[Javaslinger]

Made in china... Looks the same. comes with replacement battery pack for $79.50.
Anyone have any experience with these?

Thanks,

Ken Knott

[Canada_Rockies]

No experience with those, but the Pentax kit version includes a battery and Remote F, and has a card holder. It can be bought in some places without the battery and Remote. Mine came as a package deal with the k10d, DA 12-24, grip, second battery and Remote F. As you can see from my signature, I tend to always buy the manufacturer's version of anything. If that Chinese one is operationally the same, it's a good deal.

[sabarrett]

I think someone here has purchased it. Maybe do a forum search on "ebay grip"?

[Ratmagiclady]

I've actually not noticed any complaints, from what I've heard, surprisingly, (been keeping an eye on these) ...I guess some of them variously don't have the same or as nice controls or weather sealing or the grippy stuff on them, but I guess they do as advertised, as a rule, from what people say.

I've decided to just save a little longer and get the Pentax one, but they seem like a fair deal. Just be sure you're getting the right version if you go to the 'bay: some have more of the OEM type features than others.

[GerryL]

If it is easy to open or dismantle, you can probably "weatherseal" it with silicone grout or silicone sealant (the one they use for aquariums or tubs) inside where the seams come together and put it back together before the sealant cures (instant weathersealing!).

[OregonJim]

Keep an eye on cametaauctions (eBay) or Cameta Camera's webstore. They frequently have the genuine Pentax battery grips on sale. I just bought one for the K200D (weathersealed D-BG3) for $29 US! Great deal. I've purchased 7 or 8 things from them in the past and never had a problem.

P.S. - I'm not affiliated with Cameta - just a customer.

[Ratmagiclady]

If it is easy to open or dismantle, you can probably "weatherseal" it with silicone grout or silicone sealant (the one they use for aquariums or tubs) inside where the seams come together and put it back together before the sealant cures (instant weathersealing!).

I really wouldn't do this, that stuff isn't meant to be outgassing-safe around optics and electronics. (Also, to be honest, I've seen too many people try to fix sunroofs with that kind of stuff to really trust it for other than its intended purpose: Also, the genuine grip isn't *that* much more expensive to make that sort of move worth anyone's while. If you pressingly need the portrait controls in the rain, get the genuine article, ....otherwise, I'd just take the battery out.

Though, I should probably reiterate, I'm on a pretty thin budget, so I'm just getting the real thing. My K20's the nicest thing I've had in a long time... I'm probably going to be living with that grip as long as I'm running this camera, ...if it's like I handle my winders, it'll probably be the first thing I touch when I pick the fella up for the duration, why rush to put the aftermarket on. I consider time spent making up the difference by dribs and drabs time well spent.

Anyway, that's just kind of my perspective. It seems at least one brand of these grips are really what they're reasonably-expected to be. Not the same, not quite as nice, but things someone made in reasonably good faith. For me, it doesn't make a lot of sense to add any unnecessary risk, however small, to a seven hundred dollar rig for the sake of fourty or fifty bucks... I couldn't absorb that outcome very well at all, so it'd be silly. (I also like how the camera handles without a grip at all, it's just I could use the extra ballast sometimes, and if there's extra battery and memory always with the camera, well, I think it'll be just *that* much less patience my dear one has to show whenever I decide I must switch bags before we go out. )

And, if I'd got the cheapie on this a few months ago, by now I'd probably be like, 'Why didn't I just wait till about *now?*'

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Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 04-30-2009 at 11:23 AM.

[flyer]

I never stop to be amazed by people spending around $1000.00 on a camera and then trying to save a little bit by purchasing untried/untested third party accessories. Just think if something goes wrong with the grip and "fries" some of the camera's electronics, do you think Pentax will hono the warranty? I'd rather be safe and go with the real thing.

[Ratmagiclady]

Hey, don't look now, (Or, Do! ) But I checked around for prices. Adorama seems to have some demoes of the genuine article up for sale, 99 bucks, ...I just bought one, ....hopefully the fact the listing is still there means there's more of them, and not just that the page stays up a while. . (Glad I looked before the weekend's festivities... )

Thanks for giving me the thought to check around before the weekend's festivities, OregonJim: there's a way I have no problem saving the thirty bucks.

When I did check, btw, ... seemed all the usual suspects I checked, (Cameta, B&H, the aforementioned. bvghad new ones for around 129, about the same. And I think there were a bunch on Ebay this past week, as well, for a bit less. Dunno if they're still there. )

(Edit, no more demoes there right now. It took a while for the llisting to go away, I don't know if that means there was more than one or if it just takes a while for them to go away. Never thought to look back before this occasion.