review and comparison of the phottix grip to the oem canon one for the OG 5D w/ pix

[booja]

i thought i would put up another 3rd party/knock off/ebay/china made/ wannabe grip review and comparison... i know i was wondering about all this when i bought it... im sure there other people out there that wonder as well.

this comparison is of the phottix grip for the 5D (bp-5d) found on ebay by the seller etefore. overall i think the grip is great and works great. for half the price it is definitely worth it.

so here goes some pics and the nitty gritty comparing the canon one to the phottix one...

outside physical appearance seems to look exactly the same except for a few things.

1. the pins that insert into the camera is longer on the phottix one, but just as strong as the canon one.

2. the rubber/grip material used is different but but not very noticeable unless youre looking right at it up close... but the good thing is... the rubber used is grippier on the phottix one than the canon one.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0505.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0508.jpg

3. when facing the front of the grip (not where the battery compartment is) the right side cuts in more on the canon one making it look rounded off. the phottix one goes straight down (phottix looks better imo when mounted)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0506.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0512.jpg

4. there is no canon bg-e4 logo... duh...

5. the battery door is different. there is no rubber grip on it like the canon one and the door has these 2 odd groves in it on the ends of the door... i think your thumb is suppose to sit right under it for a little support but i didnt notice anything. the door is a little loose. has some play side to side but doesnt have play going front and back when closed, just side to side. just to see if i can make it tight i just put a piece of felt tape on the inside of the door and it was locked tight and had no play at all.



http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0510.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0515.jpg

6. the shutter button on the grip clicks like all the xxxD and xxD cameras. the real canon one for the 5d does not click... the oem one feels like the shutter button on the camera... i like the click better... my 30D and xti click so i guess im just used to it.

7. the locking wheel feels tighter... guess that could be a good thing.

8. the zoom and exposure/focus lock buttons feel stiffer... maybe because its new. feels nice though.

9. ive read that the phottix ones are made of plastic as to the canon ones are made of magnesium like the bodies... even if they are made from different materials they look and feel the same.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0499.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0501.jpg

[booja]

10. the mold around the on off switch on the canon one has a ring around it that is seperate... the phottix one is all one mold with a switch inside.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0509.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0514.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0480.jpg





11. the patch underneath where the tripod mount would go is larger on the canon one

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0521.jpg


12. the battery springs inside the canon one rattles around when there are no batteries in it... the phottix ones are tight and do not rattle

other random photos

canon one

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0516.jpg

phottix one

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0511.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0496.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b271/kbhoioejma2/5d%20grip/IMG_0493.jpg




overall the phottix one fits just like the canon one, looks like the canon one, and works just like the canon one. all buttons and switches feels nice... does not creek or feel cheap. the battery door is a little loose side to side but sticking something inside the door fixes it. the comparment that holds the oem battery door holds it tightly. when putting on the grip the light flashes indicating it is getting power flickers once i put it on and make about one turn to lock it, doesnt seem like there will be an issue with power coming on and off like some other cheap grips.

for more than half the price of a new one... its worth getting.

if youre a person that is all into canon and nothing else... well i guess this is not for you... there is no canon logo on it... better get rid of all your sigma and tamron lenses too if you have any... bc its not canon...

so this review goes along with all the other phottix ones... it works great!!!

[bohdank]

I have a Phottix on my 40D and the Canon on the 5D. I would not hesitate to buy the Phottix, again. Canon is seriously overpriced, imo.

[stince]

Great review!

[jr_senator]

"when facing the front of the grip (not where the battery compartment is) the right side cuts in more on the canon one making it look rounded off. the phottix one goes straight down..."

I guess that shoots the "same mold" theory all to hell.

[Electric Shepherd]

I'm enjoying the Phottix grip on my 450d, but the downside to the softer/grippier rubber used is that it seems to be wearing already.

