oh man, i feel u on the portrait struggle... shooting vertical without a grip for hours literally kills your wrist lol. i've been using my 6d mark ii for like 4 or 5 years now, and honestly, i've tried both the cheap route and the official one. for your situation, here's what i recommend: i actually started with a third-party one - i think it was the Vello BG-C15 Battery Grip for Canon EOS 6D Mark II - because i didnt wanna drop $200 on a piece of plastic. it worked fine for a while, but the buttons felt kinda mushy and the texture didnt *quite* match the camera body. eventually, i switched to the official Canon BG-E21 Battery Grip and ngl, the difference is noticeable. * **Build Quality**: the canon one feels like it's actually part of the camera. the vello is fine, but it feels a bit hollow.
* **Weather Sealing**: this is the big one. if youre shooting outdoors and it starts drizzling, you dont wanna worry about water seeping into the battery compartment. the canon has the gaskets, the vello basically doesnt.
* **Reliability**: i had a weird issue where the vello would randomly disconnect and i'd have to reseat it. super annoying mid-shoot. so yeah, basically if you're just doing casual stuff, the vello is probably fine. but if you want that peace of mind - especially for the weather sealing - the official one is worth the extra cash imo. i've been super satisfied and had zero complaints since i upgraded. gl with the choice!! peace

For your situation, i've had a really annoying history with third-party accessories so i totally feel ur struggle. I'm usually all about saving money, but honestly, the 6D Mark II is a pro-sumer beast and putting a cheap grip on it can sometimes lead to weird voltage drops or communication errors with the Canon LP-E6N Lithium-Ion Battery. If ur looking at the budget side, here's what i've actually used: - I tried the Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Canon 6D Mark II first cuz it was super cheap, but the plastic felt so thin and it actually started creaking during a long portrait session.
- The Vello BG-C15 Battery Grip for Canon 6D Mark II is a bit better, but unfortunately, the control dial on mine felt super loose and would skip aperture settings if i turned it too fast.
- I eventually gave in and got the Canon BG-E21 Battery Grip. The weather sealing on the Canon one—which I know was mentioned—is highkey the main reason to buy it if u shoot outdoors. It's got the specific gaskets that match the body, which keeps the moisture out of ur main board. I've seen people fry their internals cuz water wicked through a cheap plastic grip... definitely not worth the risk imo. If the price is too high, just check for a used Canon BG-E21 Battery Grip on eBay. I got mine for like $110 and it's night and day. Good luck with the portraits!! peace

tbh I was in the same boat and ended up grabbing the Mcoplus BG-E21 Replacement Vertical Battery Grip to save some cash. One quick tip if you go third-party: I put a tiny strip of electrical tape on the battery tray rail to stop it from rattling, and it feels way more premium now. Also, if you're doing long portrait sessions, pairing it with the Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) and Dual USB Charger for Canon LP-E6N is a lifesaver for the budget. I haven't had any communication errors yet, but I always keep an eye on the mounting wheel to make sure it hasn't wiggled loose. Honestly, for the price of one Canon grip, I got the grip and 4 extra batteries... definitely worth the DIY vibe for me.

Caught this thread a bit late but i wanted to chime in with a different angle. Instead of buying a brand new clone, check the used market for the Canon BG-E21 Battery Grip for EOS 6D Mark II. Since many people are moving to mirrorless, you can find the original Canon grips on sites like MPB or KEH for almost the same price as a new Vello. Here is why performance-wise its better to go that route:

• Better button tactile feedback (clones often feel mushy after a year)
• Gold-plated contacts that dont oxidize as fast in humid environments
• Perfect weather sealing integration that actually matches the body seals Check out The Digital Picture website for their technical review on the 6D II build quality if you want to see why the tolerances matter. If you really have to go third-party and want something decent for light use, the Vivitar Pro Series Multi-Power Battery Grip for Canon 6D Mark II is okay for studio work, but honestly... just get the used OEM. You wont regret the reliability when you're on a paid gig and the shutter dial actually works every single time.

This thread is gold. Bookmarking for future reference 🔖

It’s a classic dilemma. To sum up what everyone’s said: you’re basically weighing the *guaranteed* reliability and weather-sealing of the official gear against the significant cost savings (and potential mechanical failure) of the budget clones. Before you pull the trigger, I’ve got two questions to help narrow it down:
* Are you shooting mainly in a controlled studio, or are you dragging this thing through dust and rain where the seals actually matter?
* How do you feel about doing your own 'tech support'—like cleaning contact points with ISO or tightening loose mounts yourself if things get wonky? From a DIY perspective, I’ve seen people try to 'weatherproof' cheap grips with gaskets or tape, but honestly, it’s a mess. If you’re shooting for clients, you have to think about whether the time spent troubleshooting a budget part is worth more than just getting the one that talks to the body's logic board correctly from day 1. If it fails on a third-party unit, you're the repair tech; with the official one, you actually have a service path.

Late to the party but this whole thread is 💯. Glad I found it.

Check out the LensRentals blog for technical teardowns to see why internal gaskets matter. Basically, for weather sealing to work, the Canon BG-E21 Battery Grip must match the camera body's specific seal points, which the Vello BG-C15 Battery Grip for Canon 6D Mark II often misses. As suggested, the official grip is better built, and tbh, if you dont want to risk your gear outdoors, it's the safer technical choice.

ngl, that point about the communication errors is SO spot on. I’ve been trying to do some market research lately because i'm still learning about all the technical stuff, but i've noticed a weird pattern. A lot of those cheaper options are basically the exact same unit just with different brand names slapped on the box. One big warning though... iirc, a common issue with the non-official ones is the mounting screw. If the internal gears are made of cheap plastic, they can strip or just get stuck. If that happens, its basically fused to your camera, which is a scary thought for such a nice body. I'm not 100% sure but maybe? It just seems like those "ghost brands" on sites like Amazon are risky because they disappear so fast once people start complaining. Just something to keep in mind before you buy!

Jumping in here because I am absolutely obsessed with this setup! Regarding what #6 said about "tbh I was in the same boat and..." I totally feel that. I have had my 6D Mark II since it basically dropped and putting a grip on it is a total game changer for portraits! It feels fantastic in the hand and makes the whole rig look so much more professional too.

• I think I heard somewhere that the weather sealing on the official one is really only as good as the lens you have attached, so keep that in mind!
• IIRC some of the budget ones can cause a tiny bit of drain even when the camera is off? Not 100% sure on that but I swear I read it on a forum once.
• Someone told me the shutter button click on the Canon one is way more clicky and satisfying compared to the softer feel on the clones, tho I guess that is just personal preference. Honestly just go for it! The extra battery life alone is amazing for long days.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Youre a lifesaver honestly.