battery grip for canon.

[Nick Townsley]

I have considered buying a battery grip for my conon 550d for some time but thought they were expensive,recently though I ordered one from amazon for a lot less than a genuine canon one,it has really good reviews but as it has not arrived yet I cannot comment,when it arrives and I have had chance to try it I will review it myself.

[Donald]

Let us know what you think of it.

[Bill Yeung]

back to the day I owned a Canon 20D, I bought a battery grip with time, a after market one.
I don't think it is any big differences than the Canon, (No complicate circuit board....... right?)
the issue is: I bought it only I think I want to have the "whole" set of equipment....... and ended up, I never use it even after I gifted the old Canon 20d to my friend.
The fact is: we amateur rarely need to take so many shot in one occasion.

Now I buy more batteries for my 7D and don't go for the grip anymore.
2 more batteries always less space than a battery grip and remember I also have flash, long lens....

buy unless you really need it no matter how cheap it is.

Another similar temptation is buying the Marco ring flash from Canon after bought the 110mm Marco.... this time, I can keep my buying ego down and leave it!!

[William W]

. . . Now I buy more batteries for my 7D and don't go for the grip anymore.
. . .

The purposes & uses of attaching a Canon Battery Grip extend beyond merely having two batteries available for use.

Other purposes and uses are, but not limited to:

> Physical Balance (weight about the fulcrum) using a longer lens hand held
> Using AA Batteries
> Slinging the camera from the base and top (i.e. not top and top)
> Second shutter release and other functionalities available at the RH in Vertical Orientation.
> Second Shutter release and other functionalities available at the LH for shooting Left Handed (inverted)

These might not be used, nor might these be useful considerations to some Photographers, but just some of the assets listed above are to explain that a Canon Grip is not only about having a place to house two batteries.

WW

[Geoff F]

I always carry a spare battery but have never needed to use it; although I always start the day with a freshly charged battery.

The grip adds weight and seems cumbersome to me.

I was actually discussing this very point with the photographer from my local paper recently. He told me that he uses the grip for that very purpose, to add a 'holding handle' when rotating the camera to shoot in portrait sizes.

So I rotated my camera, same model, to demonstrate that the grip would get in the way for me. Apparently I am rotating my camera the wrong way! Anticlockwise not clockwise. But going clockwise hurts my wrist when I try to click the shutter.

It just feels more natural for me the way that I do it.

[Manfred M]

I always carry a spare battery but have never needed to use it; although I always start the day with a freshly charged battery.

The grip adds weight and seems cumbersome to me.

I was actually discussing this very point with the photographer from my local paper recently. He told me that he uses the grip for that very purpose, to add a 'holding handle' when rotating the camera to shoot in portrait sizes.

So I rotated my camera, same model, to demonstrate that the grip would get in the way for me. Apparently I am rotating my camera the wrong way! Anticlockwise not clockwise. But going clockwise hurts my wrist when I try to click the shutter.

It just feels more natural for me the way that I do it.

Not being a Canon shooter, I can't comment on grips for Canon, but I do use one on my Nikon and in fact rarely shoot without it. It is absolutely wonderful when shooting in portrait format. Your hands are in the right position and no awkward hand positions to introduce camera shake. It's just a lot more comfortable shooting.

Even though I do go out with fully charged batteries, if the main one runs out, the camera seamlessly switches to the backup one. I even have a battery tray that allows me to shoot with "AA" cells, which I've never done (I generally travel with 3 or 4 batteries).

All that being said, unless you do a lot of portrait format shots, I don't think it will be worth your while to add a grip. Having a backup battery is a "nice-to-have", but having a spare battery in a convenient location, and popping a new one in takes just a few seconds,

[proseak]

I got one mainly to have the ability to use AA batteries - you can buy those anywhere..

I found that the handling is much improved, esp. in the portrait orientation.

[GrahamS]

My advice is to use a genuine Canon or Nikon battery grip or don't use one at all. There are non-branded grips out there that can actually damage the camera circuitry.

[skilsaw]

I had a hat that was too big until I bought a battery grip.
Then my head swelled with my new found self importance and I knew I would never shoot without a grip again.
All other things being equal, a camera with a battery grip takes better pictures than a camera without a grip.
That is why Canon built a permanent grip into the body of their cadillac of cameras, the 1DX.

The extra battery is very important when I'm taking pictures with the onboard flash. My friends and I get drunk and dare each other to do wild and crazy things. (Sober people call us stupid but they are no fun) An external flash is just another thing to break, and things do get broken during our best parties.

When I'm flying somewhere and the person beside me is taking pictures out the window with a P&S, I get out my monster gripped camera and tell him how much better a photographer I am. You can tell because only a pro would use a grip.

I'm thinking of doing a signature block for CIC and listing all my cool stuff. Camera with grip, Canon L Lenses, mountain bike, Oakley sun glasses, surf board. That way you guys will all know how cool I am and just reading my post makes you cool too.

You should be thankful I'm posting here. It raises the general level of the forum.

[GrahamS]

I'm thinking of doing a signature block for CIC and listing all my cool stuff. Camera with grip, Canon L Lenses, mountain bike, Oakley sun glasses, surf board. That way you guys will all know how cool I am and just reading my post makes you cool too.

You forgot the Hasselblad Lunar.....

[TGCorneliussen]

Agree with the above - brought a genuone canon grip for 600D and found the balance and stability of the camera improved a lot as well as the advantage of 2x batteries and possibility of using AA. Shooting portraits improved due to the fantastic location of the 2ndary button functions with the grip. Highly recommended if you feel the camera is just a little of balance or slightly too small to comfortably hold for extended periods.