Battery grips - third party weather sealing?

I assume Nikon's battery grips have the same weather sealing as the bodies they are made for. Thus, the MB-D12, 17 and 18 should be (reasonably) sealed against the elements. I have never considered the MB-D12 to be a weak point on my D800E in poor weather.

 

What about third party grips? Does anyone have experience from either good or poor weather sealing with a D8X0 camera? I have noted that the DSTE and Mcoplus MB-D18 clones have received good reviews. Most talk about the ability to reach 9 fps, but I am more interested in the weather sealing aspect of build quality.

I would not expect much from a 3rd party grip. - I am not a Nikon user but own 3rd party for Pentax K10 (&20) D and also EOS 5D IV (IDK if the latter claims to be weather protected too). Both grips (cheapest on the market) feel crappier than the camera controls. but do their job well enough. - I neither read any weather protection claims in their item description nor spotted anything to support such claims.

 

OTOH: What are we really talking about and what are you planning? Camera weather protection is an effort manufacturers make but you rely on it at your own risk, there is no guarantee. - IMHO true weather sealing should permit Eskimo flipping. - Unfortunately even Nikon discontinued such camera lines.

Shooting in bad weather it will take quite a bit of rain to interfere with a cheap grip and if it happens why not take it off and shoot the camera without? Are you really planning to empty 2 batteries with a tripod mounted camera in the middle of a hail storm? - If such was my intention, I'd bring a sturdier tripod and roof the camera independent of manufacturer claims.

 

For the usual couple of odd frames I wear what I have under my raincoat and play happy go lucky. If I needed a grip badly, I'd tape a cheapo for additional sealing. - YMMV.

I assume Nikon's battery grips have the same weather sealing as the bodies they are made for.

 

I'm not sure that you can assume that about even Nikon's own grips.

In my personal experience, 'clone' grips are no better than the OEM ones, but no worse either, often sharing whatever flaws the original design had.

Thanks for your input Jochen. I know that I cannot expect Nikonos sealing, but I would expect a grip not to make me more worried of using the camera in less than ideal conditions.

 

I ask because I sometimes photograph birds in flight and then want the extra speed, weight and improved ergonomics of the grip when handholding a heavy camera/lens combination. To be honest, I prefer using a grip with longer lenses even when I use a gimbal and tripod for the same reasons. I have never been a fan of missing a good photo because of poor weather. Sometimes, that is what makes the photo. I do have a rain cover for my longest lens and camera but the question is still of interest to me.

I'm obviously not familiar with your camera. - How will a grip work? On Pentax I have to remove a rubber lid to add a grip. - I can stick to just the battery inside the camera and use the additional shutter release the grip provides. In case of moisture issues I can probably deactivate it or unscrew the grip and shoot on. Water inside the grip might, if at all, keep the camera shooting and shooting.

On Canon the grip replaces the camera's battery and adds more buttons. - Maybe a higher risk there? - At least ditching the grip would require inserting a camera battery and re-transferring the battery compartment door to the body to shoot on, while I'd feel tempted to leave the Pentax contacts cover off.

You might google professional camera rain covers - wide selection up to and including models with built in sleeves, equally wide price range. Personally, I usually don't like the light much and prefer dry cameras!

I'm guessing there's nothing much above 12v in a grip so freshwater isn't gonna be a problem regarding damage from shorting out. Loss of connection is annoying but not terminal (sorry!).

 

Salt water, that's a whole new ball game.

 

I did see someone who had measured around the grip/body interface and found a silicone O ring of the same length, you can get then ~2mm diameter and any length you like. He very lightly bonded this to the grip side with silicone adhesive and tightened it down. He choose a bright (Nikon) red O ring, but they come in black too!

I'm not sure that you can assume that about even Nikon's own grips.

In my personal experience, 'clone' grips are no better than the OEM ones, but no worse either, often sharing whatever flaws the original design had.

Just compared a Nikon MD-17 (for D500) with a third party grip for the D800 - both have a rubber gasket around the camera connector and both have only a plastic lip around the battery chamber cover.

Jochen, the Nikon grips for the D800 series are attached after removing a rubber seal and screwing them in place. You can then either use the battery in the camera, a standard camera battery in the grip, AA batteries or a battery from the D4/D5 cameras. When you use AA batteries or the one from the D4 or D5 frame rate is increased. You also have a couple of buttons, so they do contain electronic circuits, buttons and command dials. The dials and the connection to the body is what I am most concerned about.

 

Sandy, thanks, I did a web search for professional rain covers before I purchased the one I have from Wildlife Watching Supplies. However, that was not my question.

 

mike, most often is is rain water, which is fine. Occasionally, salt water spray, hence my question.

I've not registered any sealing around the battery cover on my official MB-D18, but as Dieter says there seems to be rubber around the connector. Weirdly, it has a gap into which to insert the connector cover from the camera so you don't lose it, but nowhere to put the plastic cover for the connector on the grip. I wasn't blown away by the robustness, although it's given me no problems so far (not that I've been in rain with it). I'm a bit shocked at how much of an overhang there is between the edges of the grip and the camera body, though - I'd kind of expect there to be smooth lines like my F5, but there's a substantial lip, and I wouldn't be surprised if it encouraged water to pool inside.

 

It does creak somewhat less than the Polaroid grip I had for the D700, but I never really used that (other than briefly confirming that it hit 8fps on AAs). Annoyingly expensive though even knock-off EN-EL18as are, it does make a difference to the camera's operation.