Zeikos Vertical Grip Review

[joseph_leotta]

<p>The Zeikos grip arrived this afternoon. I’ve examined it and taken a few shots with it.<br /> So here’s my findings:<br /> 1^st let me state that I’m predisposed against aftermarket accessories for Nikon cameras. The few times I’ve tried, I have had trouble in the past.<br /> That being said, I’m pretty surprised by this unit. A few months ago I looked at a aftermarket grip that was a cheap piece of plastic. That’s not the case here.</p>

<p>The grip has a decent feel to it. Its some type of high quality plastic or ABS body that seem pretty strong. It has a nice feel to it, almost like the plastic D100. The rubberized coating applied to the unit match the camera perfectly and seem like they’ll last. Time will tell but my initial impression is that they are good and match Nikons.</p>

<p>I have both a D300 and a D700 and it seem to fit and match both equally well. All functions work perfectly on both cameras without any problems. All contacts mate up perfectly. The contacts seem to be of high quality and are shipped with a hard plastic protective cover on them. The plating on them is excellent.</p>

<p>Comparing it to the Nikon grips that I have for the D100 and the D200 I would say that it rates a 8 of 10. excellent for a aftermarket product.</p>

<p>Over all I’m happy with it, but there are a few minor items that I wish were a little different. 1^st the wheel that controls the tripod screw to mount it to the camera is a little thinner than I like. Both Nikon grips have a thicker wheel that feels a little more solid. This is not the problem that was discussed with the other grip with the plastic gear. I’ve check and the mechanism is all metal. I just wish the wheel was thicker.</p>

<p>The other issue I wish was different is the senativity of the multi selector. I don’t know if its because of its size but its very senative . Maybe the Nikon one is the same, but its easy to overshoot the mark your aiming for. When I’m trying to select focus points I go past the one I want and have to go back.</p>

<p>All in all it’s an excellent product. You can buy 3 of these for what 1 Nikon one will cost you.</p>

<p>I’m ordering another one for the other camera.</p>

<p>Joe<br /> side note - mine came from ace photo thru amazon in 2 days time.</p>

<p> </p>

[Richard Williams]

<p>'However, I have no idea whether Nikon will play that kind of tricks or not.'</p>

<p>I've seen reports of 3rd party batteries that work with the D200, but not the D300, so I'd say this is a valid concern. On the other hand, there's no guarantee that any future Nikons will even work with MB-10, so this wouldn't stop me buying the Zeikos. Anyone know of a UK supplier? I'm not a huge fan of vertical grips, but the AA compatibility would be worth it for me at that price.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>I’m ordering another one for the other camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think that one sentence says it all. Thanks again to Pete and Joseph for their contribution to this forum.</p>

<p>If you read the interview with the D700 designers: <a href="http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/scene/26/index.htm">http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/scene/26/index.htm</a><br />they make it very clear that they desinged the D700 to have the same width as the D300 so that they can share the same MB-D10 grip. Apparently Nikon is trying to standardize the grip for their "prosumer" DSLRs to the MB-D10 for a while. Therefore, the MB-D10 should be a longer term investment even though you may retire the D300 or D700 in the next 2, 3 years.</p>

<p>In any case, the Zeikos clone will certainly work with the D300 and D700. Beyond that, the future is harder to predict.</p>

[john_n._wall]

<p>Thanks to the encouragement offered here, I ordered one. It looks good so far, except for one thing. Those of you who have one, does yours smell a little funny?</p>

[joseph_leotta]

<p>nope</p>

[marypar4]

<p>Ordered one as well for my D90..$55.00 plus $5.00 shipping..what a deal!</p>

[farski]

<p>so I looked around but couldn't confirm this, I think the MB-D10 (I have one, but it's hard to tell) has a metal (magnesium rings a bell) substructure. Does anyone with the Zeikos think that it being plastic could ever be an issue? I'm talking like maybe some day after a couple years of use some part of the plastic just fails completely and you'll be standing there with your vertical grip in your hand, and you're camera and 2-400 in pieces on the ground.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>I'm talking like maybe some day after a couple years of use some part of the plastic just fails completely and you'll be standing there with your vertical grip in your hand, and you're camera and 2-400 in pieces on the ground.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>How can that possibly happen? Any time you use a big lens such as the 200-400mm/f4 AF-S VR, the lens should be supported by a tripod (or perhaps a monopod in some situations). Even though you hand hold a 70-200mm/f2.8, your left hand should be supporting the lens. In no situation the vertical grip should be supporting the weight of any lens that has a tripod collar.</p>

[farski]

<blockquote>

<p>How can that possibly happen? Any time you use a big lens such as the 200-400mm/f4 AF-S VR, the lens should be supported by a tripod (or perhaps a monopod in some situations). Even though you hand hold a 70-200mm/f2.8, your left hand should be supporting the lens. In no situation the vertical grip should be supporting the weight of any lens that has a tripod collar.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm more worried that over time after normal use and abuse, the pure-plastic case could develop a week point, and then even in a normal situation where the grip isn't supporting the full weight of anything, it breaks. There are plenty of times doing sports where I may not be trying to carry a big lens around just by the grip, but even just needing to get out of the way of a football player careening at you there could be a good amount of pressure on the grip. I'd be willing to pay the extra $200 to know my larger investments are that much safer by having a stronger grip. I'm not saying I think even being plastic I would expect one of these to just fall apart, just trying to get a sense or how durable they really seem to be.</p>

[pete_harlan1]

<blockquote>

<p> just trying to get a sense or how durable they really seem to be.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I suppose you could ask the same question concerning the much more expensive Nikon brand.</p>

