Canon BG-E5 Battery Grip for Canon XSi Digital SLR Cameras Review

Ostensibly, the goal of a battery grip is to extend the amount of power you have for your camera. This grip does that, but simply buying an additional battery pack (which you'll have to do anyway if you want to use the grip that way) would do the same job, wouldn't it? It would - but the grip does a whole lot more:
This battery grip transforms an already excellent camera (the Canon 450D -- or Rebel XSi as it is called in the US) into a great one. First of all, the grip is excellently designed, and people with medium to large hands like me can get a much better handle on the camera which, although nicely shaped, was a bit to small for my liking. Now, with the grip, this is transformed into a natural fit (it now feels similar to the Nikon D70, which I thought to be more comfortable to hold than the 450D). The advantages of using this grip are many:
First of all, you have double the amount of battery power available (provided, of course, you purchase an additional battery pack. The package does not contain any batteries). The grip is designed to hold one or two of the 450D's battery packs at the same time. You do not have to use two packs. If you do, the packs do not have to carry the same amount of charge, and both packs are drained simultaneously. Even better, Canon has designed the grip to house a sled-like device they call 'magazine'. This magazine holds one or two battery packs. The nice thing, however, is that it comes with a second magazine designed to hold 6 AA batteries. In a pinch, this can bridge the gap until you can re-charge the packs. Also, you can replace the magazine with an adapter to connect your camera to a normal power outlet (this is not included in the package). The magazine slides in from the left side (as seen from the camera's back), making exchanging the magazines slightly awkward for right-handed people.
The grip is designed to slide into your camera from below, replacing the battery pack (you'll have to remove the battery cover for this), and is secured in place with a screw. If there is room for improvement, then it would be here: I'd have liked a rubber environmental seal to better protect the camera's now permanently open battery housing.
The grip almost doubles the weight of the camera, making it much better balanced with many of the larger lenses (e.g. the EF 100 Macro lens). Even better, when shooting in portrait orientaton, the grip provides its own shutter, aperture, AF lock and AF select buttons as well as another selector dial. To prevent accidental use of these buttons, the grip is also equipped with an ON/OFF switch (this switch will not operate the battery power). This is in addition to the large, separately molded grip now provided for this orientation. The bottom also houses a replicated tripod socket, and a mount for the handstrap. The latter is very useful, as I have found myself shooting more in portrait orientation, and have now set up the camera to use this as the default orientation.
The few small flaws I've found are this: I would have liked the ability of the grip to be able to also provide power to my (external) flash. Even more than that I would have welcomed a charger for the whole grip. Currently, you have to remove the battery packs from the magazine, charge them separately, and then re-insert them into the magazine, then insert the magazine into the grip. Also, you have to remove the camera's battery cover from the camera -- this forces you to carry the cover with you seperately should you want to use the camera without the grip. Finally, I would have preferred a slightly better environmental sealing than the rudimentary one that is provided. All things considered, though, these are small annoyances compared to the much better handling and feel the grip brings to the camera.
To sum up:
This grip truly incrases the 450D's already great features. I like the fact that I can choose to use one or two packs, and even swap them for AA batteries in a pinch. The whole assembly feels much improved, and shooting in portrait orientation has been immensely enhanced (both in feel and simplicity). I recommend this grip for anyone who wants to get more out of this camera, and especially for those who find themselves shooting often in portrait orientation.
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