In my experience, i unfortunately tried the Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Canon 80D 90D for events and it basically glitched out in the rain... it was not as good as expected. • Stick to the Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip for the genuine weather-sealing gaskets.
• Third-party like Vello BG-C12 Battery Grip lack the pro-grade build quality. Lesson: dont cheap out on reliability lol!!

> I know the official BG-E14 is the standard choice, but has anyone tried third-party options? Before I give advice, are you using genuine Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery packs?? See, grips basically double your power and fix ergonomics for vertical shots, but I've found budget ones are super finicky with third-party chips and wont show charge levels right. If weather sealing isnt a HUGE deal, the Meike MK-70D Professional Battery Grip is a decent option compared to the expensive Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip... it just works!!

I have been using these cameras for a long time and, unfortunately, my experience with third-party grips has been mostly negative. They usually seem fine at first, but they are just not as good as expected after six months of heavy use. If you are looking to save money without sacrificing too much reliability, here is how I would approach it:

• Scour the used market for a genuine Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip. You can often find them for a fraction of the original price, which is a much better deal than buying a new, low-quality clone.
• If you absolutely need a new third-party option, the Pixel Vertax E14 Battery Grip has slightly better contact points than some of the others, though the weather sealing is still quite poor.
• Avoid the Vivitar Pro Series Multi-Power Battery Grip because the shutter button tends to get stuck after a few thousand shots. It is frustrating that the official gear is so expensive, but having your camera glitch out during a long shoot because of a cheap circuit board in the grip is a nightmare. I would suggest sticking with the first-party hardware whenever possible, even if it means buying it used.

I've been around cameras for a long time but I'm actually pretty new to using battery grips myself!! When I started looking into them for my kit, I did a bunch of market research to see what the deal was with all these different brands. Honestly... it seems like a bit of a gamble. I've noticed that the cheap stuff you find online doesn't hold its value at all compared to the gear made by the camera manufacturers. Anyway... I ended up just deciding to go with the main brand stuff because I was worried about the electronics. It’s basically about peace of mind for me?? I figured if I’m already spending a lot on a nice camera like the 90D, I shouldn't risk it with a budget brand. Does anyone else feel like the official gear just feels more solid in the hand anyway? Tbh I’d just stick with the manufacturer's brand if you want something that’s going to last as long as the camera does!!!

Would love to know this too

Coming back to this... tbh im not 100 percent sure which of the off-brand ones is the absolute best choice... but i think they all kinda share the same quirks. IIRC, some people have had luck doing a bit of DIY maintenance to make them feel more solid. Like, someone told me you can actually use a tiny bit of electrical tape inside the battery tray to stop that annoying rattle some of the cheaper ones have. Not sure if that's a professional fix lol, but i tend to tinker with my stuff a lot. Honestly if you're worried about the weather but dont wanna pay full price, maybe look into getting a generic rain sleeve that covers the whole camera and grip? I havent tried that specific setup yet but it might be a cheaper way to get that protection without buying the official gear. Just a thought tho, im still learning the ropes with my 90D too.

id suggest being really careful before you commit to one of those budget grips. honestly i once had a grip that felt solid but the electronics inside were just... messy. while i was in the middle of a portrait session the camera started firing bursts on its own because the vertical shutter button got stuck. it was embarrassing as heck. you might want to consider how much you actually trust the electronics if youre doing paid work... just a couple of things id need to know to help narrow it down:

• what kind of environments are you usually working in? like, are we talking climate-controlled halls or dusty outdoor festivals?
• does the tactile click of the buttons matter much to you, or are you just looking for the extra juice from the batteries?

Any updates on this?