Review - Zeikos grip for Nikon D300/D700

[Joe_Lorenzini]

So I got a D300 and was looking to get the grip. Luckily I have a good friend who lent me their Nikon grip to try out and afterwards I knew I needed to get myself one...

First off, there are some advantages to getting the grip for the D300. It allows you to use an EN-EL4 battery (the one used in the D2X/D3 bodies), it gives you faster frames per second and it provides the vertical shutter.

So I looked up what you need from Nikon and it came to this:
1. The MB-D10 grip
B&H price of $259.95: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/519905-REG/Nikon_25359_MB_D10_Multi_Power_Battery_Grip.html
2. If you want to use the EN-EL4 you also need the BL-3 battery cover:
B&H price of $39.95: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/352129-REG/Nikon_4782_BL_3_Battery_Chamber_Cover.html

So you're looking at about $300 for the set and in my opinion, it's worth it.

In looking for the best price possible I stumbled across the Zeikos ZE-NBG300 grip for the D300/D700. Here's the link on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Zeikos-ZE-NBG...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1240933987&sr=8-1

No only is it cheaper, it also includes the battery cover as part of the package (along with the AA & EN-EL3e adapters). Due to the substantial savings I decided to try it out.

I paid $105 for the Zeikos, it's now on Amazon for $82.84!

The grip came and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. In short, the grip works exactly as the Nikon version does but at a third of the cost. The only thing I would say in Nikon's favor is that their grip seems to be a bit more contoured and comfortable (but not by much!).

Here's the Zeikos web site which contains products for both Nikon and Canon cameras:
http://www.zeikos.com

So if you're looking for a grip for you D300/D700, consider the Zeikos, you won't be disappointed!

Joe

 

[phillypino215]

looks like a decent alternative...

 

[Boris Badenov]

Jabidy-jibit!
I did not even know that third party grips are available... oh well

 

[GH41]

That all sounds good until you have a grip or battery related warranty issue. I don't care how you spend your money but it amazes me how people spend good money to start and then try to cheap out every chance they get. I don't understand the logic. GH

 

[Allan]

Does it work with the EN-EL4 battery?

 

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Does it work with the EN-EL4 battery?

Yep.

 

[Joe_Lorenzini]

That all sounds good until you have a grip or battery related warranty issue. I don't care how you spend your money but it amazes me how people spend good money to start and then try to cheap out every chance they get. I don't understand the logic. GH

Ha! I'm glad they got to you.

I could buy THREE of these before I'd have to shed a tear about a warranty issue with the "name brand" version.

I guess that goes for lenses too right? CF cards? Only Lexar and Sandisk for you? Or is it just international vs USA versions? Batteries? All name brands huh? Good for you rich guy.

Either way, spend your hard earned money on a trinket instead of the important stuff. While your "brand name" grip dies because you could only afford one battery, I'll be switching out my third battery and still shooting. And that's all that matters.

Your attitude is so 2006.

Joe

 

[Big Daddy]

Thanks for the comparison. Question -- when the grip is tightened against the body, does it fit as snugly and tightly as the Nikon grip? E.g. if you twist the grip forward/backward against the body, is there any play or general movement that's different between the two?

And another question -- is the sensitivity of the shutter button the same as the Nikon?

Thanks!

 

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Thanks for the comparison. Question -- when the grip is tightened against the body, does it fit as snugly and tightly as the Nikon grip? E.g. if you twist the grip forward/backward against the body, is there any play or general movement that's different between the two?

And another question -- is the sensitivity of the shutter button the same as the Nikon?

Thanks!

I got a chance to use both and didn't notice any difference in the connection. It connects the same way the Nikon version does and did not come loose at any point (and I used it aggressively for two consecutive 12 hour shoots). I had no problem holding the setup by the grip.

 

[rgordin]

Your attitude is so 2006.

What does this mean?

 

[Yulia]

Ha! I'm glad they got to you.

I could buy THREE of these before I'd have to shed a tear about a warranty issue with the "name brand" version.

I guess that goes for lenses too right? CF cards? Only Lexar and Sandisk for you? Or is it just international vs USA versions? Batteries? All name brands huh? Good for you rich guy.

Either way, spend your hard earned money on a trinket instead of the important stuff. While your "brand name" grip dies because you could only afford one battery, I'll be switching out my third battery and still shooting. And that's all that matters.

Your attitude is so 2006.

