Gear: Vello BG-N21 Battery Grip for Nikon Z Series
I own the Nikon Z7 II Camera and use it every day for my photography business. On a good day, I can get between 470 to 520 photos on a single Nikon EN-EL15c Battery. It wasn't convenient to stop mid-shoot to replace the battery so I decided to look into a Battery grip to extend my battery life. It appeared I had three choices; the Nikon MB-N11 for $396.95, Nikon MB-N10 for $196.95, and the Vello BG-N21 for $99. I decided on the Vello BG-N21 for the price and fairly good reviews. The Vello Battery Grip holds two batteries. It will take the EN-EL15a/b/ or c. But if you want to utilize the USB-C charging port in the grip you will need to use the EN-15c batteries.
Category: Camera Gear
Weight: 7.3 oz.
Price Range: $99 - $130
Pros: First off the price. For $99 it works great for what I need. It's very easy to install. Just remove the battery door on the Nikon camera and insert the Vello Battery Grip then tighten down the thumbwheel and wallah double the battery life. Now you're thinking to yourself, what am I going to do with the Battery door now? Vello thought of that and made a neat little storage spot for it on the connection shaft. Another nice feature next to the USB-C charging port is a battery status button which shows your battery level for both batteries.
Cons: It's not made out of the best quality plastic and does get a little scratched up. It also needs an external cable to use the shutter release button in the grip which is also in an awkward location to use. For my use, I don't need this button so it wasn't a big deal to me.
Overall I'm happy with the product and would buy it again and recommend it. I found that the Nikon Z7 II with large lenses works much better with a battery grip. Whether it is the Vello or Nikon model. Either one when combined with the camera provides more area for your hand to grip and manage the smaller Nikon Z chassis.