Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS, XSi and T1i with 2 LP-E5 Batteries (3600 mAh Total)
July 27th, 2010 | 
Author: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS, XSi and T1i with 2 LP-E5 Batteries (3600 mAh Total)
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 List Price: $179.99 Sale Price: $69.95 Availability: unspecified 
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Product Description
Opteka is proud to be allowed to use the same factory and mold as Canon uses for their BG-E5. Opteka is one of the world's leading producers of high-performance batteries and accessories. Opteka believes there is no limit to the potential of portable power, and as a company they will always strive to find innovative and efficient ways to power your life in the future! The Opteka BG-RXS holds 6 AA Batteries or 2 LP-E5 batteries. This provides a extremely extended shooting time. The vertical shutter release also makes shooting with the camera in a vertical position just as comfortable as shooting horizontally. Compatible with the Canon Digital Rebel XS, XSi, and T1i (450D, 500D & 1000D) SLRs only. This package includes 2 Opteka LP-E5 1800 mAh Batteries for Maximum shooting time.
Details
- 2 Opteka Ultra-High Capacity 1800 mAh LP-E5 Batteries included
- Vertical shutter release also makes shooting with the camera in a vertical position just as comfortable as shooting horizontal
- Buttons for AE lock, AF point selector, aperture value, shutter, and mail dial
- Increases functionality and convenience
- 1 Year warranty
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Tags: 8 Responses to “Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS, XSi and T1i with 2 LP-E5 Batteries (3600 mAh Total)”
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Rating
The Opteka battery grip for the Canon 450D is a very excellent investment. Considering you are getting 2 decent batteries, it is nearly like the grip is free. The grip is made from the same mold as the Canon but much, much cheaper. The installation is quick and simple. All the buttons are there and it makes the XSI DSLR “feel” much more substantial. Even the rubber-like texture really makes it like the real deal.
Get it, you won’t regret it!
Rating
The Opteka Battery Grip is nearly identical to the Canon Grip sans the Canon logo. In fact, I believe Opteka may manufacture this grip for Canon as an OEM? Whatever the relationship between Opteka and Canon, this Opteka battery grip is a wonderful value. For small more than the price of a Canon LP-E5 battery, you receive a high quality Opteka battery grip and two brilliant 3600 mAh batteries. Now if I could just find a lens manufacturer that provided Canon “L” quality lens clones at a similar value.
Rating
I was hesitant for quite awhile, whether to get Canon original grip or Opteka’s. Chose to give Opteka grip a shot. I literally loved it as soon as I mounted it on my XSi. Very excellent build quality, all the buttons and the wheel work fantastic (really I like the feel of Opteka wheel better than camera’s). On the tripod it is absolutely solid. Long tale small- every single aspect of it is screaming: Save money without quality compromise!
If you considering canon vs. opteka grip (as I did), reckon no longer! You’ve found it!
Rating
As of the time of this review this grip with batteries is about $130 less than the Canon brand grip and batteries. As others have pointed out the shutter dial doesn’t have the same feel as the one on the camera, but it’s not a problem – it works fantastic just feels a small different. I’m really, really, glad that I didn’t spend the extra money for the brand, this has been a fantastic product.
That can’t always be said, in a lot of cases it’s better to go with Canon products, but for quality of this grip spend the savings towards a new lens, or some off camera lights.
Rating
Well I have been using this battery grip for about 2 weeks now and I am very impressed. I have shot over 1000 shots and the battery indicator still shows all the bars. I really reckon this grip has also improved my photography, just because now I take more portrait oriented shots. The weight is perfect; not too light and not too heavy. It is heavy enough to help keep it a small more steady than without it. As stated before the rotational dial does feel a small “mushy”, but you will learn to get used to it real quick. Overall an A+ from me! And what a fantastic price!
Rating
Many will tell you that the best accessory you can buy for your camera is a flash while some would say a remote. When it comes to battery grips, questions such as “would I really need the comfort to shoot in portrait for macro photography?” would come to mind. Often times, it’s what deters us from buying a grip… the uncertainty of whether we will need it or not. Not sure which specific field in photography I’m getting myself into, I was hesitant. But after going to Hawaii for my honeymoon, it turns out that shooting comfortably in portrait for any type of photography was very vital.
