Which battery grip works best with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II?

Question

Does anyone know which battery grip I should actually pull the trigger on for the R5 Mark II because I'm stuck between the basic BG-R20 and that fancy cooling one with the ethernet port? I've got a massive outdoor wedding shoot in Phoenix next Friday and I'm terrified of the camera overheating in the sun but that cooling grip is like 500 bucks and my budget is already crying after buying the body. Is the cooling version actually worth the extra cash for stills or is it mostly for video guys? I'm leaning toward the standard one to save some money but I dont want to regret it when the camera shuts down mid-ceremony...

Victoria · Accepted Answer

Honestly, the cooling grip is overkill if you're just shooting stills. I've shot in desert heat for years and unless you're blasting 8K raw video, the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip is plenty. Save your $500. Phoenix is brutal but the standard grip is fine for weddings... just keep the body out of direct sun when you're not shooting. That Canon CF-R20EP Cooling Fan Battery Grip with Ethernet is really just for video pros.

George · Answer

> Is the cooling version actually worth the extra cash for stills? tbh I've spent years shooting sports in the heat and learned the hard way that CFexpress cards are usually the real heat culprits. I tried those high-end grips, but switching to a ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B Cobalt 325GB made a bigger difference for me. It stays way cooler during long bursts. Stick with the Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip and put that extra cash into cooler-running media.

ScriptSorcerer · Answer

Coming back to this... unfortunately, I think you are gonna be disappointed with both options if you expect them to magically solve thermal issues in 110-degree Phoenix sun. I have tested the cooling tech on these and it is not as good as expected for stills. The Canon CF-R20EP Cooling Fan Grip is really just a glorified fan for 8K video sessions. The cooling system pulls air through the body, but for single-shot wedding photography, the fan barely makes a dent in the internal temp compared to the ambient heat hitting the black chassis.

Canon BG-R20 Battery Grip: This is just a basic plastic shell with some buttons. Pros: decent ergonomics. Cons: overpriced and does zero for heat. It is basically just a battery holder.

Canon CF-R20EP Cooling Fan Grip: Pros: high-speed ethernet if you were a sports pro. Cons: bulky, $500 price tag, and the fan is useless for wedding stills. Honestly, the R5 II processor is what generates the heat, and no grip fixes the sun beating down on the magnesium frame. You are better off buying several Canon LP-E6P Lithium-Ion Battery packs and keeping the spares in a cool bag. My advice? Keep the LCD screen flipped out away from the body to let the backplate breathe. Spending $500 on a fan meant for video guys wont save your ceremony if the camera is soaking up direct desert heat. Just get the standard grip and spend the savings on a decent shade umbrella for your rig.