Recommended battery grips for the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II?

Question

I finally got my hands on the R5 Mark II for this huge wedding shoot I have in Seattle next Saturday but I am freaking out about the battery life. Ive been shooting with the original R5 for years and always use a grip for those long days but it looks like the old BG-R10 isnt gonna cut it with the new cooling features and the LP-E6P batteries.

I really need those vertical controls and the extra juice because I shoot heavy on the video side too. Is the BG-R20 the only real option or are there any reliable third-party ones out yet that wont fry my new $4300 body? I cant find anything in stock locally and shipping is looking tight...

brittany.hernandez · Accepted Answer

I used the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip during a humid outdoor gig and was very satisfied with the performance.
Stick to OEM for now because third-party brands often struggle with the cooling connections.

Qekk · Answer

Re: "I used the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip during..."

Honestly, in my experience, jumping on third-party accessories right at launch is risky. I've tried many over the years and iirc, the pin mapping for those newer cooling features is way more complex.

Cooling vent alignment

High-speed data throughput

Battery authentication Not sure but I heard someone say the generic ones are causing errors on pre-release units. I would be careful since shipping is tight anyway...

Callum · Answer

Regarding what #2 said about "Re: "I used the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip..." - honestly it really sucks that Canon changed the requirements again. Unfortunately, I checked my usual sources and there is zero reliable third-party stuff ready yet. The consensus here is spot on: the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip is the only way to get full performance, but the price tag is honestly insulting for what it is. If you're trying to save money because the grip is out of stock or too pricey, here is what I would do instead:

Grab a couple extra Canon LP-E6P Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery packs and just swap them. It is annoying for vertical shooting but saves you a ton of cash.

Look into a high-output power bank like the Anker 737 Power Bank PowerCore 24K to top off between ceremonies via USB-C.

Avoid using your old LP-E6NH batteries if you need the high-end video modes or max burst rates, they just wont deliver the current needed for the R5 II sensors and you'll get limited performance warnings. Basically, you are stuck with OEM for now if you want the vertical controls to actually work without weird errors or the camera throttling itself.