In this package, having two battery packs is just a bonus. Having an option to hold your camera in portrait position without getting a CTS (carpal tunnel) is the very reason why I bought one.
And so, my research for the ideal (or as close to perfect as possible) battery grip started. Everywhere I looked, reviews pointed to the Canon and the Opteka grips. The quality for both grips seemed to be unrivaled. Then there are others with LCD displays along with other fancy schmancy features. All their reviews seemed to conclude that crappy, thin plastic with plastic (non-rubber) grips couldn’t compensate for the price or the features. The annoying play on the shutter button and scroll wheel was where many drew the line. So for me, it was Canon vs. Opteka.
Naturally, the next criteria was the price. After all, who doesn’t want the cheapest of the best grips. While Canon’s is well over the $100 mark, the Opteka which is said to be the closest to Canon-quality is only $65! As an added bonus, it includes two batteries for only $80 ! Not only are the two batteries included for only an additional $15, they are 1,800mAh as opposed to the 1,080mAh OEM battery. The next step didn’t take much thought –I ordered one.
Upon receiving the item, I can tell you that the build is indeed very “OEM-like”. Though I have never owned the Canon grip, it doesn’t take a genius to compare the materials used on the grip to that of the camera body. It’s no wonder people say it’s no different from the Canon one. The grips are virtually cut from the same sheet of rubber. The thickness of the plastic also seems very much like the camera body. Aside from the Canon/model branding, there is probably no other difference. And to my surprise, the package also came with an extra battery pack for AA’s! Let me say that no matter how professional of a photographer you are, two 1,800mAh batteries will last. Reckon how long your current OEM 1,080mAh battery lasts (provided that it was broken in properly). Now imagine how long two (not one, but TWO) 1,800mAh would last. But if for some reason you went on a vacation, you forgot to charge, forgot the wall charger, but happen to bring the AA battery pack, just buy six AA’s and you’re back in business. It’s an unlikely situation but that extra option given to you just makes you feel that much more special when buying this product.
But back to the grip… the width is very wide compared to the XSi grip. Opteka’s grip feels like a 50D as opposed to a 5D/1D, but it still makes your camera feel like a professional, full frame camera. The shutter button is placed perfectly and has zero play. The scroll wheel is a small shallow and tough to turn but once again has no play whatsoever. Overall, the grip feels solid and well built. I have no regrets. I even keep the switch on the bottom grip on “ON” all the time so that I can shoot in portrait on the glide.
You won’t regret this buy.
Rating
I agree with everything said before. I started shopping for a battery grip for better battery life, more comfortable shooting when using a lens like a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, and finally because the XSi feels small in my hands. The Opteka battery grip fills all that and more. You can’t beat the price, especially with two batteries that work fantastic. I shopped around for comparisons of the Canon and Opteka grips, and the only complaints I found were about the shutter release being hard to use and the batteries not working properly (but this was the battery grip for the XT/XTi). I have had neither of those issues so far, and visually, and structurally the only thing difference that is noticeable between this and a Canon battery grip for the XSi is the “Canon” logo.
For the price, I could not be more pleased, especially because – as one website place it, I have enough extra money to get a nice 50mm Prime Lens when compared to the Canon one. It feels absolutely fantastic, especially if you have larger hands like I do and the XSi feel small in your hands. It also adds a bit of weight, which you would reckon would make a camera worse, but it makes it so much better to operate. If you are considering a battery grip for your XS/XSi and can’t choose between this and the Canon – let me tell you again, the Opteka battery grip is the way to go.
Rating
Having been a long time owner of the Opteka Rebel XT grip, I figured I’d give this a shot to accompany my new EOS XSi. The grip has the same shape, feel, and functions as the Canon brand (at a fraction of the price), and I am pleased to report that the Opteka XSi grip has exceeded my expectations.
The grip offers primarily power management advantages along with improved camera handling options at the cost of some weight and bulk. With two of the standard rechargeable batteries in the grip, recycle times for the flash are noticeably quicker. It also adds the option of accepting AA batteries in a pinch.
The two LP-E5 batteries included with the grip are high-capacity and of excellent quality.
I would recommend this grip to a friend.