Battery grips: Canon vs. Flashpoint vs. Zeikos?

photobug · December 18, 2009

I just sold my Canon 40D + BG-E2 battery grip and acquired a Canon 7D body. I expect to get a battery grip for it in the next few weeks ... hmm, but which one?

I'm considering the $200 Canon BG-E7 grip, but also Adorama's $85 Flashpoint grip for the 7D [update: it's popular enough that the price nudged up to $90 - still a bargain]. And it's always possible that Zeikos will come out with a 7D grip before I make my purchase.

Has anyone had experience with an Adorama Flashpoint or Zeikos battery grip that they could share? How well-made are they, compared to Canon grips? How well (tightly) do they fit the camera body? Are they missing any features, compared to the Canon grip? Do they add any new features than Canon's grip doesn't have?

thanks for any info you can provide!

System · December 18, 2009

I can't answer for Canon stuff but in the Nikon world, the Nikon battery grip was/is a better choice. The "fit and finish" is better. I have had a Taurus brand grip and now have the Nikon so from that point of view I to have experience. I hope this helps make your choice.

Manfr3d · December 18, 2009

I'd recommend Phottix Grips. I have one for a 500D (XTi) and one for my 5D II. Very durable and inexpensive. Search the forum to find some reviews.

photobug · December 18, 2009

Thanks for your postings so far...

Re Phottix -- I can't locate a Phottix grip for the 7D; it's probably not out yet...

davev · December 19, 2009

I have bought the canon grip for the XSi, and 30D. I have also bought a 3rd party grip for
my canon 5DMKII. I can truthfully say that I can see or feel no difference between the grips.
The canon grip for the MKII was $280, the 3rd party grip was $105.

YMMV.

photobug · December 19, 2009

davev wrote:

I have bought the canon grip for the XSi, and 30D. I have also bought a 3rd party grip for
my canon 5DMKII. I can truthfully say that I can see or feel no difference between the grips.
The canon grip for the MKII was $280, the 3rd party grip was $105.

And therefore, the $64,000 question is ... what brand was your 3rd-party grip?

thanks!

davev · December 19, 2009

photobug wrote:

And therefore, the $64,000 question is ... what brand was your 3rd-party grip?

thanks!

I just looked .... it's a Zeikos.

zypher · December 19, 2009

Zeikos...not out yet but from the reviews i've read they are great...

ziggy53 · December 19, 2009

zypher wrote:

Zeikos...not out yet but from the reviews i've read they are great...

Zypher, welcome to the Digital Grin.

Thanks for your comment.

John Mueller · December 22, 2009

I can't confirm this,but I have read the BG-E7 has new and improved seal.
My only complaint is the shutter release is super sensitive. You breath on it and it fires????

gecko0 · December 22, 2009

i emailed Zeikos a few days ago to ask for the release date on the 7D grip. they replied quickly and said "2 weeks". i've read other posts that have said the same thing, but they asked weeks ago...so the actual release date is a mystery.

i'll probably go with the Zeikos, if it ever comes out, otherwise the Canon brand.

gecko0 · January 25, 2010

just a follow-up on this...I placed an order for the Zeikos 7D grip and a 2nd battery. I'll report back with impressions once it arrives later this week!

photobug · January 25, 2010

Bought the Adorama Flashpoint grip for 7D
Quick update:

I ended up ordering the Adorama's $85 Flashpoint grip for the 7D. It was on back-order for a couple of weeks, then bingo! it showed up in the mail. I've used it a bit and so far, so good -- it seems to work as well on my 7D as my Canon BG-E2 grip did on my old 40D.

And as a 7D grip, the Flashpoint one is 1/2 the price of Canon's, making me a happy camper

. So far, it seems like a very good value.

ziggy53 · January 25, 2010

photobug wrote:

Quick update:

I ended up ordering the Adorama's $85 Flashpoint grip for the 7D. It was on back-order for a couple of weeks, then bingo! it showed up in the mail. I've used it a bit and so far, so good -- it seems to work as well as my Canon BG-E2 grip on my old 40D. And as a 7D grip, the Flashpoint one is 1/2 the price of Canon's, making me a happy camper .

Congratulations and thanks for the update and recommendation.

HelenOster · February 1, 2010

Message from Helen at Adorama

photobug wrote:

Quick update:

I ended up ordering the Adorama's $85 Flashpoint grip for the 7D.....it seems to work as well as my Canon BG-E2 grip on my old 40D. And as a 7D grip, the Flashpoint one is 1/2 the price of Canon's, making me a happy camper .

