Honestly, paying 400 bucks for the Sony brand is a total ripoff. I've used third-party ones for years at weddings and they're solid.

• Meike MK-A7R V Battery Grip with Remote Control is my top pick. It feels great in hand and costs way less.
• Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Sony A7R V is another cheap, reliable choice if you're on a budget. Tbh, I've never seen one actually break a camera. Just dont drop it and you'll be fine for your Portland shoot!

Look, I've tried many off-brands over the years but I always go back to OEM for big gigs. Had a generic one lose connection during a processional once and almost lost the shot... super stressful. Now I only trust the Sony VG-C4EM Vertical Grip for A7R V for weddings. It's pricey, sure, but the electronic communication is flawless and you wont worry about it frying your new a7R V. Peace of mind matters.

To add to the point above: Zazaqueks is totally right about reliability being king for weddings! I used to use the super cheap ones but had one flex too much on a tripod once and it was so scary. If you want a fantastic middle ground between the $400 Sony and the $60 budget ones, you gotta check out Vello BG-S7 Battery Grip for Sony a7R V. I love it! Heres why it works so well:

• The build quality is amazing and feels way more rigid than the really cheap plastic brands.
• It uses better internal wiring so you dont get those accessory not supported messages mid-shoot.
• The shutter button feel is super close to the actual camera which is a huge deal for muscle memory. Since youre doing a wedding, definitely pair it with Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery packs. Third party batteries in a third party grip is just asking for a crash tbh. Youre gonna do great in Portland! If you need help with the menu settings for the grip just ask!!

@Reply #1 - good point! I've been really happy with skipping the brand name markup for my a7R V. It just makes sense when you can put that extra $300 toward glass or lighting instead. But honestly, since you're shooting in Portland, you gotta watch out for the weather sealing. Most off-brand grips dont have the same rubber gaskets as the Sony one. If it rains during that wedding, you'll need to be way more careful about moisture getting into the battery compartment. Another thing to be careful about is the contact pins. Cheap grips can sometimes have slightly off alignment, which makes the camera think the battery is dead when it isnt. Ive seen it happen mid-ceremony and it's a total nightmare. Just double-check that the tray locks in tight with zero wiggle. If it feels flimsy, swap it out because itll eventually drop the connection while you're shooting.