Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi & Rebel XT with 2 NB-2LH Batteries
by Opteka
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List Price: Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi & Rebel XT with 2 NB-2LH Batteries
Customer Review: Thoughts from the first day
Summary: 5 Stars
I know it sounds too good to be true, I've read too many reviews where people say that "I never knew how I ever took pictures without this grip," but it's the truth. The first thing I noticed was the vertical handle, it's amazing. You can shoot vertical shots with one hand! All of the buttons you need are on the grip, the shutter button, wheel, and the two buttons on the top right of the XT.
Installation, it's a joke, don't even read the manual. You have to charge the batteries, but in the mean time you can put in your regular Canon battery, or 6 AAs because this comes with a AA shell.
Think of it this way, the XT is a baby...it's easy to hold if you have small hands; I don't, I knew the camera was small, and I decided to buy this really so I could have a better handle on it, the extra battery life was whipping on the cake.
I really don't know how I could stand to hold the camera without this grip. Don't spend extra money on Canon's model, this one is perfect!
Customer Review: Fragile
Summary: 3 Stars
I've enjoyed my Opteka grip, but it doesn't seem to be particularly solidly built. I had my camera slung over the back of a chair and, when I stood up, the weight of my camera was enough to slowly tilt the chair back until it was past the tipping point, and it tumbled to the ground. It fell such a short distance (perhaps 18 inches) at such a slow rate of speed that I didn't worry for a moment. But a few hours later I discovered a square inch of the shutter-corner of my Opteka grip had shattered off, exposing the electronics within it. I never found the chunk that came off.
Hopefully I'll be able to stick some putty in there, sand it down and paint it black. It'll look lousy, but it still works, so I'll give it a try.
Having never used Canon's grip, I cannot speak to Opteka's comparative ruggedness. But I can say that my Digital Rebel has been dropped from greater heights at greater speeds and it's never been harmed in the least.
Customer Review: A good alternative to the Canon BGE3
Summary: 4 Stars
I've holded off my own review because I wanted to test it out first.
After testing it for 3 weeks, I would have to say its a pretty good product for its price.
- The battery that comes with it are 2x900mAh making it a total of 1800mAh.
- Using just 1 battery to power the camera and grip is similar to the original battery. 300-400 shots. It's not the flimsy battery unlike the first one that's included.
- The Grip feels nice. There was a small part of the rubber in the grip that was not sticking properly but it was easily fixed.
- The Dial and the shutter button does feel different than the one in the camera BUT it hasn't stopped me from taking pictures. There is still a distinct feel when you have focus locked.
- The delivery was good enough it arrived on the monday after july 4. It was supposed to arrive in july 4 but that's a holiday.
Overall - If you're in a tight budget this is a good deal for hobbyists.
Customer Review: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been searching for a battery pack grip for awhile now and could not find a decent grip for a good price. Thusly I decided to try my luck with this grip and am fully satisfied with my purchase. Delivery was very fast, they said it would arrive in a week or so, and it came in 4 days (delivered to Canada). The grip itself is very nice, it is aesthetically pleasing and feels very comfortable when using the camera. As well as coming with 2 NB-2LH batteries, it has the backup option of using 6AA batteries in the case of an emergency. Overall I think this was an excellent purchase, I would not recommend spending double for the canon battery grip when you can get this one with 2 lithium batteries included. The only quarrels I have with the grip are; the glued portion is not too well attached, and the vertical shutter release is not as solid feeling as the one on my DR Xti. Nonetheless, this was an excellent buy, and nothing matches it's price point!Customer Review: Not perfect, but pretty good.
Summary: 4 Stars
I like these battery grips. This is the second one that I've ordered. The first one died when my tripod fell over in soft soil. The camera hit the ground, but it broke off at the vertical grip, so the camera was fine. I ordered a replacement as soon as I got home.
The grip is fine. The shutter release on the second is a bit fidgety; it needs to be pressed at a certain angle to get the "half-way down" thing for focus and exposure lock. I guess this speaks of less than stellar QC.
I wouldn't use my Rebel without it, though. It makes the camera look "pro," and gives my hands the room they need to be comfortable on that tiny thing. The batteries work great; I can take several hundred shots with just one pair (I use an external flash).
For the price, and the added ergonomic value, I highly recommend this thing. By all means, get the Canon model, if you can afford it, but, if not, this has done me very well.