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Product DetailsStyle: Canon 7D
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Product Description
Style: Canon 7D
The Zeikos CBG7D Battery Power Grip is the perfect compliment to your Canon 7D camera. It effectively doubles your shooting time and allows vertical shooting. It takes either 2 LP-E6 Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries or 6 AA batteries. It dramatically improves stability.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
194 of 201 people found the following review helpful
By sh00bie
Style Name:Canon 7D
Alright, I was skeptical about this after reading so many mixed reviews, but the draw of a battery grip that seemed to be well loaded and at a much cheaper price than Canon's...I couldn't resist.
Am I glad I got this? Definitely!
Okay, let's get things out and open: yes, this is NOT exactly like the Canon battery grip. Duh. It's not made by Canon and it doesn't cost $300. That said, however, this is an amazing "replica" that fits the bill just fine!
I was a little concerned when I got this because of reviews that said it was all plastic and cheap and that it would screw up my camera. My fears were quickly put to rest as soon as I opened the box.
I'm not one to dwell on packaging (if it comes in a brown paper bag but works great, who cares?) but the box for this was good, and the grip was wrapped in a bubble-wrap envelope. There's a protective cover-cap for the connector to keep the pins safe (and the cover isn't flimsy).
Taking the grip out, the first thing I was surprised to notice was that, yes, it DOES have a rubber grip. It's not as rough as the inlaid gripping Canon puts on its cameras, but it is definitely not just a textured part of the plastic. This is a great touch. There's a strap-hook/bar on the bottom, as well as a tripod mount so you can still use a tripod even with the grip installed.
According to the instructions you should always attach/detach the grip with the batteries removed, so that's what I've been doing.
Attaching the grip to the camera is easy. Just pop the battery out of your camera, and take off the battery cover door (there's a spring-clip to detach the door). The grip has a place in the handle where you can store the battery door, which is fantastic. Now you just slide the connection post into the battery slot, and spin the thumb-wheel on the grip to lock the grip into the camera's tripod mount.
The battery compartment is probably the most fragile part of this grip, but unless you go tearing through the electrical innards of your camera like a rabid moose, it's not an issue. Inside the grip is the AA-battery magazine which pops out via two retaining clips. The magazine isn't so sturdy, so some care is needed, but with batteries in it the magazine feels much more reliable. I bought my grip with a kit that came with a spare battery for my camera, and since the grip holds two camera batteries I went ahead and put both in. Close the door, turn the camera on...it's brilliant! The grip feels very sturdy on the camera and I've had no fears in holding my 7D by this grip alone.
There's a little rubber insert that you call pull out (it stays attached to the grip) that allows you to put in a wall-plug adapter into one of the battery bays and still be able to shut the door with the cord coming out. That's a great touch that I thought would be lost on a cheaper grip.
How does it function? There's a switch on the side (or top, depending on how you orient the camera) to turn the grip on or off, which keeps you from accidentally pressing buttons when not in use. Holding the grip, the shutter-release button, top-scroll-wheel, and the M-Fn button are where you'd expect them. On the back (for your thumb) are the AF-ON, exposure lock (*) and AF-point-selection button. All the buttons feel good in quality and function, comparable to the ones on the camera itself. The shutter-release button isn't the same as the camera's button...it feels a bit lighter...but it still functions well and once you've used it a couple times you won't notice it at all.
There are only two downsides to this grip (neither of which would prevent me from buying it). First, the grip is actually quite large. Fortunately I have big hands, but this grip might be a monster for anyone with smaller hands. Second, with the grip on and loaded, the camera is not only heavier but much larger. If you're using a small bag, keep in mind this grip adds about 2-inches to the bottom of the camera.
To conclude, if you are pro and have the money, certainly fork it over for the Canon piece. If you're an amateur or semi-pro photographer who wants a well-featured, well-built grip, without paying for the Canon piece, GET THIS ONE!!!
Am I glad I got this? Definitely!
Okay, let's get things out and open: yes, this is NOT exactly like the Canon battery grip. Duh. It's not made by Canon and it doesn't cost $300. That said, however, this is an amazing "replica" that fits the bill just fine!
