I e-mailed him and he replied promptly.
He thinks he will be able to sell for 60 euro's ($77.50 USD)
Current production weight 200gm.
No 2nd battery option, not planning for one.
I e-mailed him back to see about availability.
Dumbest thing ever? Not really. It solves the lack of grip and gives an alternative for the actuation button problem. Cost is much less then harbortronics. And since there is not real need for dual batteries, this seems to be an OK idea. I'mnot saying I'm getting in line to buy one, but it is interesting and seems well thought out and well built.
lxdesign wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks this is the dumbest thing they ever saw? If you want a verticle grip, buy a D100 or for that matter D1x, D1h, D2x, D2h.
Nope. I will be laughing at this guy and harbortronics if the new D70s has an optional vertical grip.
I'm laughing anyway. Never understood the reason to make my camera more unwieldy and even heavier. Coming from Olympus OM the D100 and D70 are PLENTY heavy enough. I guess there aren't alot of hikers that use these cameras.
Not that I am willing to go to any length at all to put a grip on my D70 it's not something I would laugh at for the following reasons.
a) not everyone can afford a D1 or D2 series camera even at their current used prices, the D70 still comes in at half the price.
b) assuming you have a D70 and find you want a grip the option is there. If you go hiking ... you can obviously take it off (unlike the pro line).
c) again whom in their right mind would get rid of the D70 to buy a D100? no slight to the wonderful D100 but lets be realistic, it still costs more than the D70 not including the grip. Further ... we are talking about people that already have a D70.
d) It's not for everyone, maybe not for you, but why laugh at those that would like something else than what you see as practical in your gear?
That all said, when I shoot film I always grab the F100 with the MB-15 attached. Always. As for hiking or that sort of ilk, like I said a "grip" you can take off if you want but if you are taking large pro glass with you thats the least of your worries. I guess it comes down to are you hiking to shoot or shooting because you are hiking.
To each the experience is different. I personally will buy a pro body to accomodate the body style I like to shoot with (think F100+MB-15). I dont' see a need to add to my D70 although it seems sorely unbalanced with the 80-200 on it. All that said, it gives me no qualified right to sneer at those that find it useful to add to their D70 for whatever their reason maybe.
I just thought some of the guys that would be interested in this D70 grip should be able to discuss/ponder it without heckling.
Qranc wrote:
Not that I am willing to go to any length at all to put a grip on my D70 it's not something I would laugh at for the following reasons.
a) not everyone can afford a D1 or D2 series camera even at their current used prices, the D70 still comes in at half the price.
b) assuming you have a D70 and find you want a grip the option is there. If you go hiking ... you can obviously take it off (unlike the pro line).
c) again whom in their right mind would get rid of the D70 to buy a D100? no slight to the wonderful D100 but lets be realistic, it still costs more than the D70 not including the grip. Further ... we are talking about people that already have a D70.
d) It's not for everyone, maybe not for you, but why laugh at those that would like something else than what you see as practical in your gear?
That all said, when I shoot film I always grab the F100 with the MB-15 attached. Always. As for hiking or that sort of ilk, like I said a "grip" you can take off if you want but if you are taking large pro glass with you thats the least of your worries. I guess it comes down to are you hiking to shoot or shooting because you are hiking.
To each the experience is different. I personally will buy a pro body to accomodate the body style I like to shoot with (think F100+MB-15). I dont' see a need to add to my D70 although it seems sorely unbalanced with the 80-200 on it. All that said, it gives me no qualified right to sneer at those that find it useful to add to their D70 for whatever their reason maybe.
I just thought some of the guys that would be interested in this D70 grip should be able to discuss/ponder it without heckling....Show more →
You are correct that at least with the D100 (I love mine) the grip is optional. This way if someone really needed the functionality they could add it, then remove for portability. I would kind of like the voice annotation that the grip adds, but not at the cost of the extra weight, though. Not for my use. I guess it might work for a fashion photographer or studio shooter that doesn't care about the weight and really needs the vertical grip to speed up shooting in such situations.
I DO find it a bit frustrating that Nikon chooses to make all of its intended pro cameras so large and heavy. My OMs were so elegant, yet durable and small, AND with large bright viewfinders. I still sometimes wish they'd updated their OM line with AF and digital.
Oh, and by the way, this grip is more interesting than the Harbortronics, of your into this type of thing. The addition of cable release capability actually is really cool.
I've been conversing w/ this man via e-mail over the last few days. He is going to contact me when he is ready to sell these to the public.
He seems to think paypal will be a payment option.
