Battery grip for 40D

[dakid]

Hiya,

After some advice, please.

While I was shooting at the weekend, I found that switching to portrait meant I found it very difficult to both keep my hands on the shutter/focus buttons (I've set my autofocus to activate on pressing the AF-ON button), and being able to look through the viewfinder. What I found was that my wrist was blocking my forehead from easily looking through the viewfinder.

Now, while I'm unable to stretch to a 1D, I might be able to afford a battery grip, which should enable me to shoot in portrait more easily. I had two questions though, that I hoped people might be able to please answer?

1) I'm used to using the AF-ON button to focus ... does the battery grip for the 40D have this button, or only the exposure-lock and focussing-point buttons?

2) I only have two batteries which, so far at least, has proven more than I need. I shot a full day at Slimbridge and a full half-marathon, filling up 4x2Gb cards both times, and using AI Servo and lens-based IS all the time, and never once needed to even swap to the second battery. My question is whether I will be able to run the grip with only one battery, so that when it runs out, I can swap over and I'll know that I'm halfway through my power, rather than simply using both up entirely and suddenly running out!

Many thanks for any help

 

[susie]

Cannot help on the first as its not something I use so its not in my brain, there are some buttons on it though!

Yes you can just use one battery in it, you also get a tray for normal batteries that you can use in an emergency!

 

[Agger]

Buy 2 Cano copy batteries from www.7dayshop.com for a tenner, been using them for at least 3 years and no problems at all I use a grip on both my 10d and 20d get a wrist strap as well, they're the best

 

[Jimmy_Lemon]

1) I'm used to using the AF-ON button to focus ... does the battery grip for the 40D have this button, or only the exposure-lock and focussing-point buttons?

2) I only have two batteries which, so far at least, has proven more than I need. I shot a full day at Slimbridge and a full half-marathon, filling up 4x2Gb cards both times, and using AI Servo and lens-based IS all the time, and never once needed to even swap to the second battery. My question is whether I will be able to run the grip with only one battery, so that when it runs out, I can swap over and I'll know that I'm halfway through my power, rather than simply using both up entirely and suddenly running out!

Many thanks for any help

1) The official grip doesn't have the AF-On button Just the two you mention

2) Yes it will run on one battery, but to be honest I shove both in and it just lasts forever! I think I read somewhere that the 40D should be able to do 1000 shots from one battery charge, so with a grip you are talking 2000 shots before you need to charge!

I have yet to see the battery go off full power and I dont bother turning mine off anymore, I just let it go to sleep after 30 seconds (or a 1 min, cant remember my settings)

 

[dakid]

Hmmmm. Ok, thanks all

I guess I can swap the AF-ON / Exposure lock buttons in the custom functions, then just use that instead. Will see how I find that tonight, maybe.

Appreciate your taking the time to answer!

 

[pxl8]

Yes you can swap the AF-On/* buttons but it also swaps the other functions of those buttons which is a bit of a pain - eg the * button on the grip will no longer control the zoom when reviewing shots. Canon really stuffed up with the 40D grip IMO and I'd love to see a 3rd party that included the AF-On button.

 

[Box Brownie]

I know this thread is old but I ma currently looking at getting a grip!

I agree that the lack of the AF-On button is frankly stupid as they have managed to add that on the wireless file transfer grip that costs an arm & a leg???

As for the switch over making the * button the AF-On well I would need to see how I got on with that in the landscape orientation? But I was not aware that if you so swap them you lose the zoom in the review mode on the grip ~ how damned silly is that