Battery Grips (Page 2): Many people purchase grips (and God knows what else) because of the "cool" factor. Glad you finally grew out of that.

Jim Bob

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

Many people purchase grips (and God knows what else) because of the "cool" factor. Glad you finally grew out of that.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

It's a personal decision. I personally like the battery grip for the balance, convenience and additional heft it provides. My wife has one also, but seldom uses it. Both are the camera brand, more expensive but function flawlessly as part of the camera.

Although some people do comment that it must be a 'serious camera' that's usually when I have an obvious lens and a big flash gun on it, not just the grip.

However, I'm not going to stop using it just because "the women will leave me alone". Unfortunately I haven't actually noticed much of a difference! They don't leave me alone anyway!

Phoenix Headshots Loc: Phoenix

The grips are also key for long exposure projects for time lapse, or long videos... a battery grip can keep a long recording session viable, where as if your battery dies mid take....

On small short battery life cameras like the Sony a7 series, the grips are useful to hold the camera, particularly with a large lens, and the batteries are always dying....

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Phoenix Headshots wrote:

.....or long videos... a battery grip can keep a long recording session viable, where as if your battery dies mid take....

Very true, but an A/C adapter is even better if power is available....

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

Phoenix Headshots wrote:

The grips are also key for long exposure projects for time lapse, or long videos... a battery grip can keep a long recording session viable, where as if your battery dies mid take....

On small short battery life cameras like the Sony a7 series, the grips are useful to hold the camera, particularly with a large lens, and the batteries are always dying....

Many years ago, when I went to Hawaii carrying a big RCA VHS tape camcorder I was taking short videos all the way up my hike on Diamondhead. Just as I got to the top about to take the final panoramic view around the island the battery died! When I went to Israel this past summer I was shooting videos with a new-to-me Panasonic all-in-one camera as we were passing different continents from NYC to TLV. What I didn't realize (after the last of THOSE batteries died before I could take a pic of the new airport), was that I had apparently not fully pressed the stop button. When I downloaded my card I found that I had 3 or 4 sections of about 1/2 hour videos of the floor of a 777 and my assorted carry-on luggage. I took a pic with my cellphone, though.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Like the feel on smaller bodies.(6D). ...
But...

Need to be carefull to turn off the portrait buttons when the camera is swinging from your BR strap by your side otherwise you will be snapping photos from the hip with every step... ;-)

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Using a grip when shooting sports with long glass on a monopod makes for a far better balanced kit in my humble estimation...
Although I honestly prefer the ergonomics of the built in grips on my Nikon pro bodies... They feel so comfortable and well designed...
But then again, could be because I've shot them so much that I no longer even think about the controls... they just work seamlessly...

That said I have a D7000 with Nikon's newest AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II VR (which collapses to a minimalist size) that lives in my backpack...
Here gripless totally works for me... feather light, tiny and that new AF-S VR lens is the cat's mellow... lol
Always ready... I would feel naked without it... :)

Thanks all for sharing... lots of wisdom here...

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

I've tried shooting airshows with a monopod and it just didn't work out. I just handheld and got a lot more pics that way. I'll be renting a nice lens this summer for a week-long aviation I go to on a semi-regular basis...considering also renting a grip. I've never tried a gimbal mount...they might be less awkward. Or maybe not.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

planepics wrote:

I've tried shooting airshows with a monopod and it just didn't work out. I just handheld and got a lot more pics that way. I'll be renting a nice lens this summer for a week-long aviation I go to on a semi-regular basis...considering also renting a grip. I've never tried a gimbal mount...they might be less awkward. Or maybe not.

Battery grips, monopods, tripods, gimbal mounts etc are all different things for different purposes. What are you trying to achieve with each?

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

For me a battery grip helps me balance my 200-400 f4 lens and allows me to easily take vertical shots cause the shutter button is in the right spot for it. That's why I call them vertical grips instead of battery grips.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

That's just what I want. The women to leave me alone. I have to get rid of mine now.

Mari

onsho wrote:

My "Canon" bat. grip (later found out it's a fake!) crapped out on my 7D so I've learned that you are totally correct. So much lighter.
And the women leave you alone. The battery grip will imply that you know what you're doing.

Marion

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

I bought one for my D610 a few years ago because "everyone else had one." I sold it with the camera and haven't bought another. I can see the advantage of the shutter button for portrait mode, but that's about it. Adding size and weight isn't on my To Do list, for me or my camera.

d2b2 Loc: Catonsville, Maryland, USA

I have a bad shoulder, that really needs an artificial implant. Doing a vertical shot with a standard camera body requires that I hold that shoulder at an angle that is extremely uncomfortable. Having the ability to utilize the controls on the battery pack is far, far more comfortable and, in my case, the only way to maintain the position for any time. Without that need, I would probably not elect for the additional weight and size, which unquestionably adds to the weight and size of my carry-on luggage for my several cameras.

leftj Loc: Texas

joer wrote:

Over the years I have had original equipment or 3r... (show quote)

I've come to the same conclusion so I didn't purchase a battery grip when I bought my new camera a few months ago. I had them on my previous two DSLRs. I can see where a pro out on a high volume shooting assignment could justify one but an amateur enthusiast not so much.