Gripper

Gripper Review

I've been using the Zacuto Gripper for the past couple of months and thought I'd do a quick review. The first thing I need to say about this battery system is it's very affordable! It only costs $260 for a 75W battery and $90 for the charger. That's a huge win for anyone in the market for an external power solution. I've used it mostly with my Sony A7s to power the Zacuto Gratical Eye EVF, but could also see this as a way to power my camera with the appropriate P-tap dummy battery

The Gripper is fairly light weight (1.5 lbs), at least compared to my Anton Bauer Digital 90 (2 lbs). It has two P-taps, one on the front and another on the back, as well as a LED fuel gauge so you know how much power you have remaining

The Gripper mounts horizontally to a rig via two 15mm rods and has two P-taps so you can power multiply devices.

The Gripper mounts horizontally to a rig via two 15mm rods and has two P-taps so you can power multiply devices.

One thing I really like about the Gripper system is I don't need any accessories to mount it to my rig besides a couple of 15mm rods. There's no need for a cheese plate and you don't need a battery mounting plate, which usually runs you anywhere from $150 to $300. So when I use the Gripper it's much easier to work with, which saves me time.

Another huge win is this battery is UN approved so you pack it in your carry on luggage and can fly with it.

Who will get the most out of the battery system? I really see the Gripper being used mostly by folks shooting with DSLR's, mirrorless cameras and smaller prosumer cameras like the Canon C100 MkII. If you are using larger cameras like the Alexa or any RED camera you are probably going to use a gold mount or V-mount system. The Gripper is perfect for a small to medium sized rig. If you are like me, and have invested in a Zacuto Recoil rig the Gripper is a great add on.

The Zacuto Gratical Eye powered via the Gripper and mounted to the Indie Recoil.

The Zacuto Gratical Eye powered via the Gripper and mounted to the Indie Recoil.