rodeo_joe1 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>Hi. My question's pretty much summed up in the title, but just to clarify.</p> <p>If I get a cheap 3rd party battery grip for the D700, will I still need the camera's internal En-El3e fitted? I'm thinking not, but I thought I'd just check with someone who's already using a battery grip. The reason for asking is that the battery cover on my D700 has broken once already, drawing my attention to its rubbishy and fragile design. I obviously don't want my camera to become unusable (again) while I try to obtain a replacement battery door, so a cheap grip looks almost as economical as buying a couple of spare doors.</p> <p>Thanks in advance for your responses.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>No, if there is a battery in the MB-D10 grip, the EN-EL3e inside the D700 becomes optional. Obviously for the camera to function, you must have a battery in at least one of the two places.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>Thanks Shun. I thought that was the case, but wanted to double check before wasting any money.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>I hate to sound like a 'ONLY EVER BUY NIKON' chump, but after 3 sometimes OK, sometimes NOT, grips.... I got the genuine article and can now rely on it at high-pressure horse events...everytime!. En-El4 (preferred) or 8 x AA is the way to go in my genuine MB-D10.</p> <p>Some people do get fully reliable clone grips, but I'm not one of them.</p> <p>Frank S normally pops up about now...;-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrus_procter Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>+1 for Mike's comments</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpahnelas Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>with all due respect to mike and skyler, i've owned two nikon MB-D10 grips and after one died for the 2nd time (this time out of warranty), i replaced it with one of the zeikos knockoffs. i continue to use one of each, and i really don't notice any difference in functionality or ergonomics between the two. i've had the zeikos well over a year (maybe two). so don't dismiss it out of hand. i think if you buy a knock-off that's been vetted by other users in the community and found to be satisfactory, it isn't such a big risk. this is only my experience, however.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 <p>Not sure we can get Zeikos here in the UK.....;-)</p> <p>It was the 'work now, everytime' that did it for me in the end. I'd have it turn OFF only when I pressed the shutter button with a horse in the cross-hairs, and to use a horrible Hollywood phrase, result = 'Nightmare Scenario',.......... you'd missed the jump shot.</p> <p>When the clones work, they are indeed indistinguishable from the genuine thing. It was the WHEN that made me, finally, pony up the cash.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_praibin1 Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 <p>Only on the internet...No way local dealers will stock them. I went through two on my D300 and 700 and finally bought a new Nikon one. Horrendously expensive but worth it. I'm going sell one of my children to get the 4 battery carrier. This will then live on the D700 which will be my backup to a new D4 whenever.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 <p>Stephen, guess I was lucky, I got a 'new' secondhand one from a very reputable dealer that came with the Bl-3 to hold the EnEl4 included. Had 6 months guarantee in case of 'drop-out'.<br> BL3's are about £30, but the genuine battery and charger will cost more than one child!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray_dockrey Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 <p>I too had bad luck with Zeikos grips. The first one lasted about three months on my D300 and the metal tabs that engage the battery broke. It was under warranty but Zeikos said they would be happy to replace it but it was $14 for shipping and handling. I was able to rig it where it would work.<br> When I got my D300s I thought I would try again. It was DOA on arrival. Whenever I would put it on the camera the whole camera would just shut down. Take it off and the camera would power right back up. This was a brand new camera. I sent it back and got the Nikon grip.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 <p>Ray, that's pretty much my experience. It would behave perfectly for about 3 mins after start-up, the horse would approach the jump, I'd line up, press the shutter button... CAMERA SHUT OFF. Scream silently, camera wake-up...horse gone... :-(</p> <p>The genuine MB-D10 is expensive, but it does wonders for my stress levels/ blood pressure!!! Oh and my keeper rate is pretty good too!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 <p>Thanks for the "Buy Nikon" tirade, but it's due to Nikon's awful quality on the D700 battery cover that I've even been driven to consider using a battery grip. I really have no need for one, apart from WHEN (rather than if) the battery door on my D700 takes a tiny knock and the hinge shatters again, rendering the whole camera useless.</p> <p>Quite honestly I really don't care if a cheapo battery grip only lasts a short while. If it sees me through the ocassional lack of internal battery power, that'll do me fine. I don't like the extra bulk and weight of battery grips anyway, and I'm certainly not going to be purposely throwing my camera under a horse!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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