can anyone help - grip info wanted

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GoLotus

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Hi guys, feeling very lucky ATM having got a MB-D10 grip for my D300 for christmas, but have just started looking into the "other" bettery options. Am I seeing things right? Is it really going to be another £300ish for a new fitting tray, battery and charger to suit? Surely I'm looking at the wrong thing?
 
If you want the El 4, then I`m afraid so yes.

I think it is a disgraceful piece of pee taking by Nikon, hence why I bought a non oem one from link delight on ebay.
 
£300 is a little over, but not far off.

£99 for the EN-EL4a
£149 for the MH-21
£38 for the BL-3

fracster said:
I think it is a disgraceful piece of pee taking by Nikon, hence why I bought a non oem one from link delight on ebay.
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I don't, the EN-EL4a is a pro body battery, and this is optional, not compulsary. The only part specifically for the MB-D10 is the replacement battery tray (although, yeah 38 quid is a bit OTT for a bit of plastic).

If the MB-D10 only worked with EN-EL4a batteries, then I would agree. :)
 
:O disgraceful is certainly one way of putting it - I can think of a few other ways too!

You say you got alternatives, was that just for the battery or the whole grip? I assume that 3dr party batteries would work OK in the grip? Is there an 3rd party version of the battery draw that would fir the OEM grip? And whats the difference between a EL-EL4 and a EL-EN4a anyway?

Alternatively, am I right in thinking that to go the AA route its Eneloops that are recomended?
 
I have non oem grips on both 300s and 700s, Nikon can stick thier overpriced grips where the sun deffo does not shine....:thumbs:
 
GoLotus said:
:O disgraceful is certainly one way of putting it - I can think of a few other ways too!

You say you got alternatives, was that just for the battery or the whole grip? I assume that 3dr party batteries would work OK in the grip? Is there an 3rd party version of the battery draw that would fir the OEM grip? And whats the difference between a EL-EL4 and a EL-EN4a anyway?

Alternatively, am I right in thinking that to go the AA route its Eneloops that are recomended?
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See my post above....
 
GoLotus said:
:O disgraceful is certainly one way of putting it - I can think of a few other ways too!

You say you got alternatives, was that just for the battery or the whole grip? I assume that 3dr party batteries would work OK in the grip? Is there an 3rd party version of the battery draw that would fir the OEM grip? And whats the difference between a EL-EL4 and a EL-EN4a anyway?

Alternatively, am I right in thinking that to go the AA route its Eneloops that are recomended?
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Don`t know about the AA`s,sorry.Flashy will.

I have the Phottix ones on my 300`s, with the Kosmos battery, I don`t think they are available any more.But they work well and can be charged from the car.

I have the Meikle,they come with the iddybiddy bit of plastic that Nikon charge extra for. ones on the 700s with aftermarket battery from 7day.Work fine.

Sorry for being a bit of a misery bum, I feeling like crud. Nikon grips are overpriced,no matter what anyone says.....:thumbsdown:
 
I've never trusted 3rd party batteries. I've heard of too many too many horror stories of ones that don't hold a charge, or fail after a couple of dozen recharges, leak into the camera and other issues. I'd rather spend £100 on a battery I know is going to work and last a while (with a warranty that covers it if it doesn't) than £30 every few weeks to replace one.

Haven't tried any of the 3rd party grips, but again, if something happened to my camera due to bad workmanship on a 3rd party grip or battery, I don't want the Nikon warranty people turning around and saying it's my fault because of it.
 
GoLotus said:
Alternatively, am I right in thinking that to go the AA route its Eneloops that are recomended?
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Or GP2700 batteries. Both are excellent.
 
Kaouthia said:
I've never trusted 3rd party batteries. I've heard of too many too many horror stories of ones that don't hold a charge, or fail after a couple of dozen recharges, leak into the camera and other issues. I'd rather spend £100 on a battery I know is going to work and last a while (with a warranty that covers it if it doesn't) than £30 every few weeks to replace one.

