Canon BG-E11 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera

I was one of the lucky ones who had a 5dmkiii within 3 days of their release. Ever since that time, I have been pining for the battery grip but was reticent to spend the money. Two weeks ago I finally just 'bit the bullet' and got one. I decided on the canon because I knew it had a magnesium framework, and that it was perfectly matched to my camera. I am so very glad I did. Frankly, I didn't want to spend three-and-a-half grand on a camera and then chimp on the accessories. This is built to the same exacting standards as the camera and the grip is quite nice. Even with after market batteries, the camera can still communicate with them via the grip. The extra controls are very worth it and so is the double battery life. (not to mention the fact that people accord you more respect as a photographer by simply seeing your impressive body...) I will say the two things I wish were different: a.) I wish the vertical grip had the same ergonomics as the built in camera grip. It does not. This is mostly the result of the fact that the batter tray that slides in necessitates a certain shape, and therefore, the grip is more square. It is rounded at the corners, but not to the extent of the native camera grip. b.) a minor thing really, but I wish the dial that screws the grip on was a little sturdier. I want to make sure the two are paired together nice and tight (they fit together perfectly, with NO give by the way) but sometimes I wonder if I could damage the grip dial by tightening it too much since it is plastic. Really a minor thing though and I'm not worried there will be any problems. If you are on the fence about whether or not to order a grip at all, I highly encourage it. It is interesting to say the least and even if you don't use the vertical grip itself, the larger extended grip of the camera still makes for much more stable shooting. Just be sure to get a neck strap because you'll hurt your wrist if you simply try to carry this around in your hand.UPDATE as of 8/19/12I have had the grip for over a month now and I have come to love it so much I do not take it off of the camera. In fact, my camera feels strange without it. It is very reliable, very sturdy, and after using it every day for a month, there still isn't the slightest bit of give or wiggle in the connection. It is truly built to the standard of the camera. The buttons are also as responsive as the camera's.Also, I came to realize that I am very happy to have gotten the official grip made out of a metal alloy core like the camera for an unforeseen reason: some cheaper grips that might have a metal tripod mount thread in them, will still have the thread mounted in plastic. This thread is mounted in a metal body that matches that of the camera making for a much more secure connection I am sure. I do not remove the grip at all, even when on a tripod, so I appreciate not needing to worry about the threads popping out of a plastic shell because my camera weighs 5+ pounds.

I just received my battery grip and I will say that I am very impressed with the quality. I purchased the 5DIII as the 1DX I have on pre order just won't seem to arrive. In any event with the battery grip the 5 now feels very similar to the 1DIV. I sorely missed the portrait grip as I sold my Mark III and replaced it with the 5D.Although it could never be as solid as a 1D body, it more than suits my needs. LOVE the extra joystick on the grip and I'll look forward to having that as well on the 1DX. I appreciate having an on/off switch on the grip to enable and disable portrait mode shooting. The 1D Mark III and IV both have an on/off switch for the portrait grip and I find it valuable. I carry my rigs inverted using Sypder Holsters and being able to turn the portrait grip on and off prevents me from taking inadvertent hip shots!UPDATE June 1 2012I wanted to update my review now having used the grip in commercial shoots. One thing that is not as ergonomically convenient as the 'stock' 5D joystick is the additional joystick found on the battery grip. Because it is lower than the one on the camera, my thumb does not fall naturally to it when needed. Because it's lower I find myself hunting a bit for its location during quick transitions. BUT having said that it is MUCH better than NOT having a second joystick on the camera when in portrait mode.Battery life using two Canon batteries is very good. I was able to shoot all day and still had 3/4 battery life left on the meter. I use an Eye Fi card in the SD slot to transmit small JPGs to my iPad and have the card program to the "Forever" mode meaning it keeps the camera on quite longer than what I have programmed to into the camera. Even with this the battery performance more than meets my needs.

As with all of the battery grips I have which are made by Canon, this one is great. I have this on two of my Canon EOS 5D Mark III's and this newest one purchased is for the new Canon EOS %DS"R" which I will be getting on Wednesday from Amazon.Since the body on the new EOS 5DS and 5DS "R" 50.6 mega pixel medium format DSLR are the same as the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, this battery grip (as well as the Really Right Stuff L-Plate) will work on these new cameras.There are other knock off versions of the Canon Battery Grips but let's face it, when you pay $4,000 and upwards to $5,500 for a camera body, it is well worth the extra money to get the original end manufactured accessories for that camera. They look better, feel better, operate better and I think last longer than the cheap knock offs.

As a professional wedding photographer, I shoot thousands of images every week. After retiring one of my old cameras and picking up a 5DmkIII, I had to wait to get the battery grip since my local camera shop was sold out. Using it without the grip is awkward, since I've always either shot with 1D series bodies or 5DmkII's with battery grips. I have relatively large hands, being 6-feet tall, and though my hands fit on the standard body just fine, the camera just doesn't feel as comfortable without it. Not having the vertical shutter release is also awkward when shooting, so this grip was a necessity. I like the design of this grip, the added joystick is perfectly placed and I use it to move my focus points while shooting vertically, just as I would with the joystick on the camera itself. Construction feels much sturdier than the battery grip for the 5DmkII, and the battery compartment has been redesigned to a magazine style that will pull out and hold 2 batteries. Also included was a separate magazine that accepts AA size batteries should you be in a pinch and don't have standard batteries available. All in all, I love this product, it exceeded my expectations, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a battery grip for their 5DmkIII. Stick with OEM when it comes to grips, you won't be disappointed!