Zeikos Battery Grips

[kiwi]

If you are in the market for battery grips, these come highly recomended. I just bought one for my new D300s (still in transit) after reading reviews from another place

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Zeikos-ZE-NBG...item53e2cf1fbf

[maccaroneski]

It would only need to be 1/4 as good as the genuine to make it worthwhile - the price of the genuine article is ridiculous...

[I @ M]

I'm a little unconvinced after reading their e$ay ad, the folowing quotation from the site fills me with trepidation.

Features:

* Flexible joints bend and rotate 360-degrees to form the perfect shape.
* The Gripster's lock ring enables extra security to ensure your camera is safely attached
* Rubberized ring & foot grips provide extra gripping power to grapple wherever you want to go
* Slim-line attachment stays connected to your camera and snaps into the Gripster for a nearly instant setup
* Intended for - Compact digital cameras

Also Darren, does it have the multi selector on the grip the same as the more well known brands?

[kiwi]

Andrew, the reviews I have read say that functionally its the same at the MD-D10 and that build-wise it's 9/10 of the Nikon and significantly better than the Phottix ones of which I see varied reports

I'll give you a first hand review hopefully within a week or so

[maccaroneski]

I suspect Andrew that there is a *slight* issue with that description. I too have read good things about the Zeikos grips - would have bought one for my D90 however I got a good price second hand on the Nikon. Despite going genuine I had the well-reported issues about losing contact and had to do a bit of DIY on it.

The description given matches the Zeikos Gripster, a gorillapod knock-off.

[kiwi]

[I @ M]

I'm a bit lost for words, I pushed the button on that grip, payment by paypal (still sounds like dog food to me ) and the eb$y site invoice told me that I was up for $89.17 AUD.
The paypal email hit saying that my card had been debited to the tune of $88.57 AUD

[kiwi]

thatll be fx rate differences between theiir fx rate and current paypal rate

[kiwi]

still....bargain !!!

[I @ M]

thatll be fx rate differences between theiir fx rate and current paypal rate

Probably, but I am used to it going the other way, you know, the figure on the site says one thing and the paypal statement / invoice ends up being one sheepskin dollar more.

[kiwi]

hello,friend
thanks very much for your quick response
please don't worry
we will send your item to your mentioned address:
#
Darren white
Arana hills
QLD 4054
Australia
#
within 24 hours and it usually takes 10-15 working days
#
as it is an international transaction,it takes much longer time than in your local place
as sincere and honest seller
i hope for your understanding and your patience for your item
#
if there is any question,please feel free to contact us
#
#millions of thanks
nice day
#
spring

[I @ M]

I haven't bolted it to the camera yet but after unpacking and examining it I reckon it is on par with the "genuine" article.

And, quite frankly, the USPS puts Australia Post to absolute shame, about 5 days delivery time from New York to regional Vic.
Australia Post can't even guarantee next day express post from Melbourne to here. No wonder their profits are going through the floor.

[kiwi]

Hmmm, that's not fair, I'm still waiting for mine, glad it looks good though

[Blueywa]

I paid a 1/4 of the local RRP for my genuine MB-D10 grip, from HK via NZ .... the best accessory I've bought.
I use mine with just one battery in the grip itself.
The camera feels fantastic, without adding too much extra weight.
Dont think I would have bothered at the local RRP.

[kiwi]

Mine arrived today, works good. I rare it 8/10 build wise, equal in functionality

[LuzArt]

Thanks for this thread, I'll take a serious look.

Ben

[arthurking83]

interesting and verrry tempting.. but as a primarily landscaper, this is one area I think I prefer Nikon's magnesium version to these thirdparty offerings.

No point in bolting a thirdparty lens of dubious quality to a camera of pretty serious high quality, attached to a grip of dubious quality, tethered to a ballhead of insuffferable quality, connected to a tripod of great quality!

I just know that somewhere along the line, I'll just get frustrated with something and regret the decision.. eventually!

All I want is the extra batteries(ability) as the GPS is driving me nuts.. and my battery down.. waaay down.. all too quickly.

....
Australia Post can't even guarantee next day express post from Melbourne to here. No wonder their profits are going through the floor.

Isn't that all the way down past floor level, down into the dirt, through the tectonic plate, deeper into the mantle, past the molten core and beyond!.... into China?

Then again aren't all 'our' profits from the ground and below going to China!?

[I @ M]

I gave it a test run and it performs well.
The shutter and aperture dials don't feel the same as the camera body dials ( comparison with a genuine D200 grip where the dials feel exactly the same as the camera body ) but they do the job.
Arthur, I don't reckon a grip added to the camera and then tripod mounted is an ideal solution for extra battery life as it only raises the C of G and adds another possible area of flex and vibration into the stability equation. Spare batteries in the back pack are a better option I reckon.
I bought it purely for the ease of use in vertical orientation and the design of this grip over previous versions makes it very quick and easy to change between gripped and not at a considerable $$ saving over the genuswine unit.

[kiwi]

Just so you know, the genuine grips buttons feel very different to the body too, the shutter for example is way more sensitive

I can't seem to get the new grip working with the as batteries, I'll have to do more playing tonight

[maccaroneski]

Just so you know, the genuine grips buttons feel very different to the body too, the shutter for example is way more sensitive

This is the case too with the genuine D90 grip, where I think that Nikon matches the build quality the cheap copy, rather than the flipside.