Haven't tried any of the 3rd party grips, but again, if something happened to my camera due to bad workmanship on a 3rd party grip or battery, I don't want the Nikon warranty people turning around and saying it's my fault because of it.
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So you don`t have one, have never tried one? Yet have passed judgement and sentence?

Don`t you just love teh Forums......:lol:
 
Kaouthia said:
I've never trusted 3rd party batteries. I've heard of too many too many horror stories of ones that don't hold a charge, or fail after a couple of dozen recharges, leak into the camera and other issues. I'd rather spend £100 on a battery I know is going to work and last a while (with a warranty that covers it if it doesn't) than £30 every few weeks to replace one.

Haven't tried any of the 3rd party grips, but again, if something happened to my camera due to bad workmanship on a 3rd party grip or battery, I don't want the Nikon warranty people turning around and saying it's my fault because of it.
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I've been running the Phottix battery in the D300 for a year now with no issues. My D80 ran on Phottix batteries too, as did my Canon G9 and the G10 :shrug:

Have you ever fitted tyres or a battery to your car that wasn't the one recommended by the manufacturer, or even used a different brand of fuel from that endorsed by them?
 
Aye, can't comment on grips, dont use em, but all my nikons [3 so far] have always run on one original and at least 2 third party versions, with no problems over 4 years of ownership, hold their charge as long as Nikon version and cost a fraction of the Nikon extortion.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Have you ever fitted tyres or a battery to your car that wasn't the one recommended by the manufacturer, or even used a different brand of fuel from that endorsed by them?
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Sure, but I've never heard anybody say "OMG, Ford won't fix my electric windows because I used Pirelli tires instead of Michelin!!!". I wouldn't use "Fred's Random Generic" brand tyres, battery or fuel though.

If recognised brand names started making replacement batteries & grips, then I might consider using them. Random no-name companies (mostly from HK) that you see all over eBay I don't trust - even then, you have to watch out for "forgeries" and fakes that are even worse than most of the 3rd party stories I've heard over the years.
 
The Duracell EN-EL3e is about the same price as the Nikon one anyway.
 
From experience, not somebody else`s but my own, the third party grips,batteries and BL3 work fine. You would have to buy a charger for the 4 battery if that was the road you wanted to go down.
 
But you've only tested a handful of grips and batteries?

If Nikon (or any other company) released products based on that kind of testing, they'd probly go bust. ;)
 
oooo blimey, I didn't mean to open a big can of worms here, sorry guys!
 
It's no more a can of worms than any other thread. Different people have different opinions and standards. Something everybody has to learn. :)
 
And a different opinion of value for money.

You have three people offering advice, it is your money to do with as you wish......:)
 
Fracster, can I ask if the grip you have is the 'Meike' brand? I've heard they produce the closest grip to the original. Have you been able to compare between the MB-D10 and the copy? If so, what are the differences? (apart from the price)

Just interested as I'm debating whether to go for a grip...
 
Naith said:
Fracster, can I ask if the grip you have is the 'Meike' brand? I've heard they produce the closest grip to the original. Have you been able to compare between the MB-D10 and the copy? If so, what are the differences? (apart from the price)

Just interested as I'm debating whether to go for a grip...
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Yes, the ones on the 700`s are Meike,with the free plastic end that mount the E4 batteries.I have not had a problem with it,nor have I had a problem with the Phottix ones on my 300`s or the batteries that either use.

I can`t compare it,in depth, to the Nikon original as I won`t pay the price Nikon want.The only Nikon grip I have is for my D200 and they are not alike at all, so unfair to compare really.

I have looked at and used a D300 with the official MB10, I cannot see,feel or notice how it is worth the extra over the non oem ones mentioned.
 
Thanks for that. I think the price for the Meike version is around £45 which is quite a saving. Obviously one is plastic and the other alloy, but from the outside and to hold I've read a lot say there's hardly any difference.
 
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