What is the correct resting position for a camera with a long lens and a battery grip?

Question

I just got a battery grip for my Canon T3i, which has a 18-135 lens with hood on it.

After installing the battery grip, the body is obviously considerably taller, and the weight of the lens is now resting on the hood tip mostly. Would this harm the camera/lens balance in any way?

What would be the best resting position for a camera with a battery grip and long lens?

Asked by GR7

Answer

Before setting the camera down I often do a quick check to see that the hood is on tightly and correctly, and retract the zoom. That is, the lens should be in its shortest position because the weight is least likely to cause any undue pressure.

I don't know how tough the hood on your lens might be. Modern Nikon hoods all seem to be about the same, which is to say heavy plastic that doesn't buckle under some weight. I have used an old 80-200(?) that had a lighter-weight hood that would flex with a little pressure. Anyway, with the quality of the hoods on the lenses that I have, I don't hesitate to set the camera down with weight on them. I often stand the lens on-end with the hood on the table/ground/whatever, supporting the full weight of the lens; when a body is attached to a lens, I set it on its side.

Answered by Dan Wolfgang

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Should I be concerned about the movement of control dials on a battery grip when the camera is moved in or out of a camera bag?

Question

I have a Pentax K-5 with battery grip D-BG4 attached. Whenever I move the camera in or out of my camera bag (a Tamrac Pro 12), the front e-dial is audibly moved. Should I be concerned about this possibly causing excessive wear and tear to the e-dial assembly on the grip? (I can't adjust the camera bag much farther.)

Asked by DragonLord

Answer

If your bag moves the dial more often then you do, then give the camera to someone who uses it more :)

Seriously, while there will be measurably more use, it should be comparatively marginal. Perhaps it will die a day sooner than otherwise but I wouldn't be concerned about this.

Answered by Itai

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Is it worth buying a battery grip for my Canon 600D even if I don't care about the battery capacity?

Question

Recently I heard that a battery grip can enhance the feel of the camera in my hands especially if it's an entry DSLR, and besides, some people claim that it enhances the stability of the camera if you are trying to put it on a table or something.

So I started to look for a battery grip for my Canon 600D and found the Canon's one to be almost $150. So is it worth it to spend this money on the battery grip, knowing that I'm not interested in buying an extra battery 'cause I don't find myself with the problem of empty battery?

Asked by Akram Mellice

Answer

About 6 months after buying my 7D, I got the associated battery grip for it, and my feelings on it are mixed...

As others have said, at times, the duplicated buttons for portrait orientation can come in extremely handy. Not only do they allow you to operate the camera in portrait mode without craning an arm over to reach the normal buttons, but because of this, you will maintain a much much steadier grip for stability.

Another positive aspect is that the additional 'bulk' of it, really balances out any larger lenses that you may use. This is especially noticable with telephoto lenses such as the 100-400L, or any 200mm+ primes.

Having room for 2 batteries is also fantastic - I know you said you didn't have this problem, but for me, if I'm at an airshow for example, I know and have confidence that I can shoot all day, and fill my memory cards well before I have any issues with batteries dying. Also, if caught in a pinch, the battery grip allows you to use AA batteries to power your camera too.

So, the pros are that it allows easier, steadier camera use in portrait orientation, balances the camera well, and gives you longer shooting time with an additional battery.

However...

Most of the time, in normal every day shooting, where I just want to head out with the camera, I will take the grip off. I'll take my 24mm and 50mm lenses only, and camera with no grip, and "go light". After any amount of time using the 7D with grip which is a fairly weightly bit of kit; to take it off and have only the basic body with one prime lens (especially the 50!) is so refreshing and almost empowering. It encourages me to take it out when sometimes if it had the grip on, I may not.

So... there are pros and cons. I'd say to summarise that it's DEFINITELY worth having one, even if you only find yourself using it occasionally.

Answered by Mike

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Canon 600D Battery Grip, is it worth it?

Question

Recently I heard that a battery grip can enhance the feel of the camera in my hands, besides some people claim that it enhances the stability of the camera if you are trying to put it on a table or something.

