Product Review: Phottix Battery Grip For Canon's Digital Rebel Cameras

More Power for Your Canon Camera

Batteries are the bane of a photographer's existence. Just when you need your digital camera most you discover your battery is dead or dying. While some cameras run on regular AA batteries, many have a proprietary power cell.

Canon DSLRs run on Canon batteries. For the shutterbug that wants a longer power source Canon sells battery grips. The unit connects to the bottom of your camera with a tripod thumbscrew, and provides a longer shooting time. The grip looks a lot like an old-school motordrive. The Canon grips hold two batteries. The drawbacks include purchasing two batteries for the unit, and needing to charge them both before inserting them into the grip.

There's another option. Photographic equipment maker Phottix has released a battery grip for the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and Rebel XTi (350D and 400D respectively). What's innovative about this after-market gear? The batteries are internal. The grip can be plugged directly into a wall socket, anywhere in the world, to charge.

The 3600 mAh unit boasts five times more battery power than original batteries. The Lithium Polymer cells, says Phottix, can take up to 2000 photos on a charge. Best of all, Lithium Polymer batteries do not suffer from the memory effects that plague other power cells; you don't have to completely drain them before recharging. Phottix specs state the grip recharges in four hours.

Canon's grip, the BG-E3 for the EOS Rebel XTi, is a pricey unit. Online retailers sell the grip and two Canon batteries for $149.00 The Phottix grip is available online for $13.00.

Battery life isn't simply dictated by the number of photos you shoot. Flash use, autofocus, LED screen previews, and image stabilization (IS) lenses also drain power. I tried the Phottix grip on a recent outing. I shot all day without any battery related problems. More than 400 photos, a lot of LCD previews, and an IS lens.