Vertical Grip Update

[atencati]

I just received the following email from Harbortronics:

Greetings,

The VG-D70 is in final production.

The designs are all complete, materials have been approved, and we have
several vendors making various parts of the grip for us. They will trickle
in slowly at first as everything gets ramped up, but we anticipate being
able to start shipping on the week of Feb 14.... sorry it's taken so much
time, it's been a long process!

In the meantime, there is a manual for the VG-D70 posted online at
http://www.Harbortronics.com/news.htm .

The price is $165, and we will accept orders for the VG-D70 immediately by
check. We will ship in the order checks are received. We anticipate a
large demand, so there may be a wait for some customers. In the future, we
will accept orders over the internet.
Shipping will be offered as follows:

Individual grips will be shipped via Priority mail within the US for $10.
Additional grips in shipment add $5.

Global Express mail will be used to ship to Canada and overseas. Canada $20
and other countries range from $20 to $35 per grip. Additional grips in an
order add $5. Please e-mail Deborah@Harbortronics.com for a shipping quote.

Please send check with shipping address to:

Harbortronics
P O Box 2663
Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Best Regards,



Deborah Roberts
http://www.Harbortronics.com
Post Office Box 2663
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
(253) 858-7769 voice
(253) 858-9517 fax



WooHOOOO!

Finally

Andy

[birddog114]

My main concern is:
- if you get the grip, how can they hide or how can they install it with the compartment's latch or the door of the battery holder. With the d100 you can remove the door easily as the SB-800 and you can slide it inside the battery grip.

So it's US$165.00 + S&H to Australia and their competitor HKJenis's grip is US$90.00 + S&H (I'm waiting for the eval product from them).

[atencati]

Birdy, the battery door comes off the camera fairly easily and sores in the grip itself. Clck the link for a more detailed description, limitations, and pics. What is the link for HKJENIS??

Andy

[birddog114]

Birdy, the battery door comes off the camera fairly easily and sores in the grip itself. Clck the link for a more detailed description, limitations, and pics. What is the link for HKJENIS??

Andy

Have you try to take it out yet?

[MHD]

After reading the manual... I LIKE IT!!!!

you can use the power packs from the coolpix (or which I have one)

I love the nice touch of having a place to store your battery compartment door... and looking at the design of the IR trigger it looks like it should work...

looks very interesting indeed,,,

[birddog114]

After reading the manual... I LIKE IT!!!!

you can use the power packs from the coolpix (or which I have one)

I love the nice touch of having a place to store your battery compartment door... and looking at the design of the IR trigger it looks like it should work...

looks very interesting indeed,,,

Then a new Kirk Plate. end up you'll have to fork out more another US$300.00, then there's no money for lens lust?

Hey, Louise is just looked over your shoulder

[MHD]

*jumps*

yeah... the plate... forgot about that.... ahhh.... to many accessories!

[birddog114]

Another issue:
What's the warranty affect to the grip with your Nikon warranty?
Who will get the blame if there's some technical issue? escpecially with the grip? worth it? I won't be able to replace your D70 if I supply you the grip and it ruins your D70, maybe or maybe not.
That why I want an eval product from my supplier prior to make a noise.

[Raydar]

I don’t think I’ll be spending my money on one of these.
I had a grip for my 5700 that made the cam a little more comftable to hold because of its size.
The D70 is a much bigger cam so that’s not an prob any more.
I’ll put my money into the 80 – 400 VR I think.

Cheers
Ray

[atencati]

Another issue:
What's the warranty affect to the grip with your Nikon warranty?
Who will get the blame if there's some technical issue? escpecially with the grip? worth it? I won't be able to replace your D70 if I supply you the grip and it ruins your D70, maybe or maybe not.
That why I want an eval product from my supplier prior to make a noise.

I can garuntee that if NikonUSA ever sees my camera there will be no evidence of a grip in any way shpe or form. Just take it off and mum's the word.....

Andy

[sirhc55]

My D1 had a grip style body which I came to like very much. When I changed to the D70 I thought how different it was and that I missed the added bulk of the D1.

Today - I would not change or add a vertical grip. The D70 has a wonderful balance to it, is easy on the shoulder or neck and Nikon have not made a vertical grip!!

Chris PS - but thanks for the info Andy

[birddog114]

Another issue:
What's the warranty affect to the grip with your Nikon warranty?
Who will get the blame if there's some technical issue? escpecially with the grip? worth it? I won't be able to replace your D70 if I supply you the grip and it ruins your D70, maybe or maybe not.
That why I want an eval product from my supplier prior to make a noise.

I can garuntee that if NikonUSA ever sees my camera there will be no evidence of a grip in any way shpe or form. Just take it off and mum's the word.....

Andy

Yeah, I can guess what your reply is! I played dumb sometimes.
But overhere is difference, I supply the gears to members or any end users, and my liabilities are still with the products which I supplied until the end of its original warranty (Aussie Fair Trading rules).
So I have to be careful with what I'm doing.