I was a little concerned when I got this because of reviews that said it was all plastic and cheap and that it would screw up my camera. My fears were quickly put to rest as soon as I opened the box.
I'm not one to dwell on packaging (if it comes in a brown paper bag but works great, who cares?) but the box for this was good, and the grip was wrapped in a bubble-wrap envelope. There's a protective cover-cap for the connector to keep the pins safe (and the cover isn't flimsy).
Taking the grip out, the first thing I was surprised to notice was that, yes, it DOES have a rubber grip. It's not as rough as the inlaid gripping Canon puts on its cameras, but it is definitely not just a textured part of the plastic. This is a great touch. There's a strap-hook/bar on the bottom, as well as a tripod mount so you can still use a tripod even with the grip installed.
According to the instructions you should always attach/detach the grip with the batteries removed, so that's what I've been doing.
Attaching the grip to the camera is easy. Just pop the battery out of your camera, and take off the battery cover door (there's a spring-clip to detach the door). The grip has a place in the handle where you can store the battery door, which is fantastic. Now you just slide the connection post into the battery slot, and spin the thumb-wheel on the grip to lock the grip into the camera's tripod mount.
The battery compartment is probably the most fragile part of this grip, but unless you go tearing through the electrical innards of your camera like a rabid moose, it's not an issue. Inside the grip is the AA-battery magazine which pops out via two retaining clips. The magazine isn't so sturdy, so some care is needed, but with batteries in it the magazine feels much more reliable. I bought my grip with a kit that came with a spare battery for my camera, and since the grip holds two camera batteries I went ahead and put both in. Close the door, turn the camera on...it's brilliant! The grip feels very sturdy on the camera and I've had no fears in holding my 7D by this grip alone.
There's a little rubber insert that you call pull out (it stays attached to the grip) that allows you to put in a wall-plug adapter into one of the battery bays and still be able to shut the door with the cord coming out. That's a great touch that I thought would be lost on a cheaper grip.
How does it function? There's a switch on the side (or top, depending on how you orient the camera) to turn the grip on or off, which keeps you from accidentally pressing buttons when not in use. Holding the grip, the shutter-release button, top-scroll-wheel, and the M-Fn button are where you'd expect them. On the back (for your thumb) are the AF-ON, exposure lock (*) and AF-point-selection button. All the buttons feel good in quality and function, comparable to the ones on the camera itself. The shutter-release button isn't the same as the camera's button...it feels a bit lighter...but it still functions well and once you've used it a couple times you won't notice it at all.
There are only two downsides to this grip (neither of which would prevent me from buying it). First, the grip is actually quite large. Fortunately I have big hands, but this grip might be a monster for anyone with smaller hands. Second, with the grip on and loaded, the camera is not only heavier but much larger. If you're using a small bag, keep in mind this grip adds about 2-inches to the bottom of the camera.
To conclude, if you are pro and have the money, certainly fork it over for the Canon piece. If you're an amateur or semi-pro photographer who wants a well-featured, well-built grip, without paying for the Canon piece, GET THIS ONE!!!
66 of 69 people found the following review helpful
By Jayse Hansen
Style Name:Canon EOS 5D Mark II|Amazon Verified Purchase
So I took a chance on this one - thanks to the other good review, and I'm glad I did. The box it came in looks a bit dated and I was scared to open it. However once I did I was happy with the quality. I'm used to Nikon grips - so this is definitely lighter and less 'heavy duty' feeling (as all Canon gear is). However testing it out feels solid and I'm actually appreciating the lightweight of canon gear after I add all my accessories and spend all day with it.
So! I've shot three shoots with it - one an all day 13 hour event - outside, inside, dirty trains - steadicam mounted, monopod mounted, shoulderbrace mounted and plain hand-gripped and this performed flawlessly. It REALLY makes the camera much more useable as well I should mention - it's one of those must haves. I compared it with my friend's actual canon grip and the only difference I noticed was his has the rubber grip along the battery compartment back as well as the front.
