17/05/2026 3:30 am
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EF Mount Camera & Lens Forum
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So Ive been shooting weddings here in Seattle for about two years now with my 5D Mark IV and honestly my wrist is starting to kill me by the end of a 10-hour day. Especially when Im using the 70-200mm lens, it just feels so unbalanced. I really need a battery grip for the extra vertical controls and better balance but Im stuck on which one to actually buy because the price gaps are huge.
I did some digging online and obviously the Canon BG-E20 is the official one everyone says is the gold standard but man that price tag is hard to swallow when I just dropped a ton of cash on a new 24-70mm lens last month. Ive seen the Vello and Neewer versions for a fraction of the price and some people swear they are basically the same thing but then I read a few horror stories about the third-party grips causing battery drain issues or not having proper weather sealing. Since I live in Washington Im constantly dealing with mist and light rain so the weather sealing thing is kind of a big deal for me and I dont want to fry my electronics just to save a few bucks.
Does anyone have long-term experience with the cheaper alternatives or is it one of those things where I just have to bite the bullet and buy the name brand for the peace of mind? If you use a third-party one does the joystick feel cheap or laggy compared to the one on the body...
12
17/05/2026 3:30 am
I went through the same struggle a few years back when I was shooting outdoors near Snoqualmie all the time. I tried to save money with a cheap off-brand grip, and it worked fine for studio stuff, but the first time I got caught in that classic Seattle drizzle, the shutter button on the grip started acting possessed. My camera kept firing randomly... basically a nightmare during a ceremony. I eventually caved and got the Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip for EOS 5D Mark IV and honestly, the peace of mind is worth the price. The weather sealing matches the body perfectly which is huge for us in Washington.
- Buy the Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip for EOS 5D Mark IV used if the retail price is too high; you get the sealing without the full MSRP sting.
- Check the joystick response before committing because third-party ones often feel way more clicky and laggy than the actual camera body.
11
17/05/2026 3:55 am
I would suggest the Vello BG-C14 Battery Grip for Canon 5D Mark IV if youre on a budget. Be careful though:
- Its not fully weather-sealed.
- It feels slightly more plastic.
3
17/05/2026 3:45 am
I've been monitoring the millivolt consistency on my current rig and it's fantastic! The ergonomics really change the torque on your wrist when that center of gravity shifts back towards the body. I love it! I learned the hard way that the actual contact resistance in the tray makes a huge difference for high-speed burst reliability. My current setup has been an absolute beast through some seriously messy weather!