[Raydar]

I'm thinking birdy!!!!

This mite be a good thing to leave alone until they have been out for a while.

Cheers
Ray

[genji]

i dont like that you cant meter with the IR supplied with the grip.

1. press the cams shutter button to meter
2. rotate to use the grip
3. then fire the shutter using the grips button

sounds to cumbersum to me and slow aswell.

would have like for more than just a grip...WiFi, GPRS, etc but thats a D series cam isnt.

I think VG's add nothing more than street creed.

genji

[birddog114]

i dont like that you cant meter with the IR supplied with the grip.

1. press the cams shutter button to meter
2. rotate to use the grip
3. then fire the shutter using the grips button

sounds to cumbersum to me and slow aswell.

would have like for more than just a grip...WiFi, GPRS, etc but thats a D series cam isnt.

I think VG's add nothing more than street creed.

genji

Yeah, this is another issue with the grip, if you take photo for someones they wonder: does this guy know how to use the camera

[redline]

sounds interesting that they can mod the d70 to accept cable shutter release with the grip attached.
have anyone had this done yet to their d70?

[lukeo]

I think we cannot deny the technological feat that has been accomplished. The creater Mark Roberts has successfully desgined and built a PCB that integrates a IR switch, fibreoptic aerial, and functional buttons all within the limitations of the D70's design. It was never meant to have a battery grip, this was reserved for the more expensive D100/D2h etc ... if nikon added all the "pro" features to the D70 who would buy the "pro" camera's? The D70 would be the "pro" camera.

The VG is a great looking grip, the fact you can mod your D70 might appeal to some when the warranty has run out, so that the IR shutter release works exactly the same as the normal one. If I was buying one of these I think I would be buying it for the extra battery life (ie if I shot continuously all day) and the better vertical holding position, I could still use the normal shutter button in this position i do all the time. It's simply a better more stable way of vertically holding the camera which many might love.

As for the VG causing problems I don't really see how, the D70 body is more than capable of physically taking a grip. The extra battery is wired up so that the camera will never know that a second battery is even present, the only thing i can really think of is the camera falling off the grip and after reading the VG manual this looks highly unlikely. Isn't it allot like using a third party lens on your camera and worrying it might damage the F mount or mirror? The Aerial use's exactly the same IR frequency as nikon's it's no trade secret and it simply activates the IR shutter release built into the camera.

I believe Harbour really needs to send out some production units to a few select sites for review.

Without review's we get people "whinging" that it doesn't do what the "pro" grips do, it doesn't do it because Nikon in their "infinite wisdom" selected a market segment to aim the D70 at that did not include the required electrical contacts for a grip. Simple.

Time will tell IMHO, once some reviews get out as to how practical/useful and addition this grip will be. Do HKJenis have a website?

P.S I completely understand Birddog about not wanting to take responsibility for a third party product without any reviews/technical appraisals, the time consumed by you on warranty issues would not be much fun.

[Nnnnsic]

I still believe that was an error on Nikon's part because, while the 300D is aimed at the same market (the slightly dumber market who like their features bastardised... sorry Canon people... couldn't resist...), Canon released a vertical grip for their low-end camera.

[atencati]

Poor Mark. He has been working his butt off trying to get this thing developed, while being pestered constantly, then he releases the pre-production images and everyone goes ape-shit because they don't like the way i tlooks/functions. Too bad. go buy a d2h, d1, d2x, whatever. Here is (so far) the best option (only! option) available and its getting absolutely trashed in the forums!!!!! I like it. I wish I had full function of the vertical button, but hey; I bought a D70. I will get it modded if need be. I say Mark, nice job. Cant wait to get my hands on one.

although I still think my little USB project will work as well........

A

[Onyx]

I think Mark/Harbortronics did a fantastic job at this third party grip.
Considering what Canon sells as official accessories for their entry level cameras - eg. the 300D's grip doesn't even match the body colour, and the 10D's one, from pics posted by Petal666 elsewhere... well it looks like a backyard job not something you'd expect from the OEM. There's little integration - it looks like an add-on block with no real continuation of styling lines.

Nothing beats the seamless style and design of factory produced integrated grips on the high end models... and it surprises me that Nikon decided to leave the grip as an option for the best/most capable film camera.

[birddog114]

I think Mark/Harbortronics did a fantastic job at this third party grip.
Considering what Canon sells as official accessories for their entry level cameras - eg. the 300D's grip doesn't even match the body colour, and the 10D's one, from pics posted by Petal666 elsewhere... well it looks like a backyard job not something you'd expect from the OEM. There's little integration - it looks like an add-on block with no real continuation of styling lines.

Nothing beats the seamless style and design of factory produced integrated grips on the high end models... and it surprises me that Nikon decided to leave the grip as an option for the best/most capable film camera.

This is an option on the D100 and fully built-in on the D2h/ D2x so as the next release model from Nikon.

We didn't see any VG from Harbortronics yet, just the picture on their website, so no comment on it.
Do you know that PS can do the good looking of the grip with the D70?