Poll: To grip or not to grip

If you use a battery grip, what is the primary reason you have it?

  • Comfort / ease for vertical shooting

    Votes: 44 33.8%

  • Extra battery power

    Votes: 8 6.2%

  • A combination of the above

    Votes: 63 48.5%

  • 'Cause it makes my camera look bigger ;)

    Votes: 6 4.6%

  • Other (post you reason below)

    Votes: 9 6.9%
  • Total voters
    130
i take it they didnt like
im sure they didnt buy just to waste money
lol
 
I don't feel the need to use a grip all the time and yes, if you want one all the time, then go Pro-dslr. but I quite liked the versatility of being able to change the size
got to admit that I loved it on the 350D as it made the whole thing easier to handle
rarely used it on the 40D
 
DizMatt said:
I don't feel the need to use a grip all the time and yes, if you want one all the time, then go Pro-dslr. but I quite liked the versatility of being able to change the size
got to admit that I loved it on the 350D as it made the whole thing easier to handle
rarely used it on the 40D
Click to expand...

Why? Why should I pay thousands for a camera when adding a grip, for maybe £100, would do what I want it to? :thinking:
 
Grip.

I just like the feel of it, makes the camera feel much better and easier to use IMO.

I bought a cheapy one off Ebay so it doesnt work off batteries anymore now but still keep it on.
 
I constantly keep taking the grip off of my D300s when I use anything but the AF 300mm F4 as the grip seems to balance the camera better for extended periods of handheld use. Saying that though, I don't get anything else extra from using the grip apart from the extra buttons, which I often forget are even there...

I've got the official nikon MB-10 grip for my camera but I hate the scroll wheel on it compared to the camera one for selecting AF points. It rarely ever goes to the one I actually want, making it more frustrating than useful in portrait orientation.

I'm going to get a D800 in the very near future and I'll probably keep it ungripped and spend the cash saved on the grip on something more useful to me.
 
Simon photo said:
You forgot to add the option for
"makes my camera look, and me feel more Pro"
Because im sure there are a select few who use grips for this exact reason
Click to expand...

That's the 'cause it makes my camera look bigger' option :)
 
Nick_1981 said:
That's the 'cause it makes my camera look bigger' option :)
Click to expand...

Awhh shucks! Im using the app and didn't scroll down, just looked at the pie, which only had two colours in it when i posted im sure
My bad but right on for including that, im sure everyone using a grip is guilty of that crime though :LOL:
And don't give me the longer battery life/boosted fps rubbish, who has ever wanted that sort of power or speed whilst taking photos of ducks
 
If I was still shooting Nikon, probably no grip, but Pentax bodies are quite small even for my teeny hands and the addition of a grip makes it nigh on perfect in the comfort stakes.
 
Grip for me. I have a Pentax K5 and without it my little finger tucks underneath. Also when shooting sports in portrait (mostly football) I find it's awkward to track the action without the vertical shutter release on the grip.
 
Whilst the added power is great I primarily use my grip to balance my telephoto lens out.

I have a canon 70-200 L and it is a bit hefty in the hand compared to the camera body. This makes it a bit front heavy so by adding a heavier battery grip I have shifted the balance a bit further back.
 
Sorry, haven't read the whole thread where this may already have been mentionned - the poll title is grip or no grip but no grip isn't an option in the poll!

For me, no grip.

As Yvonne will testify, I'm another shovel hander but manage to use a selection of Nikon bodies from the small (F65 [not often used these days]) whick looks like a compact in my paws to the just perfectly sized D700 via an F80 and a D70. Tried grips on the F80 and D700 (although not for very long) and couldn't get along with the balance. I'm more than happy to confess that it was more a play with the grips to see how they felt than a proper test drive but that brief experience was enough to give me the equivalent of car sickness.
The only possible benefit I can see in the things is to give you another shutter release to avoid that oh so onerous task of turning the wrist through 90° (which, again, I'm more than happy to admit may get tiring after 90 minutes shooting a soccer match in portrait orientation).
I should point out that the vast majority of my photography is in 3:2 rather than 2:3 so I have very little practical use for a grip anyway and that I'm a Nikon user. Then again, the reason I shoot Nikon is that I chose the first Slr on (to a large extent) ergonomic grounds after test driving several brands (including Canon, Pentax and Minolta) at the same price/spec point - maybe (NO inflamatory intent) Nikon are just better handling?!

OK, you also get the extra battery (which I know on the D700 gives a few extra frames per second - but I shoot stills not a machine gun) but be honest, a good battery will give close to 1000 shots and that should be plenty for 45 minutes (a half) of reasonably hectic action at which point you can simply open the battery door and swap the tired one for a fresh one. I can only assume that you're shooting hand held, so the extra weight will be tiring both while shooting and transporting. Not sure whether my D700 will even fit my kit bag with a grip fitted either!
They DO make the camera look more professional though, don't they?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top