That's a hugely minor thing tho - and other than that you really can't tell the difference. Solid-wise - usefulness-wise - etc. - it's the same. So I'd say based on a few days of solid use out of it i'm impressed.
Hope that helps!
So! I've shot three shoots with it - one an all day 13 hour event - outside, inside, dirty trains - steadicam mounted, monopod mounted, shoulderbrace mounted and plain hand-gripped and this performed flawlessly. It REALLY makes the camera much more useable as well I should mention - it's one of those must haves. I compared it with my friend's actual canon grip and the only difference I noticed was his has the rubber grip along the battery compartment back as well as the front.
That's a hugely minor thing tho - and other than that you really can't tell the difference. Solid-wise - usefulness-wise - etc. - it's the same. So I'd say based on a few days of solid use out of it i'm impressed.
Hope that helps!
70 of 74 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:Nikon D7000 Digital SLR|Amazon Verified Purchase
I don't normally write product reviews just to avoid redundancy, but seeing how this product only has one review so far, I thought I'd give back to the Amazon's community who has helped me with purchasing decisions on so many occasions. I think what makes my feedback even more valuable is the fact that I also own the Nikon-built battery grip (MB-D11) which at this time is exactly three times the cost of this grip. I know that a lot of the D7000 owners have been waiting for Zeikos to come through with a high quality alternative to the overpriced Nikon grip, so hopefully this review will help you decide if the savings outweigh the compromises (there are few major ones).
I bought the Nikon MB-D11 grip for one of my D7000s just about as soon as it came out (no alternatives available at the time) and have been very happy with it except for its price. Main reason why I use it is to offset the weight of the 70-200mm lens. The second D7000 set-up is never that heavy, so I decided it was worth waiting for the cheap third-party alternative.
The first third-party grip that showed up on Amazon was of Neewer brand. I was ready to pull the trigger as soon as I saw its price (currently 1/6th of Nikon's and 1/2 of Zeikos'), but after reading the reviews discussing a strange issue of "reversed dials" I decided it wasn't really worth the frustration. I shoot for a living in a very fast-paced and constantly changing environment, so I'd hate to take a chance of missing an important shot because the dials on my camera are screwed up. I know this probably makes no difference to those who leave their camera on "Auto", but I depend on correctly functioning equipment thus very biased in this regard.
When Zeikos grip showed up in Amazon's inventory I was ready once again, but not before it had more than one review, except non followed. I figured it was my turn to take one for the team, so here I am.
Amazingly the grip looks like an exact copy of the Nikon MB-D11. I really don't understand how they pull it off without infringing on Nikon's patents, but other than for the slightly different ornament on the rubber piece and the non-rubberized dials it looks exactly the same. Even the outside plastic's texture matches Nikon's indistinguishably.
Unfortunately that's where the similarities end. Simply put, it feels like Zeikos didn't invest any effort into this grip other than in its looks. The first thing I noticed after attaching it to the camera is the wobbling and rattling lock wheel. The same annoying wheel that plagued the D90's grip. You can't even move your camera without it sounding like rattle-toy. Seems like Zeikos didn't bother to listen to the numerous complaints related to that issue from their previous product releases. I agree that it's not a deal-breaker (to most) and just an annoyance without any measurable effect on performance, but why is it still there years later, when it could've been easily eliminated in just 5 minutes of basic engineering effort?
Even though this grip looks like an exact copy of Nikon's, for some reason it doesn't have as good of a fit. It does appear to be as flush, but when I apply a little bit of force to the corner closest to the shutter release button, I'm easily able to achieve about 1/8th of an inch of separation. Does it mean the camera may come loose? I really don't know, but I can't say I'd have 100% confidence in it when a really heavy lens is attached. Probably more like 99%, but that's enough to make you question whether the price difference between this grip and Nikon's is worth risking several thousand dollars worth of equipment for.
