Knock off D7000 grip
- Thread starter Madphotogirl
- Start date
I guess because it's just a plastic housing. What made me buy one is that I thought I could get a lens with the savings. And I do suspect that the original Nikon D7000 grip might be made in the same factory where the knockoffs are made. Chinese are very good at stealing designs. I've had mine for a while and could not differentiate it from the real one. So far so good. I'll see if time proves me right or not...
silverthornne
Senior Member
Precisely because the camera isn't cheap!
Seriously though, I consider money spent on lenses to be a wiser investment. That I spent a lot on the camera doesn't mean I have money to throw around; it just meant that I sacrificed something else to get a camera I thought would be better for my needs at that point.
When I got the camera I had a choice: the 35mm 1.8G lens or the Nikon grip. I chose the lens. It's been 7 months since then and I now have another choice: Grip or Flash and I decided to do some research and I'm getting both, but in the form of knockoffs. For the flash I'm considering the Yangnuo 468-II Speedlight. Would I like genuine Nikon accessories? Hell yea! Can I justify them right now? No, but the knockoff products represent an interesting compromise...
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
silverthornne
Senior Member
Well, I got my grip and battery bundle today!
First impressions are extremely positive. The grip feels solid and once installed on the camera it's very difficult to tell that it's not part of the body. The dials and the shutter button do feel a bit and behave somewhat flimsier than the camera's but it's nothing serious. The rubber grip sections feel very good and are very effective at imitating the grip on the D7000 itself. The tripod mount is solid metal and has a supporting metal brace inside the battery compartment. Oh, and the dials rotate the right way.
One thing I didn't like too much is the joystick that works as the directional pad in portrait orintation. It has sharp little stubs that dig into the pads of my fingers. They'll probably wear down with use though.
The battery in the bundle is supposed to have a 3400 mAh capacity. We'll see if it holds up to that! One thing I can say I like is that it has its own charging input so I don't need to use my main charger for it. It also included a lighter adapter for that input so it can be charged pretty easily from any vehicle!
I haven't seen any branding on their packaging, but both items seem to be made by the same company. Overall, I'd say it's a very good buy, especially for the price!
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2
First impressions are extremely positive. The grip feels solid and once installed on the camera it's very difficult to tell that it's not part of the body. The dials and the shutter button do feel a bit and behave somewhat flimsier than the camera's but it's nothing serious. The rubber grip sections feel very good and are very effective at imitating the grip on the D7000 itself. The tripod mount is solid metal and has a supporting metal brace inside the battery compartment. Oh, and the dials rotate the right way.
One thing I didn't like too much is the joystick that works as the directional pad in portrait orintation. It has sharp little stubs that dig into the pads of my fingers. They'll probably wear down with use though.
The battery in the bundle is supposed to have a 3400 mAh capacity. We'll see if it holds up to that! One thing I can say I like is that it has its own charging input so I don't need to use my main charger for it. It also included a lighter adapter for that input so it can be charged pretty easily from any vehicle!
I haven't seen any branding on their packaging, but both items seem to be made by the same company. Overall, I'd say it's a very good buy, especially for the price!
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2
Phillydog1958
Senior Member
Good luck to all of you who are using 3rd party grips or batteries. From your testimonials, it sound like they work well and none of you have experienced any problems, and that's a good thing. Prior to purchasing my Nikon grip, I researched all of the available 3rd party grips, because I felt that the Nikon grip is just overpriced. The 2 primary reasons that I decided on the Nikon grip were because of possible electronic issues and fear that I'd void the warranty of my D7000. I know that many companies have a policy that states that use of 3rd party accessories is unauthorized and will void the warranty of the original product. They always imply that there is a chance that the 3rd party accessory might create some sort of electronic or mechanical malfunction and zap or damage the original product, be it a Nikon camera, a cell phone or even your family car. In some cases this warning might be valid, but I've always assumed that it's just a way that the manufacturer of the original product encourages the consumer to not buy 3rd party accessories and to buy their own accessories. Basically, they're trying to line their pockets and keep all accessory purchases in house. But, it's a fear tactic that does hold some logic. One can't totally ignore the notion that the use of "Inferior" 3rd party accessories might cause malfunctions. So, my point is that if you do use a 3rd party grip or any other accessory, such as a flash or even a battery, and you happen to have a mechanical or electrical problem, be careful with your dealings with Nikon. If your camera is still under warranty, they will probably void the warranty. Is my thinking process correct? Is this an issue that needs to be considered before purchasing a 3rd party accessory? Or, do you guys not worry about this matter? . . . Just food for thought . . .
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silverthornne
Senior Member
You're correct in your assessment about third-party accessories but that's where everybody needs to set their own thresholds...
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2
Phillydog1958
Senior Member
No, but they most likely will. If you allow them an opportunity to avoid obliging a warranty, they probably will. Most companies always seek an out on warranty agreements, if they can. My son worked for a major cellular company for 5 years. I won't name them, but if you walked into any of their stores and complained of any type of cell phone problem, they would open the phone and if they found 3rd party battery, they would automatically void the warranty, without any further questions. That was their corporate policy and it's in the fine print.
silverthornne
Senior Member
Well, the problem is that I find it very difficult for them to be able to prove a third-party accessory was used unless the person sending it in would explicitly tell them so. Anyway, for those interested, I put up some images in my gallery with descriptions about the grip and the battery in the bundle. So far I've nothing to complain about, save for the discovery that the battery doesn't fit in the charger included with the D7000. Good thing it includes its own chargers (word of caution though - the wall charger included is for an European wall plug).