So I started to look for a battery grip for my Canon 600D and found the Canon's one to be almost $150. So is it worth it to spend this money on the battery grip? Knowing that I'm not interested in buying an extra battery cause I don't find myself with the problem of empty battery

Asked by Akram Mellice

Answer

About 6 months after buying my 7D, I got the associated battery grip for it, and my feelings on it are mixed...

As others have said, at times, the duplicated buttons for portrait orientation can come in extremely handy. Not only do they allow you to operate the camera in portrait mode without craning an arm over to reach the normal buttons, but because of this, you will maintain a much much steadier grip for stability.

Another positive aspect is that the additional 'bulk' of it, really balances out any larger lenses that you may use. This is especially noticable with telephoto lenses such as the 100-400L, or any 200mm+ primes.

Having room for 2 batteries is also fantastic - I know you said you didn't have this problem, but for me, if I'm at an airshow for example, I know and have confidence that I can shoot all day, and fill my memory cards well before I have any issues with batteries dying. Also, if caught in a pinch, the battery grip allows you to use AA batteries to power your camera too.

So, the pros are that it allows easier, steadier camera use in portrait orientation, balances the camera well, and gives you longer shooting time with an additional battery.

However...

Most of the time, in normal every day shooting, where I just want to head out with the camera, I will take the grip off. I'll take my 24mm and 50mm lenses only, and camera with no grip, and "go light". After any amount of time using the 7D with grip which is a fairly weightly bit of kit; to take it off and have only the basic body with one prime lens (especially the 50!) is so refreshing and almost empowering. It encourages me to take it out when sometimes if it had the grip on, I may not.

So... there are pros and cons. I'd say to summarise that it's DEFINITELY worth having one, even if you only find yourself using it occasionally.

Answered by Mike

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Why is my new aftermarket battery grip draining power from batteries?

Question

After reading many reviews I decided to purchase the Zeikos grip but B&H discontinued it so I decided to go with the new Vello grip instead.

I think I might have made a mistake. The grip seems to drain power from my batteries VERY fast. I had the grip on camera with fully charged batteries and they were completely dead in a matter of days just sitting in my bag. I then charged the batteries (genuine Canon) to 100% and turned the camera off. I turned it on every hour or so and took a picture of the battery status menu. In 4 hours the battery power has gone down to 88% with power off and without taking a single picture.

What is going on? Is this thing defective or is there some setting I am missing?

I removed the grip and performed a similar test and the battery power has not gone down at all in 4 hours. The battery normally lasts a very long time so I was quite surprised to loose all the juice in a few days.

Unless there is a setting I can tweak I will return this grip and get a genuine Canon. Do people out there have any similar complaints about the Canon unit?

Asked by Jakub

Answer

I haven't used it, but I know that battery drain with aftermarket grips is a common complaint on photography forums. And people with genuine Canon and Nikon units always reply that they have no such issues.

I would say it's a defect with that particular unit. You could try a 2nd Vello grip and you may find it works well. It shouldn't drain the batteries in a matter of days with everything switched off.

Answered by MikeW

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What batteries are best suited to Battery grips?

Question

I have a Battery grip that will add an extra 1fps when used with AA batteries instead of the standard Nikon camera battery. This takes 8 bateries at once

I currently use AA Energizer rechargable batteries and these are now getting to a point where they do not hold much of a charge.

I find that non-rechargable batteries last longer but I have to buy new ones every time they run out.

So what is the optimum type of battery to use, are there any specfic reccomended DSLR/Flash batteries on the market?

Asked by Graeme Hutchison

Answer

There is a tradeoff between cost and performance.

The best-performing batteries are the disposable lithium batteries, e.g. the Energizer Lithium line. These have a higher capacity than regular AA batteries and, important for photography, better sustained performance as they wear down. Also, they're noticeably lighter, which is a nice perk for something you're going to be carrying. I also like to use disposable batteries when I'm traveling, since I'd rather spend a couple extra bucks on batteries than lug a charger. Also, if your rechargeable batteries die mid-day, are you just going to carry them around in your pocket?

