Pixel BG-E11 clone Canon 5DIII grip teardown

[mattcnh]

I just got my Pixel grip from an Amazon seller and wanted to see how sturdy it was before trusting it. It feels pretty solid and I don't have any worries that it is built poorly now. I took a few iPhone photos and put them on flickr: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjAfLehA

[zim]

Looks great, would be interesting to see a side by side teardown of the official grip against this as the price difference is….. well you know….

Wonder if they would consider making the rest of the camera while there at it 

[DavidRiesenberg]

Yeah, I also got mine today and it seems very solidly built. I never handled an original bg-e11 but this one seems quite heavy and robust.

[awinphoto]

How does the material feel in comparison to the 5d material...  Thing i always disliked from non-oem grips was the plastic all the way to the rubber felt inferior... is this the same here in your opinion?   

[D_Rochat]

Thanks a lot for sharing the tear down. I've been wondering how the build quality of the Pixel grip was and it's good to hear it's solid. However, the lack of weather sealing is a deal breaker for me

[mattcnh]

It's pretty close to the OEM material. Looks and feels about the same. The shutter and finger wheel are not as nice as the original but for $96 it's not a big deal.

[Viggo]

I've heard that the orignal Canon-bg-e11 doesn't have the metal plate inside, but black tape...

[spinworkxroy]

I also bought this grip from ebay…for USD89 i believe..
I've used other brand grips for other canon cameras and i must say this one is the best built i've seen for a 3rd party brand.
At least the tripod mount is metal and not just plastic.
Everything about this just feels solid and i would say 90% of the original in terms of feel and maybe quality. It's not magnesium and i dont think it's weather-sealed but i don't need those features in a grip…
Well worth the money…works flawlessly the few times i've put it to use so far.

[Rat]

Has anyone used this grip with a Sunsniper Steel or similar? I'd much like to save the $$ but I'm kinda reluctant to hang my five pound, five grand kit from anything not built like a tank, as it will have to withstand some serious hiking.

[spinworkxroy]

Has anyone used this grip with a Sunsniper Steel or similar? I'd much like to save the $$ but I'm kinda reluctant to hang my five pound, five grand kit from anything not built like a tank, as it will have to withstand some serious hiking.

I believe the Sunsniper is similar to the Black Rapid?
If you're reluctant to hang it from anything else but the original, then there's not convincing you otherwise.
If you can afford the original, go ahead..you get weather sealing and magnesium shell, same as the body…and it is built like a tank
The Pixel grip is i would say only 90% or so like the original. The mounts are all metal, unlike some others that are just plastic. The entire Pixel body is polycarbonate..which is bullet proof… I've used it for MANY shoots and it has never failed me nor do i feel unsafe with it attached to my camera.

[Rat]

I believe the Sunsniper is similar to the Black Rapid?

It is

If you're reluctant to hang it from anything else but the original, then there's not convincing you otherwise.

Oh dear - you might well be right, there  I might get a little less reluctant from your post though, thanks!

[spinworkxroy]

I believe the Sunsniper is similar to the Black Rapid?

It is

If you're reluctant to hang it from anything else but the original, then there's not convincing you otherwise.

Oh dear - you might well be right, there  I might get a little less reluctant from your post though, thanks!

No problem man…
I just saw you mentioned somethign about serious hiking..why would you want a battery grip while hiking anyways?
I would expect the weight to be down when hiking vs fully equipped and heavy?
Personally, i don't find the grip of any use other than portrait shooting..that's what it's for anyways..other than that..i don't see how a grip is useful…they really should make it smaller...

[DavidRiesenberg]

There are some additional reasons. For one, it gives a better grip and support to people with big hands even in landscape orientation. It, obviously, holds two batteries and while it may not seem like a big deal most of the time, it always seems that batteries tend to run out when the best photographic situation presents itself . It can also hold AA batteries which can be a lifesaver in a pinch. Another reason to want a grip is that it balances heavy lenses better.

[D_Rochat]

It's a comfort thing for a lot of people. I will gladly deal with the extra weight for a more comfortable grip.

[Rat]

I want one for the better handling, as the above posters say; my camera tends to tilt left without one and that can get pretty tiresome. Also, portrait.

The extra capacity is a bonus. I've had a gripped dslr for five or six years now and I've only used the penlite holder once, at home no less. Still, when I go out to make more than a few hundred shots, I have it with me, filled with Eneloops

edit:

I've used this for the past 4 shoots i've been on and i too am using a black rapid on it, swinging around running, jumping with it…no issues whatsoever..

My doubts are crumbling