Product Description

Battery grip / Exclusive for the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT / Also functions as vertical grip / Accepts up to 2 NB-2LH battery packs or 6 AA batteries

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 0211B001
• Dimensions: 3.30" h x 4.80" w x 5.80" l, 2.00 pounds

Features

• Designed specially for the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT Camera
• Holds up to two Canon NB-2LH battery packs or six AA batteries
• Doubles shooting length time
• Provides excellent vertical shooting control

From the Manufacturer
The Canon BG-E3 Battery Grip is designed specially for the EOS Digital Rebel XT camera. The BG-E3 holds up to two NB-2LH battery packs or six AA batteries to offer double-length shooting time. The vertical shutter release makes shooting with the camera in a vertical position just as comfortable as shooting horizontally. This grip provides additional controls for easier vertical shooting including shutter release, AE lock/FE lock, index/reduce button, main dial, AF-frame-select button, and the aperture/exposure compensation button.

Customer Reviews

Canon BG-E3 review
The Canon BG-E3 battery grip is pretty much as advertized, but I gave it a 2 for the reasons below. Some have complained about the small size of the XTi for big handed people (like me), but I guess I have become used to it. In fact, in comparison with the 40D, I have found that I actually enjoy using the smaller XTi. My little finger (pinky) fits snuggly under the camera helping to stabilize it and making it easier to "throw around" for a shot. The main problem lies in the fact that the grip has a lower lip (where the batteries go) that no longer allows me to comfortably place my little finger anywhere when I hold it. The added weight of the grip+batteries does provide more stability for the camera around the neck, however there are other techniques that will work as well. My thoughts: if you are out taking photos, the camera should be in hand and at ready. Otherwise, it is in my backpack and out of way. As far as the number of shots are concerned, I've rarely had an issue except a couple of times where I set out with the battery already low and I forgot to take a spare. A full battery will do for a couple of cards, which is plenty of work to sort through back home on the computer for me. But if the issue is to have a longer shooting time, save money and buy more batteries instead (I mean, really, how long does it take to change out a battery?). I may find occasion to use it some day if I am out on a shoot where I cannot recharge and run out of juice, it will be a whole lot easier to find some AA batteries at a local gas station than the Canon rechargeable. On the positive side, I do occasionally put the grip on when I am primarily taking portrait photos (since I have it) as the controls on the grip make it much nicer and easier (the major redeeming feature). The bottom line for me is that it mostly just takes up space in my camera bag. However, as you can see by the other reviews, it does have fans. So if you are thinking of buying it, go try it and see how it fits in your hand.

One of those necessary accessories
Take your camera and hold it sideways to take a portrait instead of a landscape shot. How often do you do this? Never? Feel awkward? Are all of your pictures landscape shots and it seems like the same shot over and over?

Now imagine your camera were more square shaped and once you flip it 90 degrees there was a second set of buttons there for shutter release, aperture, exposure lock, exposure compensation and AF points. That is to say, once you've flipped the camera over, you don't need to flip it back unless you're going to go into the menus between shots. The buttons on the grip pretty much feel the same as the ones on the camera body itself, so you can easily flip back and forth without looking for the shutter buttons and without skipping a beat.

With the grip on there, taking portraits feels just as natural as taking landscapes. It's even more comfortable to take a portrait shot, given my nose. Overall, I wind up taking about 50/50 or maybe even 60/40 portraits to landscapes. Without the grip, it would probably be more like 5/95.

If you're in the 5/95 camp, you need this.

Ok, so it's technically a "battery grip" and lets you pop in two batteries instead of one. Quite frankly, unless you're shooting 2000 pictures at a time and using the pop up flash, one battery will probably do you just fine. The fact that it holds a second battery is an added bonus. I used mine with only one battery for about half a year before I got a second battery.

There's a switch to disable the redundant shutter buttons, and installation is a snap once you figure out how to remove the battery door from the camera body. There's even a handy place on the vertical pointy thing to store the door. The camera will drain one battery then move onto the second one so when you have to recharge, you only have to recharge one or swap if necessary. Frankly I cannot imagine draining two batteries in a day.

One last bonus is that it comes with a small rack so you can run your XT or XTi on 6 AA batteries instead of the lithium ion batteries. This last feature should be used as an emergency measure. The AA batteries really don't hold a candle to the Canon batteries.

great add on for rebel
The battery grip is a great add on for those who have big hands and take many vertical shots. The quick dial and shutter button on the side of the grip is cool and you will start using them quickly. One thing that surprised me is the amount of battery life you will get with the additional battery. I can shoot and shoot and it seems that I worry less and less about having to change out the battery. The grip will add some weight. It may not seem like that much but if you have a speedlite and heavy piece of glass on the front you will notice your arm starting to get tired after a long shoot. Overall if you don't mind the weight that is added to your camera I think you will be happy with the grip.