I'm planning some long landscape shoots and really need better battery life for my Canon 90D and 80D. I'm looking at:
I need something reliable for vertical shots and extended video work. Which one offers the best build quality and performance for these models?
I totally agree with that point about the dials. If you go too cheap, they feel like toys and can definitely fail on you right when you need that shutter button to work. Tbh, if you dont want to pay the full Canon premium but still need something solid for those long landscape days, I've had really good luck with the Vello BG-C9 Battery Grip for Canon 70D 80D 90D. It usually runs around 60 to 80 dollars and feels way more robust than the super budget ones. Another thing to consider if you're doing video is the actual power source. The Meike MK-80D Professional Vertical Battery Grip is another reliable mid-range option that wont break the bank. Just make sure you pair whatever grip you get with high quality cells like the Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery or you won't actually see that much of a runtime boost anyway. It really makes a difference when you're out in the cold for hours!
Honestly, I've spent a lot of time lugging my 80D and 90D through national parks for landscape work, so I know exactly where you're coming from. Since both cameras use the same grip, you actually have some solid options to choose from. If you can swing the cost, the Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip for EOS 70D/80D/90D is really the way to go for serious landscape photography. The main reason is the weather sealing. Most third-party grips skip the rubber gaskets, and if you're out in the mist or light rain, that's a big risk for your electronics. The build quality also matches the feel of the camera body perfectly, so it doesn't feel like a cheap plastic add-on. That said, I've used the Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Canon EOS 90D 80D 70D for studio work and it is surprisingly decent for the price. Here is how I usually break it down:
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The one I got felt decent initially, but the dial eventually started slipping during shoots, which made me regret not checking the build quality more closely before buying.
tl;dr: search youtube for side-by-side teardowns before you spend any money. honestly i would just go on youtube or reddit and search for canon 80d grip comparisons. there are tons of videos and threads where people show exactly how the weather sealing or the dials fail on the cheaper versions after a few months of heavy use. you might want to consider the risk to your camera body too because i have seen warnings about the mounting screws on off-brand grips stripping the threads if you arent careful. i would suggest checking the official manufacturer site to see the exact specs for the weather gaskets because most third-party ones skip that entirely. basically just do a quick google search for real-world failure tests so you know what you are getting into... better to spend ten minutes researching now than having a grip fail during a landscape shoot.