Another gripe, though not a really big one was the non-rubberized command dials. Unlike Nikon's, these are made of hard plastic and don't stick to your fingers. It's somewhat difficult to get a full rotation from one side to the other while doing so in a hurry. Not a major thing, but just as silly as the awful lock-wheel. I doubt it would've added more than a few cents extra per wheel if Zeikos had chosen to use ones of better quality.
The most disturbing thing about this grip was discovered after I'd turned on the camera. The camera detected the grip without any problems, focused just fine and also took pictures. But lo and behold, the darn command dials were reversed!!!
And that's when I went ahead and printed the return shipping label. I could've lived with all the other flaws, but the sole reason for getting this grip instead of the cheaper Neewer was the need for uncompromised functionality. Instead I got the same thing but for double the price.
Verdict:
As overpriced as Nikon MB-D11 is, it's still the best grip currently available and should be the one you get if money is not an issue, while Neweer's somewhat flawed grip should be considered as a solid alternative for the budget-conscious because it's dirt-cheap and reliable. Zeikos on the other hand, brings absolutely nothing new to the table in terms of quality and price. Just as flawed as the Neweer grip (as far as I know they are the same grip sold under different names), but for double the price. Hence the two stars.
*****************UPDATE********************
Before returning this item I decided to test my theory of whether Neweer and Zeikos grips are the same thing under different names. After inspecting them closely next to each other I can confirm this. Only thing that's different is the label. Though the label on the Neweer actually says Meike and so does the box. Makes no difference either way, just odd that it isn't listed as such on Amazon.
As for my search for a perfect alternative to the expensive MB-D11 - it's still on, but at the same time I decided to keep the Neweer/Mike grip until something better comes along or until the MB-D11 gets a major price-cut. Neweer will work just fine for some light use on my secondary camera and it's still better than no grip at all, since I will not be getting another Nikon MB-D11 at its current price.
I bought the Nikon MB-D11 grip for one of my D7000s just about as soon as it came out (no alternatives available at the time) and have been very happy with it except for its price. Main reason why I use it is to offset the weight of the 70-200mm lens. The second D7000 set-up is never that heavy, so I decided it was worth waiting for the cheap third-party alternative.
The first third-party grip that showed up on Amazon was of Neewer brand. I was ready to pull the trigger as soon as I saw its price (currently 1/6th of Nikon's and 1/2 of Zeikos'), but after reading the reviews discussing a strange issue of "reversed dials" I decided it wasn't really worth the frustration. I shoot for a living in a very fast-paced and constantly changing environment, so I'd hate to take a chance of missing an important shot because the dials on my camera are screwed up. I know this probably makes no difference to those who leave their camera on "Auto", but I depend on correctly functioning equipment thus very biased in this regard.
When Zeikos grip showed up in Amazon's inventory I was ready once again, but not before it had more than one review, except non followed. I figured it was my turn to take one for the team, so here I am.
Amazingly the grip looks like an exact copy of the Nikon MB-D11. I really don't understand how they pull it off without infringing on Nikon's patents, but other than for the slightly different ornament on the rubber piece and the non-rubberized dials it looks exactly the same. Even the outside plastic's texture matches Nikon's indistinguishably.
Unfortunately that's where the similarities end. Simply put, it feels like Zeikos didn't invest any effort into this grip other than in its looks. The first thing I noticed after attaching it to the camera is the wobbling and rattling lock wheel. The same annoying wheel that plagued the D90's grip. You can't even move your camera without it sounding like rattle-toy. Seems like Zeikos didn't bother to listen to the numerous complaints related to that issue from their previous product releases. I agree that it's not a deal-breaker (to most) and just an annoyance without any measurable effect on performance, but why is it still there years later, when it could've been easily eliminated in just 5 minutes of basic engineering effort?
Even though this grip looks like an exact copy of Nikon's, for some reason it doesn't have as good of a fit. It does appear to be as flush, but when I apply a little bit of force to the corner closest to the shutter release button, I'm easily able to achieve about 1/8th of an inch of separation. Does it mean the camera may come loose? I really don't know, but I can't say I'd have 100% confidence in it when a really heavy lens is attached. Probably more like 99%, but that's enough to make you question whether the price difference between this grip and Nikon's is worth risking several thousand dollars worth of equipment for.
