lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Same here, Pentax film cameras, tons of lenses, so stayed with Pentax.

If I live long enough for another camera I might consider switching brands or adding another brand. The current owner of Pentax, Ricoh seem to be too traditional for even me. They are resistant to embracing Mirrorless, MILC technology. Yet, they had one of the first years ago. With the Pentax K-01 APS-C MILC. But the darn thing had no EVF or OVF, only the back screen. A no go for me.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

That is exactly what I do, turn the camera and when without a grip I just end up with my elbow up in the air.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I still do that, even with the grip! Old habits...
I'll use the grip vertically if I'm taking a few shots or a long time to compose and focus.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I would not get a camera that had only rear screen viewing.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Every Canon battery grip made this century accommodates two batteries, doubling capacity for the camera. To install a grip on a Canon camera...

1. First the battery is removed from the camera (via a door in the bottom).
2. Next the battery door is removed (there's a slot to store it safely on the grip).
3. Then the grip's protrusion fits up inside the camera's battery compartment and the grip is locked in place by screwing into the tripod mounting socket (there's another tripod mounting socket in the bottom of the grip itself).
4. Dual batteries of the original type fit into the base of the grip. In some cases they fit into the grip through a door in the back. In other cases they fit into a tray that slides into the grip from the size.

The advantage of this design is that you don't need to remove the grip itself from the camera to change out the battery that remains in the camera (the way you do with many... most?... Nikon grips).

In many cases the camera will work with a single battery installed in the grip, if necessary.

In all cases I'm aware of, unless a retailer offers a bundle, the Canon grip doesn't come with a spare battery. Additional batteries to use in it need to be purchased separately.

An exception are Canon's WFT or Wireless File Transfer modules used by some of the cameras. Some cameras use an WFT that looks like and in some ways fits and acts like a battery grip. However, in many cases these leave a single battery in and powering the camera. A second battery in the WFT itself only powers that module. In order to swap out the camera battery, you have to temporarily remove the WFT module (same as you have to do with most Nikon MB grips). An exception to these exceptions, just recently Canon introduced WFT-R10/R10A module for the R5 mirrorless camera which is a redesign that looks, fits and acts very much like their battery grips. Both batteries now fit into this particular WFT module (which costs one heck of a lot more than a battery grip). I suspect but am not certain if one battery powers this WFT and the other the camera... I doubt both batteries power both devices. Maybe some day I'll get an R5 to find out for myself. (Note: The Canon BG-R10 battery grip fits both R5 and R6 cameras, but the WFT-R10 only fits and works with the R5.)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

The grips have controls and a shutter button on them that are positioned for use when holding the camera in "portrait" mode. No more "pretzel twisting" of you arm, wrist and hand.

Plus they also give what most people consider to be a better grip on the camera.

And the grips I buy come with a battery carrier that will hold AA batteries for if you are somewhere you can't recharge your camera batteries. AA are sold almost everywhere in the world that they have heard of electricity. Plus they also work for a lot of other things you may have along - I even have a set of hollow "C" and "D" size adapters made by Eneloop that hold a AA for use in things that use those sizes of batteries.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I have a D850 and a D500. Neither has a "top of the line" $$$$$ grip. They have very good $$ grips.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

For portrait orientation I find "hand on top" not uncomfortable at all, no "pretzel twisting".

Hand on bottom, totally uncomfortable. That's pretzel twisting!
Why would anyone use the hand on the bottom form.

BobPliskin

I have tried two off brand battery grips over the years and hove found that they are not manufactured to the same specs as Brand units. They have failed at plastic weld points and the internal contacts have oxidized and require cleaning at the most Inopportune times.

A. T.

Yes, I would purchase the Nikon grip, though very expensive, I have Nikon grips for my D500 and D850 and I'm very happy with them. I looked into several off brands and none of them looked as good as the Nikon. I'm sure they would have functioned appropriately but I think if you're going to spend the kind of money it takes to purchase an expensive DSLR, you should purchase a comparable grip.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

B@H has a vello for$49, 1/4 the cost of Nikon. They stand behind what they sell.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1368615-REG/vello_bg_n18_bgn18_battery_grip_for.html/?ap=y&gclid=CjwKCAiAtej9BRAvEiwA0UAWXn_DvJFgkduCJpqhxnwjJ_N7ejuZNGYXQBquAYKyXJEIX2X-g1szlRoCXGsQAvD_BwE&lsft=BI%3A514&smp=y

lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

You just told me everything I always wanted to know.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The only functions I need (desire) on the grip are shutter and focus buttons.
For any other function I use the buttons on the camera back.
Primary use for me: 2nd battery.
Secondary use: better camera handling.
Tertiary use: portrait shots.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

Don't think that Nikon makes grips for the D7500. The aftermarket ones only hold one battery.