How do you like the battery grip?

PerkinSimpson

Well, have you guys experienced the times when battery power is not enough, but you still want to shoot? I am not sure if a battery grip will help? Who can give me some advice?:D

kensutz

majiktripp

What type of camera do you have? I see you posted about buying online also so are you currently considering making the big splash and buying a new DSLR? Most new camera batteries will last for a considerable time anyways, plus you could buy a couple of spare batteries and just switch when empty instead of investing in a battery grip.

Paulw

For me, the battery grip served two purposes - extra power and a more egonomic camera.

Without it, I felt the camera was a little small.

Chorcai

Paulw wrote: »

For me, the battery grip served two purposes - extra power and a more egonomic camera.

Without it, I felt the camera was a little small.

Same.

Effects

I shoot with a 5D and rarely use it with a battery grip. As for battery power, I just carry a spare battery at all times and have never fallen short.

Nforce

I've one on my D80 and found the extra shutter button very handy when shooting in portrait format and the battery life was brilliant. Haven't got one yet for my D300 as the standard battery life is very good.:)

melekalikimaka

alot of people who shoot canon seem to find it more ergonomic than without

kensutz

Without battery grip, the camera tends to feel like a toy camera. Given I'm so used to lugging 1D series cameras around.

CabanSail

I have a Battery Grip on my D300. Don't really need the extra power & used to carry spare batteries just in case. Now I have it I stick a battery in there anyway. The reason I got it was for the Portrait Shutter button & the better feel it gives the body, especially when using a long fast lens.

pullandbang

Love my grip (40D) for the extra battery life and the increase in size. Gives you a real positive hold on the camera and the extra buttons for portrait hold are handy.

DougL

PerkinSimpson wrote: »

Well, have you guys experienced the times when battery power is not enough, but you still want to shoot? I am not sure if a battery grip will help? Who can give me some advice?:D

If you're regularly running out of battery, then it makes sense to buy a battery grip. I'm a landscape photographer, and I can't think of the last time I ran out of battery...except for maybe when I forgot to charge it. I do carry two batteries, but only because a spare came with my camera.

Maybe sports shooters run into this with the high frame rates?

NothingMan

Does anyone here know if the non canon batter grips are any good? Saw them on eBay for around €40 and thought it was shockingly cheap.

Effects

NothingMan wrote: »

Does anyone here know if the non canon batter grips are any good? Saw them on eBay for around €40 and thought it was shockingly cheap.

I had a photomatix one, was used only once and now it has issues. Leave it on the camera for a while and it starts focusing itself constantly, like if I was pressing the shutter button half way.

Masada

For some reason my battery indicator shows a lower reading when used with a battery grip than it does with battery straight in the camera on the same battery, -unrelated note, but always wondered why-

I use mine for the grip it gives as opposed to the added battery capacity, id be of the larger hands variety and dont find the camera very ergonomic without the grip at all. the added controls get used more than the original controls on mine too.

coolmoose

same here, use the grip on my D200 more for the ergonomics, camera feels far more secure in my hands with the grip.

took the grip off to bring the camera hillwalking recently and it felt so strange in my hands...far lighter though!

squareballoon

I got a non-canon battery grip and the only thing I like about is that it has a second button for taking photos which makes it handy if you're taking portrait shots.
I don't use mine anymore because the 5D plus lens is already heavy enough for my puny arms. I'll probably sell it.

pixbyjohn

I use a battery grip with my Nikon D700 and find it super for balance and portrait use. Also allows 8 frames per second.

NothingMan

squareballoon wrote: »

I got a non-canon battery grip and the only thing I like about is that it has a second button for taking photos which makes it handy if you're taking portrait shots.
I don't use mine anymore because the 5D plus lens is already heavy enough for my puny arms. I'll probably sell it.

But it does work ok? No issues with quality or flimsyness?

squareballoon

NothingMan wrote: »

But it does work ok? No issues with quality or flimsyness?

No, it works fine. It seems to have a good build quality. It came with 2 non canon batteries and a trigger for taking SPs (not remote). One of the batteries only worked for a week but the other's been fine. I can't remember how much it was but I remember thinking that I was glad I hadn't shelled out for the Canon one.
The make I bought was a Multi-Power Battery Pack and the logo on the grip says Meike.