Another gripe, though not a really big one was the non-rubberized command dials. Unlike Nikon's, these are made of hard plastic and don't stick to your fingers. It's somewhat difficult to get a full rotation from one side to the other while doing so in a hurry. Not a major thing, but just as silly as the awful lock-wheel. I doubt it would've added more than a few cents extra per wheel if Zeikos had chosen to use ones of better quality.
The most disturbing thing about this grip was discovered after I'd turned on the camera. The camera detected the grip without any problems, focused just fine and also took pictures. But lo and behold, the darn command dials were reversed!!!
And that's when I went ahead and printed the return shipping label. I could've lived with all the other flaws, but the sole reason for getting this grip instead of the cheaper Neewer was the need for uncompromised functionality. Instead I got the same thing but for double the price.
Verdict:
As overpriced as Nikon MB-D11 is, it's still the best grip currently available and should be the one you get if money is not an issue, while Neweer's somewhat flawed grip should be considered as a solid alternative for the budget-conscious because it's dirt-cheap and reliable. Zeikos on the other hand, brings absolutely nothing new to the table in terms of quality and price. Just as flawed as the Neweer grip (as far as I know they are the same grip sold under different names), but for double the price. Hence the two stars.
*****************UPDATE********************
Before returning this item I decided to test my theory of whether Neweer and Zeikos grips are the same thing under different names. After inspecting them closely next to each other I can confirm this. Only thing that's different is the label. Though the label on the Neweer actually says Meike and so does the box. Makes no difference either way, just odd that it isn't listed as such on Amazon.
As for my search for a perfect alternative to the expensive MB-D11 - it's still on, but at the same time I decided to keep the Neweer/Mike grip until something better comes along or until the MB-D11 gets a major price-cut. Neweer will work just fine for some light use on my secondary camera and it's still better than no grip at all, since I will not be getting another Nikon MB-D11 at its current price.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
After market power pack for the Nikon D300 does the job!
Considering the amount of money saved vs. the Nikon Brand name this was a no brainer! It does everything that is needed and does it well! Great buy!
Published 14 hours ago by J. Schudda
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just as good Sony!
Just as good as the Sony grip for a fraction of the price.
Highly recommended as all the same features are there.
Highly recommended as all the same features are there.
Published 1 day ago by James J. Buono
3.0 out of 5 stars
Battery Grip Review
I purchased the battery grip about a month or so ago. I purchased it to compliment my Canon EOS T41 digital camera. Read more
Published 1 day ago by lee0727
1.0 out of 5 stars
Grip will short out
I bought this grip for my D600. I worked for about 1.5 months (very light use as most of my photography is shot in the landscape position and I have found these non-OEM parts... Read more
Published 2 days ago by E. Browne
4.0 out of 5 stars
Does What it was designed to do
For all those who may be skeptical don't be. This product adds comfort to you D600 and helps you enjoy shooting even more. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Thion L.
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's ok, I bought it, Had some trouble, but ended up keeping it...
While I was quite satisfied with this grip in terms of how it feels and how well it worked, I am though very disappointed to say,
that this grip has 2 main drawbacks. Read more
that this grip has 2 main drawbacks. Read more
Published 3 days ago by daniil bondarenko
4.0 out of 5 stars
zeikos battery grip - D600
the unit functions as expected and is much more reasonably priced than its nikon counterpart. the only discernible difference is that the nikon unit is slightly more sturdy in... Read more
Published 7 days ago by edward sancious
5.0 out of 5 stars
Battery Power Grip for Canon 7D
This product has worked out just great. It helps me hold on to the camera during shoots. It attaches to the camera perfectly and is easy to get on and off.
Published 15 days ago by Tammie Snodgrass
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very fast
I have not used it too much but it works, very well for all of the sports photos our company does.
Published 16 days ago by Thills
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great addition!
I'm new to photography but I snap lots of pictures and this give me the chance to continuously shoot with going through me bag for batteries.
Published 17 days ago by Eddie L.
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