I own TWo Zeikos battery grips that I purchased on Amazon. One on my D300, one on my D700. These are now almost three years old and work flawlessly. And I mean flawlessly. They came with proper inserts for the ENEL3A battery, and also the insert for the AA batteries.
I have nothing but good things to say about Zeikos. My review of this product is also on Amazon.

J

kaptures said:
can't find a delete post option, so... this is that. my bad.

But you can "edit" and change what you want to modify... this only for 24hrs.

uh-oh, my wi-fi sux and looks like it re-posted. doh! my bad.

can't find a delete post option, so... this is that. my bad.

Hi,

I've not used a third-party grip, but have owned the Nikon D300 and its Nikon grip (MB-D10?) since its release- was it late 2007? I've read really, really great reviews of the Vivitar D300/D700 grip and I'd try it instead of the expensive Nikon one if I could make my decision over again. No question, no hesitation.

I actually have a BIG issue with the Nikon grip. Again, since I've not used a third-party I can't speak if they would have the same problem for me. On the Nikon MB-D10 grip, the placement of the little AF controller/joystick is TERRIBLE. It forces me to remove the "pad" of my right thumb to reach it, with the "web" between my thumb and index finger more closely touching the grip where my thumb pad should be resting (IMHO).

If I try to use the corner of my thumb to "move" the joystick, I almost always "press" the center "reset to center AF position". This is lame. I don't have sausage-like fingers and am fairly dextrous, you might have to take my word on this.

I just wish:

1) they put a separate, dedicated center button
2) the controller was more "(raised) joystick" than flat-button controller
3) placement was improved
4) MORE movement were required to actuate the control/movement
5) maybe a firmware on-camera menu could allow faster/slow AF-point control movement

So, I have to used the EDGE of my thumbnail to click AF towards LEFT. I actually find I have to take my eye away from the camera and nearly use both hands to move the AF point to the right- this is so ridiculous. For up and down, (to be sure I don't "reset to center") I have to use my thumbnail again. Which means contorting my thumb to get "under" or "over" the right joystick position. This all changes my hand position SIGNIFICANTLY.

Distracting as H3LL for me when I'm doing a pet portrait shoot or BIF's/wildlife or sports or anything where a perfect candid/moment might present itself at any time.

Methinks I've seen that now Nikon has created a 5th "center" dedicated button for its newer grip offerings. Thank goodness for any new grip owners. The 4-way controller sucks for me, I wish mine had a slightly "raised" knobby joystick protrusion to control w/ my thumb and maintain my hand position on my camera (often with some heavy f/2.8 of fast prime glass).

I realize in this day and age, many buy online and can't "test" a grip first. I actually got mine at a local Calumet, and thought the initial issues I had I would get past after a short period of "getting used to"... I've never had these problems with my MB-15 (?) grip for my Nikon F100. I'd say test the controls if you can locally, before making a buying decision.

3+ years and over 80,000 images later, I still hate my grip's design. And I paid the Nikon premium. I absolutely hate it. Sometimes I literally take my eye away, hold my camera in both hands, and reach to the body's AF controller pad to change the AF point (instead of using the grip AF controller). duh. Sucks beyond belief.

Just make sure to check, I don't think most 3rd party grips offer faster fps if your Nikon grip would allow such. Yeah, sometimes 8 fps with my grip is really nice compared to the 6 fps of the body. And from all I originally read (IIRC), the 3rd party grips didn't offer 8 fps for my D300. *sigh*

I doubt I'd EVER buy another Nikon grip. Batteries are different. I don't like that Nikon charges a premium for batteries, but I've had two different off-brand batteries that have died and no longer hold a charge. Why should Nikon charge 250% of competitors' $ price when they only re-badge a battery anyways? Nikon makes glass, sensors, circuit boards, cameras, etc... I can't stand spending $45-60 for a Nikon battery, but I won't trust a 3rd party battery again. I know others have great success w/ discount batteries... I hate doing it, but I buy Nikon spare batteries.

I'd go 3rd party grips.
I'd buy Nikon branded batteries.

Just my opinions, obviously YMMV.

Cheers.
- david

Shinho62_uk said:
the manual says the lock switch on the grip is not a power switch and you should use the power switch on the camera, on my grip the camera will not work until i have moved the lock switch on the grip, is this happening on other REAL MB-D11 grips ??.. thanks

That is exactly the way it is supposed to work and is the same for my MB-D10. You have to turn the camera on and off with the power switch on the camera and you can lock/unlock the second trigger from working or not. This actually comes in handy as my hand covers the secondary trigger when in landscape mode and I have triggered it unintentionally.

Don't worry, that hand grip is the real deal.

As for a third party grip. I carry my D700 with any of the f2.8 zooms by the grip with a Black Rapid strap. Not sure how comfortable I would be doing that with a third party grip. I do trust the Nikon battery grip to be able to handle that.

Shinho62_uk said:
on my grip the camera will not work until i have moved the lock switch on the grip, is this happening on other REAL MB-D11 grips ??.. thanks

What is happening is that the lock switch doesn't match the lock switch on the camera... My grips do this I don't know about others.

Both of my prime shooters use off-brand grips and I find that while pretty good they go bad over time. The command dials on my Mb-d80 knockoff on my d90 have gradually required more rotations to switch the SS or F-stop. Right not it needs 7 clicks for what the body only does 1. The first grip (knockoff) on my D200 fell apart (not surprising with my history of camera usage) so I got a genuine Nikon and the only advantage is obviously stronger plastic (I wish it was magnesium alloy)

Unless you are using your camera like a war photographer the knockoff's seem fine, just expect a shorter lifespan...

adamz said:
my original grip for my d200 (which got broken shortly after the warranty ended)

It sucks that the original isn't up to the same build standards as the body or the D300s grip for that matter

Hi i have purchased what i think is a genuine battery grip for my D7000, it has nikon box, instructions all it should have including a warranty registration card, so all looks good, but the manual says the lock switch on the grip is not a power switch and you should use the power switch on the camera, on my grip the camera will not work until i have moved the lock switch on the grip, is this happening on other REAL MB-D11 grips ??.. thanks

used 3rd party one on D80
my friend is using 3rd party one on d300
and Im using one on d700 (and I use it a lot) have no complains

just make sure when you get one that it supports all the functionality of the one you need
(2 dials and pre focus)

I'm using third party grip for my d90 and it works perfectly, which unfortunately I can't say about my original grip for my d200 (which got broken shortly after the warranty ended). Generally if I was going to do the purchase once again I will go for replacement where the original grip is made of plastic, and go for the branded one where the original is made of metal.

You know, I hear from a lot of people that the off-brand grips work just as well and cost way less. People with the Nikon branded grips (at least two) have both stated that they recommend off brand ones and they regretted paying the extra.

I haven't used them myself, but that's my input!

Has anyone purchased one of these for their Nikon? I've been wondering about the quality of these units, how do they stack up against the actual Nikon Grip?

Thanks!