Joe

I think what he meant is that you void your Nikon warranty by using non-Nikon grip...

 

[lcrazyaznl]

Wow looks great i'm currently using the mb-d10 with the phottix kosmo battery. Works like a charm!

 

[dhean]

To the OP, thanks for testing the grip out for the rest of us who may be interested.

 

[panda-R]

I think what he meant is that you void your Nikon warranty by using non-Nikon grip...

using it won't void your warranty.

If a 3rd party grip destroys your camera, it'll void your warranty but it has to be proven than the 3rd party device caused the damage. Can't lay blame to others simply by 'using' them.

 

[Yulia]

using it won't void your warranty.

If a 3rd party grip destroys your camera, it'll void your warranty but it has to be proven than the 3rd party device caused the damage. Can't lay blame to others simply by 'using' them.

that's what i tried to say, sorry my English is not that great :smile:

 

[GH41]

I don't blame others for using cheaper options than Nikon I just don't understand the logic. It's the same way over at the BMW forum- A guy buys a $60,000 car and puts a $300 set of wheels and $200 set of tires on it. I am far from rich! 90% of everything I own was purchased used including my camera gear. I am sorry if I made the OP mad but I still question the logic. GH

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

I think the logic is a lot of people push the edges of their budget with the initial investment so they have to find less expensive options for accessories. I don't think it's a huge loss either, especially for people who are enthusiasts with no monetary return on investment. Usually, when someone goes cheap on an accessory it's because they know their use of said accessory won't be often enough or in extreme enough conditions to need the absolute piece of mind offered by an name-brand or higher-end equivalent. I'm as guilty as anyone else of going cheap on accessories that don't have detrimental failure modes... center-pinch Nikon caps, WB aids, remote releases, wireless flash triggers, even bags.

I just picked up a Zeikos ZE-BP1 sling bag, which is a pretty faithful clone of the LowePro Slingshot 200AW, though most notably without the rain fly. I bought it for one main specific use... Disney World. My wife and I are season pass holders and we're going down next weekend to shoot her maternity pictures. My Nikon 5877 backpack is just a bit too big, and my Tamrac Velocity 3 messenger gets a little heavy on the shoulder after a full day... also, neither offer super-quick access to the main body/lens... the backpack requires you take it all the way off, and the messenger flap gets in the way a bit. I got the Zeikos for $25 shipped from an Amazon Marketplace store and it arrived in 48 hours. It's not LowePro quality (mainly the tolerances of the material pattern cuts aren't as tight), but it's definitely a great $25 bag and would probably be worth $50+ if it had a Quantaray/Sunpak/other second-tier brand name on it.

That was a bit off-topic, but it's an example (like the grip for many people) where cutting costs on accessories isn't heresy when it's an item that may see limited use and doesn't have a catastrophic failure mode.

 

[Wileec]

I agree - don't have experience with this gear, but I agree with the principle. And a quick glance at my sig should make it clear I'm about quality of experience, but not made of money. Some have the resources to get "the best" in all areas, but most of us not. For most here, this is a hobby - for personal enjoyment. So, it's not about durability, reliability with customers watching and expecting you to produce. In that context, I think it makes sense to trim where you can. Again, it needs to be an informed decision, but there are areas one can save and there are areas where the cheaper alternatives really don't represent a good value. It would be great for everyone to be able to afford fast Nikon AF-S VR lenses, but the fact that so many own Tamron, Sigma, Tokina, etc. is about the fact that sometimes, one has to balance interest with budget.

Someone has to be the guinea pig on this kind of gear, and it's nice for people to report their experience with a lower cost options. If you have a concern, you don't have to follow the example, but putting them down seems lame, just because you wouldn't do it yourself. Many here value knowing about lower cost options and reading the pros and caveats in people's experiences - before they make a similar purchase.

 

[RUNYYFan]

Good info here. Thanks to the OP and others for the research and trial. And to think I was so very close to including the Nikon grip to my order.

I'll wait until my bank account recovers a bit from my recent purchase. :smile:

 

[AngryCorgi]

What does this mean?

He may be referring to the economy tanking over the past two years. People spent freely and blindly on homes (in particular) they couldn't really afford. Now there's a ripple effect and the stock market has pretty much hit rock-bottom (I hope!). If people haven't learned to spend with discretion now, they likely never will.

Just a theory --- I could be way off on that. :wink: