No Name Grips

Is there any specific reason to avoid the 3rd party/No name grips I see some nice ones with great prices all over the Web. What would make me want to spend $300 for an item over a $40 that does the same function Opinions please

Build quality, weather sealing, and quality control. To name a few reasons.

Build quality for sure. If you're in a money pitch then a third party grip, as you said, will function just about the same. A genuine grip however will last you longer. I've had a couple of opteka grips that just wore out after moderate use - dings, rubber tearing off, losing color, etc.

I have to say, I used to agree with the OP. I couldn't see spending so much for a Canon grip for my 60D. I mean, the camera only cost me $700, why spend that much on a grip. So I bought a Meike grip based on the experience of 60D users here. Almost a year to the day, my batteries started draining from a full charge at night to completely dead in the morning. I did some limited testing and concluded the Meike grip was the culprit. I bought the Canon grip and the problem went away immediately, confirming my diagnosis.

I posted my experience and I couldn't believe how many people commented on similar experiences though some of them had far more serious consequences including a destroyed mother board in their 60D. I have decided in the future, to factor in the price of a Canon grip whenever I upgrade camera bodies. I won't take a chance on another 3rd party grip.

I stick with factory grips, read too many horror stories of the aftermarket ones not working right. I shoot primarily Nikon, and the cost of the D800 grip was almost $400 when I could have picked up an aftermarket on for under $75. It wasn't easy buying the Nikon one in this instance, but I don't believe grips are something you should cut corners with. If you're set on going with a aftermarket grip, read everything you can find and try and find the one people are not complaining about.

Phoenixkh wrote in post #16311062
...I couldn't believe how many people commented on similar experiences though some of them had far more serious consequences including a destroyed mother board in their 60D...

Link?

i think in this case you get what you pay for,best to stay with canon.

I have a Meike grip for my 6D. I traveled with it to Costa Rica, crawled around in the jungle with it, and it didnt fail me. I paid $30 or so on Amazon for it. I think Canon wanted closer to $200 for theirs. Build quality, they might be a bit better (the canon) but I venture to guess they come from the same place. Only issue is that the rubber is starting to peel off. Im ok with that, as i just re glued it. We will see in a year, but so far so good.

RTPVid wrote in post #16311660
Link?

I looked high and low for the post about the failed mother board/ circuit board but I wasn't able to find it. I posted my Meike problems on the 22nd of May 2013 (Wed) on the 60D site: photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?p=15958534 (post #4359) and at that time, I already mentioned being glad I didn't fry a board.

I remember someone mentioning to me that that had happened to them. I don't remember what camera they had or what 3rd party grip they were using but they did mention sending their camera to Canon service and having a circuit board replaced.

I spent 45 minutes or so trying to find it. No luck so far. I haven't given up so I should be able to find a better topic to search and get it for you.

Edit: I ordered my replacement Canon BG-E9 battery grip on May 12th of this year. I know I posted about the problem near that date but I can't find it. I can only go back to July of this year doing the "find other posts by Phoenixkh". I'm sure there is a way to search the archives for more of my posts but I can't figure out how to do it.

Meike grips have been great for two of my cameras. Fit and finish of each grip seems very durable and match the bodies perfectly.

Phoenixkh wrote in post #16312429
I looked high and low for the post about the failed mother board/ circuit board but I wasn't able to find it. I posted my Meike problems on the 22nd of May 2013 (Wed) on the 60D site: photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?p=15958534 (post #4359) and at that time, I already mentioned being glad I didn't fry a board.

I remember someone mentioning to me that that had happened to them. I don't remember what camera they had or what 3rd party grip they were using but they did mention sending their camera to Canon service and having a circuit board replaced.

I spent 45 minutes or so trying to find it. No luck so far. I haven't given up so I should be able to find a better topic to search and get it for you.

Edit: I ordered my replacement Canon BG-E9 battery grip on May 12th of this year. I know I posted about the problem near that date but I can't find it. I can only go back to July of this year doing the "find other posts by Phoenixkh". I'm sure there is a way to search the archives for more of my posts but I can't figure out how to do it.

OK, thanks for looking, and for continuing to look. AFAIK, battery grips are basically a box, a battery tray, some buttons and switches, and electrical contacts with the camera through the battery compartment. I just don't see how it could possibly damage the camera electronics. Buttons can fail, so it just doesn't work, but if damage was caused to the electronics, I'd've thought the problem would have had to be with the battery itself, not with the grip.

RTPVid wrote in post #16312495
OK, thanks for looking, and for continuing to look. AFAIK, battery grips are basically a box, a battery tray, some buttons and switches, and electrical contacts with the camera through the battery compartment. I just don't see how it could possibly damage the camera electronics. Buttons can fail, so it just doesn't work, but if damage was caused to the electronics, I'd've thought the problem would have had to be with the battery itself, not with the grip.

my thoughts exactly.

I have the Vivitar grip on my 7D almost 2 years later it's still working like a champ, no complaints. Fits well and looks good.

All I know is..... my batteries were full before I went to bed, dead in the morning. This happened for 3 days in a row so I figured it was a short in the grip. I ordered a Canon grip, changed it out and the batteries retained their charges unless I was shooting.

I didn't do any other diagnostics than that. I should have removed the Meike grip and put Deoxit on the contacts.

I have a really hard time swallowing the price of a Canon grip, but I didn't feel comfortable with the 3rd party grips. I went used. You can pick up used genuine Canon grips at Adorama, KEH, or B&H for a whole lot less then new, and in many cases, less then the 3rd party branded grips. I have 3 grips that I bought used (2 from Adorama, 1 from KEH), and have had no issues with them, and none cost me more then $50.