Unfortunately, the market is flooded with gear that has terrible chassis flex. It is basically a coin flip if those gold pins will even align properly under pressure. Cheap shells often warp under the weight of a 70-200mm lens, which kills the connection. The Hahnel HC-5D IV Professional Battery Grip is a decent mid-range pick if you are on a budget. Still, generic plastics just aren't as rigid as the official magnesium.

Regarding what #1 said about "Honestly, i have been down that road before...", my Vello BG-C14 Battery Grip for Canon 5D Mark IV was fantastic for sports!

• lens weight?
• gold pins stop lag!

My buddy told me the exact same thing last week. Guess he was right lol.

To add to the point above: you really have to be careful about the electrical tolerances between different brands. I've spent way too much time testing these and the voltage drop on some of the cheaper clones is actually kind of scary.

• Be careful with any grip that feels light. That usually means they used polycarbonate instead of magnesium alloy, and that flex is exactly what causes the pins to lose contact when you're holding it vertically.
• Make sure to inspect the mounting screw. High-end brands use stainless steel, while the cheap ones use a soft alloy that can actually cross-thread your 5D IV's tripod mount if you're not careful.
• I would suggest checking the button tactile feedback too. If the shutter button feels mushy, the internal switches are probably gonna fail after a few thousand clicks. Honestly, the connection issues you're having are usually a sign that the grip's internal chassis is warping under the weight of your lens. In a busy place like NYC, you're gonna be swinging that camera around, so you need something that doesn't have any play in the mount. Just stay away from the bottom-barrel stuff, it's never worth the stress... trust me.

Honestly, i have been down that road before and it is so stressful when gear fails right before a big job. In my experience, the official Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip for EOS 5D Mark IV is absolutely worth the price tag, especially if you are doing professional shoots in NYC where you cant afford a disconnect. Over the years, ive tried many cheap alternatives and they usually have these issues:

• Poor weather sealing compared to the actual body
• Loose connections that cause the camera to randomly restart
• Mushy shutter buttons that dont have that crisp tactile feel The BG-E20 is built like a tank and matches the magnesium alloy feel of the camera perfectly. It doesnt flex at all even when you are using heavy glass. Id just bite the bullet and get the official one... youll never have to worry about it again.