How many of you use a grip on your camera?

I shoot with a D700 most of the time, however I have a double battery grip on my D90. I thinking about going back to a single battery with it. When I shoot the D90 I don't shoot much vertical and don't see the need of additional batteries. Frankly I shoot mostly with the D700 and just throwing this out there to see who actually uses a battery grip.

I use a grip on my XSi. but there are time the added weight seemed cumbersome. Mostly it is a plus.

I have always used a grip, both on my old 500D and now on the 7D, the camera feels a lot more stable as normally I have the 100-400L on the front. Even with the 50mm on the camera it feels a lot more stable than withouth the addded weight from the grip.

I guess it also helps I'm a rather large lad though

I shot with my 10D with no grip. When I upgraded to the 5D mark ii I decided the camera deserved a grip. It's always on the camera. I like the advantage of stability in vertical mode.

I've often considered getting a battery grip for my D300s. The potential benefitsare:

• more ergonomic, comfortable grip, particularly with verticals
• longer battery life (with two batteries)
• faster frame rate

I've decided against it though (but I have to keep reminding myself of that).

I've handled a friend's camera with a battery grip several times and, yes, I do like the handling very much. Having said that though, I don't dislike the handling without one. I've managed for many years without one. All else being equal I would literally get a grip, but all else is not equal, particularly when costs are factored in.

I've never yet had to change the battery in my D300s in the middle of a shoot, though I always have a spare just in case. At some functions I take several hundred shots but have no issues with battery life.

On the D300s the grip increases frame rate from 7fps to 8fps, and then only if you use the optional EN-EL4 battery, not the EN-EL3 that comes with the camera. This batt also requires an optional holder that does not come with the grip and a different charger. I'm not a pro sports shooter. The difference between 7 and 8 fps is not enough to justify the cost.

I keep an L-bracket on my camera for my tripod quick release system. Adding a battery grip will require purchasing a new L-bracket.

So very rough cost:
Nikon MB-D10 grip ~$230
New L-bracket ~$180
EN-EL4e battery + charger + grip adaptor ~$200

All-in-all about $600 for a little more comfort. I don't think so. Of, course I can easily half that cost as I don't need the extra batt and can go with deals and third party items, but it's still too much for me.

It depends on the shooter and the camera though. At one point I seriously considered buying a D200. I've read that the battery life on that is not as good as some. Had I done so I would almost certainly have bought the grip just for the extended battery life. Also on some cameras the grip does significantly increase the frame rate.

Regards,
Chris

I have motor drives for most of my film cameras, but no grip on the D700. It's heavy enough to balance long lenses, and like cod said, I've never lost juice in the middle of a shoot.

If I did, I might consider one.

Matthew

I have one on my camera for the increased battery life. I have never even turned on the optional vertical buttons.. after half a lifetime of twisting my arm and hands over/under to shoot in the portrait orientation, I never even think about the extra controls.

Over the years, I have bought one for all of my cameras that didn't have one built in. My most recent camera purchase, the Pentax K-5, really handles nicely with or without the grip but it's still nice to have for the extra battery and AA battery option.

The batteries on my D3 are very long lasting, and carrying an extra has always been enough. For the D200, as Cod ponts out, battery charge is small, and I use a grip when I know I want to use it alongside the D3. The battery grip for the F4s makes the already heavy camera too unwieldy, so I just carry extra AA's for that.

I have never used one. Its hard enough to carry the D300 with lens, (getting weak in my old age) I have 3 batteries and it seems one will last around 1000 raw images before changing, which is about a days worth when traveling. I know they have advantages for those that need it.

To me the controls don't seem as well built or "solid" if that sounds better as the stock controls on the camera. Any way it's just my second camera, I don't even use the thing that much these days. Haven't it on the D90 is suppose to increase the FPS doesn't it?

I'm usually trying to make my camera smaller, so I almost never use a grip. When I'm using a big lens like a f/2.8 70-200 is the only time I consider using one. I'm about to replace that lens with the smaller f/4 version, and I'm hoping it'll be more hand-holdable without the grip. I'm getting 1100 to 1400 shots from a battery with my 5DII, so that's never been part of the decision for me.

Henry Peach wrote: I'm usually trying to make my camera smaller, so I almost never use a grip. When I'm using a big lens like a f/2.8 70-200 is the only time I consider using one. I'm about to replace that lens with the smaller f/4 version, and I'm hoping it'll be more hand-holdable without the grip. I'm getting 1100 to 1400 shots from a battery with my 5DII, so that's never been part of the decision for me.

You know what Henry, that was part of my reason for pulling this off the D90, the D700 is so much larger, having a smaller lighter camera was a plus