Don't forget my contact details if you need any after-sales support!

photobug · February 1, 2010

HelenOster wrote:

Don't forget my contact details if you need any after-sales support!

Thanks, Helen! I'm filing it away right now. Hopefully the Flashpoint grip will work flawlessly for years and I won't need to contact you

.

I appreciate that you're monitoring DGrin (no doubt especially re mentions of Adorama/Flashpoint).

BTW, I had previously shifted most of my buisness to a competitor of yours (I'm sure you know which one) because it offered free shipping to NAPP members. But now that Adorama offers free shipping on some items to everyone and free shipping on ALL items to NAPP members, Adorama is back on my "preferred vendor" list ;-).

JohnRog · February 10, 2010

I also purchased the flashpoint grip for my 7d....I've had the grip since early January, and so far, it works great. The camera is so much easier to hold in portrait AND landscape positions. All of the controls work as they should. An interesting side-note.... the instructions that came with mine don't have any brand name listed on them at all, but every reference to the grip calls it BG-E7... almost as if it was literally a copy of the Canon instructions... regardless though, it was well worth the wait to save over $100.00 on a product that works as well as this...

ssimmonsphoto · February 11, 2010

JohnRog wrote:

I also purchased the flashpoint grip for my 7d....I've had the grip since early January, and so far, it works great. The camera is so much easier to hold in portrait AND landscape positions. All of the controls work as they should. An interesting side-note.... the instructions that came with mine don't have any brand name listed on them at all, but every reference to the grip calls it BG-E7... almost as if it was literally a copy of the Canon instructions... regardless though, it was well worth the wait to save over $100.00 on a product that works as well as this...

Thanks for the advice. This is just what I was looking for when I logged in today. Now I've ordered the Flashpoint even though it's backordered so I have it for my 7D that I bought last night. Woot!

bokster · June 28, 2011

Zeikos Battery Grip Issue
Hi:

Well I purchased the Zeikos BG-E2N battery grip from B&H for my Canon 30D. Received the item and tried to install it into my camera but guess what? It wouldn't fit because I received the wrong grip! Even thought the box and label on the grip say Canon 30D/40D/50D. Came to find out, I received one that was for Canon 5D. So frustrated!

Has anyone had the same problem? Is this an one-off issue?

photobug · June 28, 2011

Flashpoint grip ... still tickin'
Just by way of additional follow-up ... I've had the Flashpoint grip on my 7D for a year and a half now, and it still works flawlessly. I haven't been able to shoot as much as usual in the last year, so can't say I've subjected it to a lot of abuse, but so far am certainly as happy with it as I had been with previous Canon brand battery grips. This Flashpoint grip seems to be a good product and a great value.

ziggy53 · June 28, 2011

bokster wrote: »

Hi:

Well I purchased the Zeikos BG-E2N battery grip from B&H for my Canon 30D. Received the item and tried to install it into my camera but guess what? It wouldn't fit because I received the wrong grip! Even thought the box and label on the grip say Canon 30D/40D/50D. Came to find out, I received one that was for Canon 5D. So frustrated!

...

B&H has a marvelous after-purchase support system. Just send it back.

That does sound like a Zeikos packaging error.

bokster · June 29, 2011

I reordered and received the same wrong item again! Maybe it's the batch at B&H. I sure hope so as I just bought another one directly from Amazon.

henryp · June 30, 2011

bokster wrote: »

Well I purchased the Zeikos BG-E2N battery grip from B&H for my Canon 30D. Received the item and tried to install it into my camera but guess what? It wouldn't fit because I received the wrong grip! Even thought the box and label on the grip say Canon 30D/40D/50D. Came to find out, I received one that was for Canon 5D. So frustrated!

I am sorry for this frustrating experience. I've alerted our brand manager for this product and we'll have our inventory checked. In the meantime I see our customer service dept has issued return authorization with pre-paid UPS labels to expedite your returning the mis-packaged items.

bokster · June 30, 2011

HenryP:

Just to be clear – I am not faulting B&H. It's probably the shipment you received from supplier. B&H has always been responsive and provide excellent service.!

LordKwaz · July 1, 2011

Just the thread i needed. Think ill just make my way over to BH or Adorama and give these grips a testdrive on sunday

ziggy53 · July 1, 2011

WTG Henry and B&H. A class act, through and through.

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Battery grips: Canon vs. Flashpoint vs. Zeikos?

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