quickpix Loc: St. Joseph, Missouri

To save money I paid $45 instead of $250 for a knock off MB D11. It was always a little loose at the base. I purchased it August 25 and today it broke in half while on a tripod. I caught it (whew)??
All the tiny screws broke out of their base and it would be hard to fix. I know, you will say I got what I paid for??
My question is "Is the genuine Nikon MB D11 any better maid.
It looks like the inherit design of the piece is prone to break.
The only thing that holds all that weight is the thumb screw on the bottom. That puts a lot of stress on those tiny screws??
Is the real thing better?
Thanks for your input.......

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

You've learned your lesson!

swphoto Loc: Ft. Collins, CO

I've had 2 (one for each D700) and never had a problem. I also have Nikon motor drives/grips for my F3's, and never had a moments problem with them either, and they are old as sin as the F3's [and MD-4 grips] were purchased in 1981 and still running (as are the F-3's).

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

the only nikon products that aren't built like tanks, were their entry level 35mm slrs of the 80's and 90's like the n-55, n-75,n-60, which were too plasticy, and not the good polycarbonite glock handgun plastic, but the cheap breaks easy kind. always buy origianol manufacturer or recomended 3rd party like sigma tonika tamaroon, quantray/pro master is alright. there is a lot of cheap poorly made, communist chinese produced counterfit products out there. if the price seems a really really good deal "caveat emptor"

look used for your geniuine nikon battery grip at adorama.com,b+pphoto.com and my best friends KEH.com extremly satisfied with them, and i figure if i keep mentioning them in every post, they'll break down and give me that used d-3 i have my eye on. :lol: 8-) :!:

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

The battery pack is for the D7000, correct?
The battery for the D7000 is capable of powering the camera (fine and JPG) for about a thousand shots. Why a battery grip? Why not a second battery? $250 for the grip......$50 for a spare battery.......

swphoto Loc: Ft. Collins, CO

"Added speed with more batteries in bigger, optional grip."

That's the only advantage I can see.

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

Excuse me for sounding stupid, but how would an battery grip provide more speed? The batteries are hooked up in series, providing a constant supply of power to the camera until both or depleted. The only "speed" advantage I can see is the time it takes to swap out the battery.

swphoto Loc: Ft. Collins, CO

Larger batteries = more current available. More current available, faster performance. Think of older cars and the difference in 89 octane vs 100 octane.

My D-700's using EN-EL4a/4 in the MB-D10can shoot at full resolution at 8 fps vs 5fps without the MB-D10.

piedmonte66 Loc: Michigan

I just won a brand new Nikon MB D11 on ebay for $76. I have not received it yet but I am excited to get it.
Does the MB D11 hold more than one battery? Everything I have seen indicates that it holds just one. Maybe I overlooked something (as my wife would say).

swphoto Loc: Ft. Collins, CO

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

What you state is mostly true "larger batteries more current."

BUT not when two batteries are connected in series (basic electrical theory). If they were connected them in parallel most likely would burn the electronics in the camera up.

I have done a lot of researched on line and found nothing to support your claim. Tomorrow I will test it on a D7000 with the MB D 11. If I am wrong, I will most certainly admit my error.

BTW ADORAMA has it on sale for $215

http://www.adorama.com/INKMBD11.html#pr-header-INKMBD11

JohnnyRottenNJ Loc: Northern New Jersey

You guys are comparing apples to oranges. The battery grip for the Nikon D300 or D700, with the right attachments (I believe there is a piece that goes into the base of the camera where the regular battery sits. It will goose up your fps rate to about 10-11fps, depending on available light.

The grip for a D7000, will NOT increase the frames per second rate. That was one of the things that Nikon took out of the D7000 to make it more affordable.

Most people I know (including me,) have battery grips to make it easier to shoot in the portrait mode. I find a lot of advantages shooting that way, including not having nose prints/grease on the display on the rear of the camera. Shooting in portrait mode moves your entire face off to the side.

BTW, I have a D300 and a D7000 and bought battery grips for both of them. I got a Vivitar VIV PG D700 for my D300, and a Bower XBGN7000 that is made specifically for the D7000. Both felt comparable to their Nikon counterparts, at a fraction of the cost. The Bower even comes with three choices: it comes with a battery pack that you can charge up separately, a tray that holds the EN-EL15 Nikon battery, and a tray that you can use AA batteries in. The Vivitar comes with two choices, a tray that holds the EN-EL3e, or a tray that holds AA batteries. I have both, use both and have had no problems. My total investment was about $160.00 for the two, as opposed to about $245 each for their Nikon counterparts. Can they stand up to the abuse that the Nikons were allegedly built to withstand? Don't know. I don't drop or bang my cameras around.

quickpix Loc: St. Joseph, Missouri

I like the feel and the grip of the MB D11, a little more to hold on to. Otherwise I agree completely.
My question is the Nikon unit better built and more sturdy on the camera?
Thanks for your input, I appreciate it!

quickpix Loc: St. Joseph, Missouri

Please let me know how your unit bought on Ebay works out.
You can get lots of inexpensive units with real looking boxes that come from China - I wonder?
The one I purchased is advertised as a knock off and was new only $45??
I just never felt tight against the bottom of the camera and always had some forward/back movement? Eventually that's what did it in?
Thanks
Quickpix

quickpix Loc: St. Joseph, Missouri

the one at Adorama is on back order? Shucks