<p>Unless someone has done some sress tests to these grips, we may never know in either case.</p>

<p>I think you are being a little overly concerned. I really can't see the Zeikos grip simply falling apart in your hand. It's not built to hammer nails if that's what you're hoping for. :)</p>

<p>I had the grip on last evening for two hours attached to my flash bracket. Now the flash bracket got the workout, not the grip since I use the flash bracket as a very comfortable handle when NOT shooting.<br>

As a side note, the Zeikos did not require any re-tightening to the flash bracket after 2 hrs of shooting and 250 exposures. It performed as any good photographic accessory should; without problems. </p>

[Mike D]

<p>I just purchased a new base battery pack for my d300/d700 which appears similar to the Zeikos above but includes a wireless remote. I shoot a lot of scenics from a tripod so having a wireless remote would be very functional. Haven't received it yet so I hope my expectations aren't too high.<br>

Some of the older Nikon DSLR's have built in wireless but the D300 and D700 do not. Also I do not want to be continuously mounting and dismounting a wireless remote devise from the flash shoe.</p>

<p>Google "Battery Grip Nikon D300 D700 Wireless Remote Control"</p>

 

[ShunCheung]

<p>Michael, are you referring to this grip on eBay?</p>

<A HREF"http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-Grip-Nikon-D300-D700-Wireless-Remote-Control_W0QQitemZ170346703812QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090620?IMSfp=TL090620148007r15269">

http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-Grip-Nikon-D300-D700-Wireless-Remote-Control_W0QQitemZ170346703812QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090620?IMSfp=TL090620148007r15269</A>

[jakub_czerminski]

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=5060764">Joseph Leotta</a> wrote:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>The other issue I wish was different is the senativity of the multi selector. I don’t know if its because of its size but its very senative . Maybe the Nikon one is the same, but its easy to overshoot the mark your aiming for. When I’m trying to select focus points I go past the one I want and have to go back.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is not the point on MB-D10. In fact I tend to use grip's multiselector whenever I can over the D700 one, because it's much less sensitive and gives me more control. Selector on MB-D10 is just great. I have no complaints whatsoever.</p>

<p>However sometimes when going through the menus with it I accidentaly push shutter on grip. I wish I could lock shutter / selector independently. But this is a minor issue, even for a pedant like myself ;)</p>

[photo5]

<p>When I shoot vertical I turn the camera clockwise so my shooting hand is low (it's because I shoot with my left eye, not my right like a lot of people). So these vertical grips don't really make sense to me. And I don't need 8fps ever in my photography either. Looks like a very nice grip for the money though, it makes me wonder if it violates some Nikon copyrights, it's so close to the Nikon version.</p>

[Mike D]

<p>Shun, your link actually took me back to the page showing that I had paid for the grip. Interesting. I got the one that was $69 with free shipping. Since then, I have used the device on my D300 and it works great, at least in the house. Eventually, I hope to use it outside which was my original intent. </p>

[jyoungman]

<p>Is this battery grip compatible with the BL-3 Battery Chamber Cover for Nikon EN-EL4a? That is, can I buy the BL-3 and hence use an EN-EL4a in this battery grip? Or am I forced to use AA batteries in order to boost the "Ch" fps?</p>

[andre_prefontaine]

<p>Peter on your grip there is a slot provided for you to place the rubber protector, right next to the place your remove the plastic one from the grip so you wont loose it, maybe you'll loose the plastic cover but there is no reason to loose the rubber protector from the camera ...<br>

Andre</p>

 

[marion_weaver]

<p>(Having gotten kicked back to the sign-in page, I'm resending. Sorry if it is a duplicate.)<br>

I've bought a Zeikos battery grip for my D5000 Nikon. However, in order to install it, I must remove the battery compartment door on the camera. How do I do that without breaking the door's hinge pins?</p>

[pdhoward]

<p>Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 8 fps speed (along with shooting 12bit raw or Jpeg) only achieved with AA Lithium batteries or the EN-EL4a? <br>

When using alkaline AA batteries I saw the same speed as with the EN-EL3E battery. </p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>If you use Nikon's MB-D10 grip on the D300, D300S or D700, you can get 8 frames/sec if you use any AA batteries, lithium, alkaline or rechargeables such as NiMH.</p>

<p>On the D300/D300S, you have to use 12-bit capture to get anything faster than 2.5 frames/second. On the D700, you can use 14-bit capture and still get 8 frames/second.</p>

[pdhoward]

<p>Thanks for the quick response and clarification Shun. Maybe my AA alks were older than I thought. Good to know I don't have to spend the extra cash for lithiums when the need arises.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>There is a recent question on getting the maximum frame rate: <a href="http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VUii">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VUii</a> That thread is on the long side with some off-topic discussion; please skip the parts not related to this topic.</p>

<p>Make sure you use a fast shutter speed like 1/250 sec to test 8 frames/sec. Obviously if you are shooting at a shutter speed such as 1/4 sec, you cannot get 8 frames/sec. Also switch off feature that may slow down the CPU such as Active D Lighting, noise reduction, etc.</p>

[pdhoward]

<p>Noted and stored in the memory banks! Thanks Shun!</p>

[jason_smith20]

<p>I didn't see anyone mention that the Nikon MB-D10 is made from the same magnesium alloy as the D300/D700 body whereas the off-brand is plastic. This can explain much of the difference in price.</p>

[anthony_song]

<p>Question to any Flashpoint / Zeikos / Meike grip owners for the D700 (d300). Has anyone put a Arca-type quick release plate made for the D700 + MB-D10 grip on your grip? Does it fit well?</p>