Battery Grips and 3rd Party Battery Grips

mehfesto

Hey all,

Quick question to anyone using battery grips - is there a massive difference between battery grips and their cheaper counterparts?

I'm looking and the MB-D10 (approx €200-300, online) but see that there are other brands such as the Zaikos which come in at half that price (including a 'free' battery)

Now, I'm aware you get what you pay for, but is there that much of a difference to be noticed between them?

Thanks!

mrboswell

mehfesto wrote: »

Hey all,

Quick question to anyone using battery grips - is there a massive difference between battery grips and their cheaper counterparts?

I'm looking and the MB-D10 (approx €200-300, online) but see that there are other brands such as the Zaikos which come in at half that price (including a 'free' battery)

Now, I'm aware you get what you pay for, but is there that much of a difference to be noticed between them?

Thanks!

I've had 2 phottix battery grips - never had a problem and their batteries last longer than the Canon ones!

Nforce

I got the Phottix grip recently for my D300...came with 2 free batteries...all for the princely sum of around €50!!!
I tried it with the Phottix Kosmo EN-EL4a battery pack and can confirm that it works even though they stated that it wouldn't!:D

mehfesto

Cheers!
Are the phottix grips plastic-y? As in noticeably so? I won't be putting it through some bashing, but I do just need longer battery life, 6fps and the vertical shutter release.

Will a phottix take care of all these?

pixbyjohn

I use a D700 and a couple of D80 cameras and have a spurious battery grip with spurious battery/batteries and never had a problem so far.

mehfesto

Any sites used by anyone here?
Or is it just eBay?

Nforce

mehfesto wrote: »

Cheers!
Are the phottix grips plastic-y? As in noticeably so? I won't be putting it through some bashing, but I do just need longer battery life, 6fps and the vertical shutter release.

Will a phottix take care of all these?

Yep..A Phottix is what you need.
I suppose it's plasticy alright....but doesn't bother me considering the price.
I've a Phottix grip on my D80 too and never a problem in 2 years I've had it. I bought both from ebay...shipping will take ~10 days from Hong Kong IIRC. Bear in mind that you're liable to pay import duties on these items...didn't affect me,though as I've a "system"!!!:eek::p;)

mehfesto

Nforce wrote: »

Yep..A Phottix is what you need.
I suppose it's plasticy alright....but doesn't bother me considering the price.
I've a Phottix grip on my D80 too and never a problem in 2 years I've had it. I bought both from ebay...shipping will take ~10 days from Hong Kong IIRC. Bear in mind that you're liable to pay import duties on these items...didn't affect me,though as I've a "system"!!!:eek::p;)

Does this system involve wearing a fake mustache to the collection point and doing a bad impression of an impassioned Latin? 'Coz if it does, we'll have to swap tactics...

Cool. I splashed out on it there, 70 quid with a battery. Sounds good to me.
Import Duty is at about 21% iirc, so it's still significantly cheaper. Will post results when it arrives... if it arrives. :eek:

Tallon

Bought a third party one on ebay for 45 euro and have absolutely no issues with it

Nforce

mehfesto wrote: »

Does this system involve wearing a fake mustache to the collection point and doing a bad impression of an impassioned Latin? 'Coz if it does, we'll have to swap tactics...

Cool. I splashed out on it there, 70 quid with a battery. Sounds good to me.
Import Duty is at about 21% iirc, so it's still significantly cheaper. Will post results when it arrives... if it arrives. :eek:

Nah..they've cottoned on to the pseudo Latino.:p

Kintarō Hattori

I bought a 3rd battery (cheapo Chinese) grip from eBay for about €50. Using it the last week or so and I have no complaints about the build quality- it seems pretty solid. Like yourself I wasn't sure whether to go original or third party, especially as the price difference is so huge. Reading up online the majority of folk seem to go 3rd party and have no complaints.

coolmoose

3rd party grip on my D200 - Phottix. No hassles, came with 2 spare batteries.

Effects

I have a phottix one for my 5D and I've never been happy with it. Seems like I'm the only one here who'es had trouble. At first it was focusing on it's own without me pressing the button. I tried it again yesterday after having it on the shelf for ages. When I press the play button to review my photos with the grip attached it doesn'r work. The camera also doesn't go into the sleep mode with it attached, with the grip turned on or off. It seems to be draining the battery too. Maybe I just got a dud. The build quality is quite good though and the rubber grip is pretty good.

the_syco

Are there any particular good ebay shops that are based in the UK? Looking to get a battery grip that includes the 2 batteries from a UK based ebay shop. It'll be for a Canon 450D.

Slidinginfinity

the_syco wrote: »

Are there any particular good ebay shops that are based in the UK? Looking to get a battery grip that includes the 2 batteries from a UK based ebay shop. It'll be for a Canon 450D.

I think the guy on ebay for canon is kerso. Seems to be recommended by quite a few people around here. I have no first hand experience with him, since he doesn't really do Nikon.

pixbyjohn

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Battery-Grip-Canon-BG-E5-EOS-450D-1000D-LP-E5-x-2-/280572642219?pt=UK_Photography_DigitalCamBatt_RL&hash=item41536ec3ab
and
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Battery-Grip-Canon-1000D-450D-2x-LP-E5-Batt-BG-E5-/140469268613?pt=UK_Photography_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item20b49ef085

the_syco

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

I think the guy on ebay for canon is kerso. Seems to be recommended by quite a few people around here. I have no first hand experience with him, since he doesn't really do Nikon.

I actually bought me camera off him

Hrm. Will fire off an email to him about grips.

pixbyjohn: are they shops you found, or have you used them?