Rechargeable batteries are obviously a better value in the long run, particularly if you get one of the newer brands like Eneloop that claim to have 1500 charge cycle lifetime. The Eneloop (and some other NiMH battieres) also have the benefit of being low-discharge, which means they still retain most of their capacity over time. Some rechargeable batteries are quite poor performers in this regard -- you can't just let the batteries sit in a drawer for a month and expect them to still be charged when you take them out.

The Stobist actually claims that NiHM rechargeable batteries have faster recharge time for strobes than alkaline AA, despite having a slightly lower voltage, although I haven't compared myself.

If you're going to get rechargeable, I definitely recommend the Eneloops. I had an old set of generic rechargeable, and I was constantly having to charge them because they had self-discharged. (Side note: I'm told that those 15-minute rapid chargers are not good for batteries, since they cause them to get very hot. The charger that comes with the Eneloops takes several hours.)

Answered by Henry Jackson

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Which battery grip should I get for my Canon 60D and why?

Question

I'd like to buy a Canon 60D battery grip not only for the extra battery power but also, and mainly because of the added size and the extra buttons. (I have huge hands)

My question is; How is this $380 grip from our local Canon distributor different from this $50 grip available on amazon. ($320 less)

Is there any reason why I should buy one over the other? Any positive/negative experiences with either unit?

Answer

I own two Canon EOS bodies, a 450D and a 7D. I did quite a bit of research on battery grips for the 450D some time ago, and settles on a Zeikos brand one. I was extremely happy with it. The build quality was superb, the grip rubber was nice and grippy, and very similar to the native grip of the camera body, and it offered all of the features of a Canon brand grip.

I purchased another Zeikos grip for my 7D at the same time I purchased the body. I'm just as happy with the 7D version of the Zeikos grip as I was with the 450D version. I think it may lack one or two of the features of the Canon brand grip, but I don't think they were particularly important to me when I made the decision. All the critical functionality is there, and most importantly, the grip supports two batteries rather than one. Additionally, Zeikos grips always support regular old Duracell, Energizer, Rayovac batteries...AA type for the 450D, 9v for the 7D...and in a pinch, that can be EXTREMEY valuable.

And on top of it all, the Zeikos grips are a small fraction the cost of a Canon brand grip. I would recommend them to anyone who needs a grip and doesn't insist on brand matching. The Zeikos grip for the 60D lists for $90, while the Canon grip for the 60D lists for $270. On Amazon, the Zeikos is currently $61.66, and the Canon is currently $174.88, a difference of almost three times. Functionally, I don't think there is a scrap of functional difference between the two, and the Zeikos is a few ounces lighter.

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Has anyone any experience of the Flipbac Camera Grips?

Question

I was looking at Flipbac Grips for my Canon S90. Was wondering if anyone had any comments to share about them. Yes I'd prefer Richard Franeic's custom-machined aluminium version but I'm too miserly. Will the G1 or G2 do the job at least competently?

Thanks.

Answer

I have used both the Flipbac Grip 2 and the RF grip (on my previous S90). The RF grip is nice but the Flipbac Grip is no compromise. I feel it is much better value for money. It fit my S95 perfectly. On a recent weekend trip with my wife it was invaluable. Easy one hand holding. It feels good and looks good. I don't own my camera long enough to justify the $45 on the RF grip.No regrets.

s95 shooter Western Australia

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Are aftermarket battery grips made for the Canon T2i compatibile with the T3i?

Question

I know that the T2i (550d) and T3i (600d) both use the same OEM BG-E8 grip. There are some aftermarket grips (that are significantly less expensive than the OEM one) that are specifically marketed toward the T2i. Am I correct in assuming they will also work with the T3i?

Answer

You shouldn't have any problems with a grip designed for the T2i working on a T3i. They have the same body shape on the bottom, and both use the same battery. As you said, the Canon grip is identical - the BG-E8, so there is no reason why other brands wouldn't work the same. The only reason one of them wouldn't work for some reason is if it had extra hardware that somehow interferes with the flip out screen(new feature to the T3i.), but I can't imagine that ever occurring. I did find at least one example of an off brand unit that claims to work on both units - B&H - Vello BG-C5.

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