/MF button. It comes with a wireless remote using 2.4G WiFi to work as a trigger and an intervalometer.
Unfortunately, the grip is ergonomically very uncomfortable. The body is bulky and a bit awkward to use and since the grip only has a C1 button there’s no access to the other control buttons without reaching around to the back of the body.
We had no problems using the remote trigger to capture images, though that said we have also never had problems using the Sony iPhone app and the built-in WiFi. On the other hand, the grip and its wireless remote require less power to function, so battery life can be considerably extended by using the remote trigger.
It would be nice if the grip felt better in the hand—the chunkiness of the grip points out how nicely the ergonomics of the a7 feel because the grip feels a bit like a foreign object.
The price is hard to beat, and the ability to double the battery life by using the grip is very appealing. Photographers using remote mounts will definitely get tremendous value from this grip, even if it feels a bit awkward in the hand.
…My daily shooter is Sony A1 with a vertical grip and various Sony lenses attached like the FE 20mm F1.8. Find more gear recommendations in our shop. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
