Aftermarket grips

[mafpolo]

I have looked at the aftermarket grips on the net. They are substantially cheaper than Canon.

This item is not glass or body. So, is it worth the extra cost to go Canon at 2.5 times the price?

Anyone out there have an aftermarket grip? Do they do the same thing realtive to the controls on the grip?

[kdfederer]

I have the Opteka Grip for the XT. It works just fine and does all the same things of the Canon. Some people have had problems with the aftermarket grips, but for me, mine works great.

[LordAlex]

WOW! This kind of thread just keeps springing up. No...they aren't worth the money..even if they do last longer..and my Phottix grip is identical. I even conducted twist tests on the plastic with my brother's Canon grip.

Think about this... If your bedroom DVD player died you would run down to Bestbuy and pick up a basic Sony upconverting DVD player for $89. It has a high quality, plastic, molded front, an LED display, metal case, scads of IC's and circuits to make it all work right, tramsformer,..... and they make a profit at $89. DSLR grips aren't motors anymore. They are 50 cents worth of plastic pellets and a few electrical connections. $175 ? please! They are selling the "cool" factor and the fact that people got used to them in the old days.

I am a complete capitalist ..and if Canon's business model on accessories is working for them then more power to them but I would bet big bucks that the profit margin on their grips is second only to the OC-E3 e-ttl cord...$80 LOL gimme a break.

I can understand "L glass snobs" glass makes the image! grip? cords? If you can't afford to be an "L glass snob" then you become an accessory snob! Look at my posts and see that some guy called me idiotic for saying my grip protected my body.

My grip has been used, abused, and was $70 and still going strong.

Just do a search on BP-40D on ebay.

http://www.phottix.com (http://www.phottix.om/)

[ftlum]

A few people have mentioned the "mushiness" of the shutter button on the Opteka. How does the Phottix feel? Same as Canon?

[jr_senator]

I read a number comments from those that bought third party grips for their cameras. A lot of dissatisfaction and some horror stories. I chose a Canon brand grip for my 20D. There are other brands of many things that make sense buying because they are much cheaper and truly as good as or better than Canon's offerings (batteries and memory cards are two examples). But, I feel that things like grips and flashes should be the brand the camera is.

[EOSBoy]

Unless it plays a large role in the productivity or efficiency in your camera...(E-TTL Canon Speedlite flashes...) Then there is absolutely no reason to back away from third party brands. I've owned an Opteka grip for my XT and it worked out flawlessly. It fit extremely tight. People today are so critical about their gear, if it isn't perfect it's crap.
Although the shutter button was slightly looser, it still functioned well. You also have to consider texture, third party grips won't exactly match your camera identically but it sure isn't a big enough deal to cry about...I mean you did save $100+ bucks.

[jr_senator]

Although the shutter button was slightly looser,

See, now that would bug me. I would rather have somewhat lees gear than some not the way I would be comfortable with. We each have our 'comfort zones' and limits.

[SOT]

I've tried canon, Opteka, and Phottix and guess what....the Canon is better.
I've loaned out some of my gear to a friend who has used mostly P&S and when using the Opteka on a 40D he actually took it off, put the little door back on and ran with that.

Depending on the brand an how much you use it the buttons, particularly on the Opteka, really don't feel too good and are not as responsive. That was the complaint of my friend...he said he was trying to take pictures and the shutter wouldn't go....

You can buy 1 canon and use it for years or you can buy 3 after market...the lifespan in total and usability will be about the same.

[minimalfear]

My Craigs List XTi came to town with a bunch of "extras" including an Opteka grip. It has performed what I consider very well. Of course I have never pulled the trigger on the Canon. As far as I am concerned - ignorance is bli$$.

[rooftopsuicideclub]

having owned the opteka grip for the xti, i think it was a fine product for the money. i loved it, and never regretted buying it.

however, i sold that and bought the 40d and the canon branded grip, and am equally impressed with the quality of the canon grips. textured grip, solid and flush fit to the body, and rugged as hell. no complaints.

i say, read reviews, and judge for yourself what's best for you. if you have an xti, i really do recommend the opteka grip. it's perfect for it, and is molded just like the canon grip.
spend the extra dough on glass.

[Primm]

I bought an Opteka grip for my 20D. It was a piece of crap!

Buttons didn't work half the time, the battery stopped working when in portrait mode (slipped sideways and didn't make contact) unless I put a piece of paper in the little button that told it that the door was closed...

I ended up with a grip that worked about half the time, and that was with a piece of paper in the door and a rubber band wrapped around it.

Then I bit the bullet and got a Canon one. Absolutely no problems, has worked perfectly since I got it.

BTW, the Canon one was second hand and the Opteka one was new. It didn't stop working until it was about 13 months old, JUST out of warranty.

Go Canon. I'm not generally a "name brand" type of person, but the difference in quality between the Canon and generic grips is definitely worth more than the grief you will have to put up with.