Sony a100, Vertical Grip : Dicain? Opteka? from Where?

[Jian]

(after getting some advice from http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/vie ... f=26&t=483 )

Ah! Found the Dicain website, but it's in Korean, and impossible to translate.

http://www.dicain.co.uk/ doesn't seem to exist anymore, despite a tepid-to-fair review : http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readf ... angemode=1

I've found a source called 'Enjoy Your Camera.com' with this : http://www.enjoyyourcamera.com/Battery- ... d81d4659d2

...at 159 Euro before shipping.

Digital Rev doesn't carry the Dicain model.

Link Delight carries a similar, but unnamed model, and I don't like unnamed models.

Korean Anything (ebay = http://cgi.ebay.com/Dicain-Vertical-Shu ... dZViewItem) seems to sell them regularly, but at a highly suspicious low price (129.99 USD + about 30 USD shipping,) despite being around for three years. Recently, I've found good reviews of this company, a lot of them.

MyBuddyClub ( http://cgi.ebay.com/Dicain-Vertical-Shu ... dZViewItem ) has it as the came price as Korean Anything. A good review ( http://riggzby.wordpress.com/2007/03/13 ... ony-alpha/ ) says he's happy with it... but says the Dicain model only takes one battery and not two? (photos from various sites prove this.)

I Source Global ( http://riggzby.wordpress.com/2007/03/13 ... ony-alpha/ ) has one, but not the Dicain model, but has TWO battery slots... made by YXTM (review = http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.p ... ctid=16751 )

So, now I'm more confused than ever.

I would prefer a two-battery compartment, but not 100% necessary. The two places recommended doesn't carry the Dicain model, and direct from Dicain is in Korean, and the English version is no longer working.

The two-battery units I found have ZERO info on who makes it... which makes me think it's the one our resident Dave Kilpatrick received, and never worked.

So, gentlemen, trying to avoid getting screwed out of cash, and/or a dodgy-made grip by some off-earth manufacturer that's not even named...

What would you good people suggest I do?

Any experiences with these companies? With the Dicain model vs. the Opteka? Personally, from what I read, Dicain seems the better bet. But where from? Right now, KoreanAnything seems to be quick and reliable.

[David Kilpatrick]

As before, the Dicain grip was always found to be OK by early buyers.

David

[Jian]

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with that, but I'd like to leave this open, so people can share experiences with 'cheap' eastern overseas sellers, as well.

Those sites you recommended doesn't carry the Dicain, only other sites that have little customer reviews (other than eBay seller ratings, which I take at 50% of face value.)

I just wish I could read Korean, so I could get it from Dicain themselves!

[harveyzone]

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with that, but I'd like to leave this open, so people can share experiences with 'cheap' eastern overseas sellers, as well.

Those sites you recommended doesn't carry the Dicain, only other sites that have little customer reviews (other than eBay seller ratings, which I take at 50% of face value.)

I just wish I could read Korean, so I could get it from Dicain themselves!

You could try E-Mailing them. The guy I contacted speaks (well, types) in pretty good english and was very helpful. I believe he was at [email protected]. They also used to have an E-Bay store, which I think was 7thzedi, but I am not 100% sure on that one.

There are also some comments about mybuddyclub here... http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readf ... e=22944679

Personnally, If you have decided to go for the Dicain then I would buy one off of one of the E-Bay stores. As long as you do all he normal checks and use your credit card to pay then you should be fine.