I'm gearing up for a local documentary project starting in about two weeks and realized my 90D is definitely gonna need more juice for these three-hour interview sessions. I've been looking at battery grips and I'm totally torn between going for the official Canon BG-E14 or just saving the cash with something like the Vello or Neewer versions. My logic was that the Canon one is probably built better for the long haul but its almost 150 bucks new and that eats into my lens budget. I saw the Neewer one for like 50 dollars which seems too good to be true honestly. Then there is the Vello BG-C12 which sits right in the middle at about 80. I keep going back and forth because I dont want the camera to cut out during a take if the pins on a cheap grip are crappy but I also dont want to overspend if the third-party ones are basically the same thing. I'm trying to keep the whole setup under $120 including a couple extra batteries so maybe a used Canon grip is the play? But then I worry about the previous owner being rough with it. Does the Vello feel cheap in the hand compared to the official one or am I just overthinking the build quality for indoor shoots...
I tried going cheap with the Neewer BG-E14 Battery Grip for Canon 90D and unfortunately it was a total mistake. The plastic felt hollow and the connection would drop if I gripped it too tight... super disappointing. Honestly, save yourself the headache and find a used Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip. I found mine for 70 bucks and it's way more reliable for long video shoots.