Official Nikon Battery Options for D7000 MB-D11

Hi guys,

Was chatting to a good friend of mine earlier, and he was commenting he had just received his new MB-D11 grip for his D7000 (Genuine Nikon - not aftermarket).

He was looking at my D300 with the MB-D10 Grip and asked what battery I was using. Well as I also have a D3 and 3 genunie EN-EL4a batteries, I showed him that one of my EN-EL4a was fitted into the D300 Grip, and that's what I use (with a EN-EL3A in the camera).

I asked what batteries he was going to use and to my surprise he said he was waiting on his EN-EL5a to be delivered, which apparently was very similar to my set up. Whoever he purchased it from, they told him it was a genuine Nikon part ?

I've tried to find it on the Nikon sites and can't, however I have noticed on Ebay that some of the aftermarket grips do seem to offer their own brand "EN-EL5" solution.

Has he been ill advised and this would indeed not be a genuie part (and if so will it even work in his grip), or have Nikon recently and quietly introduced this battery for the 7000 grip ?

Many thanks.
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Lets make pictures, not war........