Note: I had initial problems with the device which now appear to be operator error. Read "Update" at the bottom of this article.
Fit and finish is great. Fits on my D700 without issue and looks like it was made for it. Controls work fine. The Zeikos has a rubberized finish where you would grip it for portrait shots, which looks and feels just like the rubber on the D700. Ergonomically it's very nice. My only ergonomic issue is not with the grip, it's with the camera strap which tends to obscure the viewfinder when you turn the camera vertically. But this would be an issue with the MB-D10 also.
The holder for the EN-EL3 is flimsy; be very careful inserting and removing the battery in the plastic holder. I don't know if it's possible to buy the holder separately if it breaks. I don't want to find out.
When using the AA battery pack, the Nikon D700 will fire at its maximum frame rate, which it won't do with the EN-EL3. This is why I bought the product as I take a lot of action shots.
The problem is, after using the AA battery pack for a few minutes, the D700 will throw an error and refuse to fire. I get the same results using fresh non-rechargeables and freshly charged rechargeables. So far I've been able to fix the issue by turning off the camera, removing the battery pack, removing the camera's battery, wait a few seconds, then reinsert the camera battery. I had read that this product can fry your camera's electronics, which I believe is FUD by those who want to sell you the much more expensive Nikon MB-D10. But it is disturbing that the camera errors when using the AA adapter. I have not yet had an error when using the EN-EL3.
This feature (using AA batteries and getting the faster cycle time) was highly desired but doesn't appear to be working. Had this worked, the product would have gotten a higher score.
I've heard that this grip will work with the en-el4a, but the cost of the battery (plus cover and battery charger) is so prohibitive that I've declined to do the experiment.
Update:
I'm changing my rating to 4 stars. I'd change it to 5 stars if Zeikos releases an en-el4 end cap that exactly fits the grip. (See below.)
As mentioned in a reply to this article, I got it working with the AA battery pack by changing a setting in the camera. You have to tell the camera what kind of AA batteries are in the grip. I'm currently using Sony 2500 mAh "CycleEnergy" rechargeables, and they work fine, at the full 8 fps of which the D700 is capable. I take action shots at horse shows, usually 700 -- 800 shots per show, mostly at full continuous speed, and a fully charged set of AAs will lose just one bar off the power meter after a day of shooting. I've also noticed that the Sonys keep their charge at least as long as the Nikon batteries do. I always charge up before a pro shoot, but for casual use I don't bother, and the batteries don't appreciably lose charge sitting in the bag.
After four months of hard use, I've had absolutely no problems with this grip. The rubber coating has not peeled off, there are no cracks or other stress signs, and the grip still attaches solidly to the camera. I've used it handheld and mounted on a tripod with no problems. It's been so convenient that I leave it on the camera. (Which tells me I should have gotten a D3s instead of a D700 but that's another story.)
I did finally spring for the en-el4 battery pack and the official Nikon endcap. The battery pack works fine in the grip. As others have noticed, the official Nikon end cap for the en-el4 does not fit exactly right on the grip. There's a small gap in one spot. It doesn't affect operation, and it's nowhere near your hand, but I would be concerned about weather sealing. I'll use it in dry weather but will probably go back to the Zeikos battery pack when I have to shoot in inclement weather. It's too bad Zeikos doesn't make an end cap that fits properly on this grip. I'd buy one.
I haven't done a lot of shooting yet with the en-el4, but a few tests show that I still get full continuous speed and the camera works flawlessly.
Second update:
I've owned this device 18 months now. I thought I'd be taking it on and off the camera depending on whether I needed the vertical shutter, extra battery capacity or faster frame rate. In practice, I keep the grip on the camera all the time. It gives the camera a more solid feel, and I use the vertical controls a lot more than I thought I would.
I now have two EN-EL4a batteries, and have had no problems using them in the grip. I keep the AA adapter in my bag in case of emergency, but haven't needed in a long time.
I shoot mostly action in outdoor settings, and my camera tends to see hard use. The D700 has scars from being dropped, has part of the paint rubbed off from use, and the rubber on the body is starting to peel away in one spot. You'd think this Chinese made knock-off grip would look even worse, but it is so far showing no significant signs of wear. The rubber is still firmly attached, nothing has rubbed off with use and all the controls still work.
I was a little anxious about buying this because of rumors that it would "fry your camera" or wouldn't hold up to field work, but I now have to admit, this is probably the best sixty bucks I have spent in a long time. Here's hoping Zeikos manages to keep up this level of quality.
Third update:
I've had this grip for two years now. It's rarely off the camera, and has seen heavy use with Nikon EN-EL4 battery packs. (About 20,000 clicks during this time.) It has taken a lot of abuse, including falling out of the car, and still works fine. The only oddity I have noticed is that rarely (about five times in six months) the shutter release on the grip will stop working. I *think* this happens when I swap batteries, but I haven't characterized the problem yet, mostly because it happens so rarely. Turning the camera off, waiting a few seconds, and turning it back on, solves the problem. My current theory is that it happens when I forget to turn off the power when swapping batteries, but don't know for sure yet. Will update again if I find the root cause.
I'm still really happy with this product. I shoot in portrait mode a lot, and the vertical grip is very comfortable. The build quality is excellent.
Update 2016:
This thing is on my camera constantly, only coming off so I can recharge the smaller battery in the camera. The pack is powered exclusively with EN-EL4a power packs. It has more than 60,000 clicks on it in all kinds of environments, and has never failed. A truly remarkable product.
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I just received this Zeikos battery grip for my Nikon D700. Just like most shoppers on Amazon, I read the reviews from people who have tried the product which helped me decide to get this one. The frame is constructed with plastic material and the rubber grip looks and feels identical to the material used on the Nikon D700. They are a perfect match! Installing it was easy without reading the owner's manual. I was able to use my old Nikon D80 batteries including generic brands. I find the built-in cursor to browse the camera menu easier to use than the D700 which may prevent wear on the cursor.It came with the AA battery holder that can hold 8 rechargeable batteries. I tried using the AA battery tray to test if the camera can achieve up to 7fps (d4 under shooting display and select 7fps). This feature "works" if you want to experience the higher fps capability of this camera. Test was conducted using a Nikon 50mm f1.4D lens, jpg, S size, CH mode, indoor using fluorescent lights/incandescent lights, and Eight AA rechargeable Energizer Nimh batteries.With the battery grip on the D700, it fits perfectly on my large hands, and in my opinion, it made it much more stable to shoot hand-held. The added benefit in getting this battery grip are: increased fps provided that you use 8 AA batteries with the included tray/holder, however, you must disable or change some of the camera setting such as the Active D lighting, set a1 to "release" priority instead of focus priority, use a fast lens, and longer shooting time especially if you like to view or edit the images frequently or if you use live view a lot.This product is a winner IMHO and will save you money compared to the original Nikon grip. It doesn't have the Nikon quality and it is made in China. The box claims that it will work with the Nikon D300 and D300s. I don't have neither one of the D300 or D300s, so I can't verify this for you. This is a sweet addition to my bag. Get one! I highly recommend it. But if you have smaller hands or if the Nikon D700 body is already too big for your hands and don't want the extra weight, don't get it. Moving to full frame is already expensive, you'll save some cash if you get this product instead of the original Nikon product. I don't use my camera on long hikes or for professional purposes, so this suits my needs.Edit: If you are still curious, I've posted some pictures above with the D700 to give you an idea on how it looks like with the D700 and 70-200mm VR.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 2, 2015
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Acadianer
It's ok for the wallet
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Stephen J Stephen
A great alternate for the OEM version
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