[wernersl]

To bring some life back to this thread...this is exacly the comparison i was looking for. although the phottix grip is up around 90 bucks these days, i just picked up a E+ used BG-E4 from Adorama for 129 shipped. i actually thought for a while about it. i even had a look at the flashpoint grip offered by Adorama for 65 bucks and free shipping, but had my doubts for that price.

excellent review you have here, and it almost pushed me to the Phottix. what pushed me toward the canon:

1. the shape. i actually prefer the cut in on the right (looking at the camera) of the BG-E4; seems to mesh well with the body lines.
2. dont like the smooth, loose(ish) battery door of the Phottix. prefer the grip material.
3. dont know about Phottix but even the used dept at Adorama offers 90 day warranty on used items.
4. prefer the larger contact patch on the bottom of the grip for my quick release plate. the manfrotto plate i have for the 808rc4 head is kind of wide, so i think that will help prevent twisting.
5. the texture of the grip material seems slightly different with the phottix grip from the camera body. i know we use these accessories for function, but would like it to look like it belongs. maybe its the photo, but it just didnt quite look right.
6. would actually prefer that the shutter button on the vert grip be as close to the 5d shutter release as possible. im used to it, my wife (owner of the camera though i dont like to admit that) would also appreciate familiarity.

i know that all sounds pretty negative, but if i didnt come across the deal on adorama, i think i would have picked up the phottix. seems to be the best 3rd part alternative.

thanks again for taking the time to do this.



EDIT: I did get the BG-E4 from Adorama, only I bought it new and for $125! At that price, getting the Canon grip was worth it. I have had one issue though. There was a day that i lost the half press function. even at half press the camera would fire, on both the body and the grip. I turned the grip off and normal function was restored. The next day I was going to remove it and send it back, only everything was working. It has been perfect for the last few months, so crossing my fingers and hope it doesnt happen again.

[Tee Why]

Nice review. I have the Canon and and I've notice after about 1.5 years of use with the R strap.
Since the screw is going into the grip for the R strap and the camera is hanging off the grip, I think my Canon grip broke from it from the constant tension. Today while shooting a show, the buttons on the grip started to work on and off and the screw felt loose. So I tightened it and heard a plasticky clunk and the screw to tighten the grip would not loosen. I got it off finally, but just a word of advise to folks using the Grip and the R strap attached to the grip.

I think I'll get the Phottix as well, seeing it's $73 at Amazon and the Canon one is about $170.

Thanks for the review.

[bohdank]

I have a Phottix on my 40D and the Canon on the 5D. I would not hesitate to buy the Phottix, again. Canon is seriously overpriced, imo.

True to my word, I bought the Phottix for my 5DII.

[Tee Why]

Just got mine and a chance to do a 4 hour photo session and noticed one thing.
When using the vertical grip's shutter button and the selection dial, if you half press the shutter and then turn the dial (e.g. to change the aperture in Av mode) you have to turn the dial two clicks before the aperture starts to change. It's fine after that initial two clicks, so one click changes the aperture from then on, but if you half press the shutter and then turn the dial one click, nothing will happen, if you turn it one more time, all is well after that.

Anyone else notice this?

[dFreezy]

Thanks for this review! Mine just arrived today to go on my 2nd 5D body; I have a BG-E4 for my primary body and my first impression is that the Phottix feels every bit as solid as the Canon version. On to some testing tonight!

[DStanic]

Thanks for this in depth review. I made a thread asking others opinion on the BG-E4 (is it any better then the BG-E2 for 20d->50d?) the Phottix grip looks very similar to the BG-E2 in regards to the materials and grip. I only use grips for occasions so will likely buy this to save money.

[CxThree]

Great review. I have the Phottix grip on my 40D and my wife bought me the canon grip for my 7d for Christmas last year(No phottix one out then). I can't say enough about the phottix products. I have been very happy with everything I have got from them. I have used triggers, remotes, batteries, and grips. No complaints at all.