Best budget battery grip recommendations for Canon EOS 6D Mark II?

Question

So I finally upgraded to the 6D Mark II and man the jump from my old Rebel is insane!! Im so hyped to finally have a pro-ish setup. I have a wedding gig for a friend coming up in early October and since its gonna be a long day I really need a battery grip. I hate the idea of fumbling with batteries while the cake is being cut or whatever plus I have huge hands so the extra grip space is a big deal for me. Ive been doing some digging and I keep seeing the Neewer brand pop up everywhere because its so cheap but then I read some horror stories about the dials skipping or it not fitting flush against the body which makes me nervous. I also looked at the Vello one which people seem to like more but its basically $80 and I only have about $50 left in my gear budget for the month after buying my new glass. Is the Vello actually worth the extra cash over the super cheap ones or are they all basically the same plastic from the same factory? I just need something reliable enough to get me through a 10 hour day without glitching out on me...

Chloe · Accepted Answer

Congrats on the upgrade man, the jump to full frame is a total game changer. Ive been shooting for over a decade and tried basically every third party grip out there... honestly the idea that they all come from the same factory is a myth. In my experience, the cheaper Neewer ones have really mushy buttons and Ive had them drain my batteries while the camera was off. If youre doing a wedding, you really need something that wont flake out on you. Since youre tight on cash but need reliability, I highly recommend looking at the Pixel BG-E21 Replacement Battery Grip for Canon 6D Mark II. Its usually right around fifty bucks and the build quality is significantly better than Neewer. The dials have a nice tactile click to them and it sits flush on the body. I've used Pixel grips for years on my backup bodies and theyve never let me down during a long shoot. Definitely worth the few extra bucks.

carson.goodman · Answer

Just saw this pop up and wanted to chime in... Like someone mentioned, the build quality varies wildly between brands. I gotta disagree slightly that you need to shell out for the Vello tho. I have been using the Meike MK-6DII Professional Battery Grip for about two years now and I am honestly super satisfied with the performance. I remember being at a dusty track meet last summer, shooting thousands of frames in the heat, and the Meike did not skip a beat. Here is how I see the technical side:

Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for EOS 6D Mark II: The internal electronics are a bit flimsy, and the control wheel tends to feel loose after a month of heavy use.

Meike MK-6DII Professional Battery Grip: It has better copper contacts and the rubber grip matches the 6DII texture almost perfectly. It fits your budget and works well without that annoying wobble cheaper grips have. Really solid choice for a long wedding day.

orbeat.gmm · Answer

Regarding what #3 said about "Honestly if you are shooting a wedding be..." she is spot on about those drain issues. I would suggest looking at the Pixel BG-E21 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 6D Mark II if you really cant stretch the budget for the Vello. It usually sits right around that $45-50 mark and feels a bit more solid than the bottom-tier stuff. Make sure to do these tests the second it arrives:

Screw it in tight and check for any gap where moisture could get in.

Test the shutter button half-press sensitivity to ensure it actually locks focus.

Leave fully charged batteries in it overnight to see if the power level drops while its off. I have seen some of these budget ones lose connection if you bump them too hard, which can reset your shooting mode. Be careful not to over-tighten the mounting screw tho, as the threads on cheaper grips are kinda soft. Honestly, if it gives you even a hint of trouble during your testing, send it back. Reliability beats comfort every time when you are on the clock for a wedding... you dont want a dead camera right during the vows.