Is the Rebel battery grip worth it?

[FlipsidE]

I'm just curious how many times you all have had the Rebel battery die on ya in the middle of a shoot. Is it worth the $120 to get the grip? Or do you find that the single batter does well enough?

Thanks

FlipsidE

[dtrayers]

When I had the Rebel (now the 10D), I didn't get the grip for the extra battery. In fact, I only have two; I use one in the grip and have one as a spare. When the one in the grip runs out, I use the fresh one and charge the other.

What I got the grip for is the extra shutter release in the portrait position. It's so much easier to hold. Also, if you have any lenses of substantial size the balance of the camera is better with the grip. I don't use it all the time, like when taking landscape shots with a tripod. But handheld, the camera is much more functional with the grip.

There's a reason the professional cameras are designed with an intergral grip.

[drisley]

I totally agree with dtrayers.
I had the grip with the Rebel, and used it alot for vertical shooting.
Now, I dont have a grip for the 20D, and this weekend I was shooting volleyball, mostly vertically, and talk about major carpal tunnel syndrome!
:shock:

[tommykjensen]

Yep get the grip, its worth it.

[drisley]

Especially considering the price compared to the 20D grip! :shock:

[tommykjensen]

Especially considering the price compared to the 20D grip! :shock:

Hmmm my 20D grip was cheaper than when I bought the grip for 300D.

[Nolz]

The battery grip is my 300D's best friend :) they are always together and are practically inseperable.
The battery life is a bonus (lasts damn well forever ) but for me the convenience of the portrait position shutter release button takes the cake, well that and the fact that i have big hands and the 300D by itself was a little diminutive for my liking.


i have no regrets with buying it....infact my uncle with a nikon D70 is spewing that he cant get one or it!!!!....thast right, canon dont have one as an acessory :roll:

[FlipsidE]

One more quick question about the grip. Can the camera be mounted on a tripod with the grip attached, or do you have to take the grip off to mount it on a tripod?

Thanks

FlipsidE

[dtrayers]

The grip has a 1/4-20 thread on the bottom, just like the camera. So to answer your question, yes.

[cmM]

it's a must own!

Plus, it looks better !

[EoSD30fReAk]

BUY IT!! :wink:

it's better balanced with some lenses

battery live is a bonus

300D will look so much better

and portrait shooting is so much easier

i just bought it a couple of days ago because i was used to the grip on the D30 8)

[imagesense]

Go for the grip! It is a much improved feel than the camera without it.

Lou

[Jonny]

I too wish to buy one but i was just wondering where the battery compartment door fits with the grip inserted?

jon

[FlipsidE]

Excellent question Jon. That's one I probably would have asked not too far in the future.

Thanks for bringin it up.

FlipsidE

[cmM]

the battery compartment door comes off, and there's a spot in the grip itself so you don't lose it.

[dtrayers]

The location on the grip for the battery door is also a good place to store an extra CF card. Those who forget to bring a CF card with them find this very handy.

Of course, make sure you put the battery door in a place where you won't lose it.

[MrChad]

Especially considering the price compared to the 20D grip! :shock:

Hmmm my 20D grip was cheaper than when I bought the grip for 300D.

How do you like your 20D grip? I've heard many a bad complaint that it feels cheap or flimsy on the camera compared to the old D30/60-10D grip.

[drisley]

Yes, I too would like to know more about the 20D grip.
From what I've seen, it looks more like the Rebel grip than the 10D grip.
This really makes one wonder why it costs SO much more!
The 10D grip looks like it has rubber grips all around, much like the camera. My experience with the Rebel grip is the it's more "plastiky" feeling, with no rubber grip over the battery door.

[ERamos]

Buy the grip, you won't regret it. it is definetelly worth it.

I never take mine off and I take a lot of night pictures (tripod of course), you won't believe how much your battery life improves.

Regards.

:D :D :D

[imagesense]

It costs more because the camera costs more and they can charge more. It doesn't really do anything especially different. It does however work well and gives a very solid grip to the camera. It has a more "professional" feel with the battery grip and IMHO doesn't feel flimsy. I have one on my Digital Rebel and on the 20D and like both.

It's nice to have the added battery power too. I recommend it also if you use heavier lenses because it helps to balance the camera more effectively.

Lou

[drisley]

imagesense, would you say that the Rebel and 20D grip are of similar quality?
The reason I ask is because I had a Rebel grip, and recently tried a 10D with grip, and the 10D grip was much nicer.
From what I've seen the 20D grip looks more like the Rebel grip.

It costs more because the camera costs more and they can charge more

I couldn't agree more.

[DocFrankenstein]

No... the grip is definetely NOT worth it.

(from a guy who's looking for a used one) :P :lol: :lol:

[imagesense]

I've never used the 10D so I can't give you an answer about that grip. I liked the grip on my Digital Rebel right from the start. I shoot a lot of verticals and it was nice to hold. I don't find either grip too plasticky - they sure help when I'm using my 70-200.

I also think they do contribute to the look of the camera. I don't see why some people don't like them, but everyone has their own preference about feel. Some like a more compact camera and the 20D certainly is small enough and light enough without the grip. But when I shot mostly film my most used 35mm was my F4 so the size and weight are not much of an issue for me.

Lou

[drisley]

Thanks for replying.
I can say that the 10D grip that I tried was much nicer than the 300D grip.
Would you say that the 20D grip is much nicer than the 300D grip?

It's definately something I will need again, as shooting vertically now is such a pain without it.

[imagesense]

I can't really say it's nicer but each fits its own camera just fine. I really am happy with the Digital Rebel one and I haven't done enough with the 20D to form an educated opinion. So far though, I have no complaints about the grip.

Lou

[drisley]

The only thing that seems to bother me is that there is no rubber gripping over the battery compartement. This is something the 10D grip has (but the 300D grip didnt). That little bit of rubber on the 10D grip really seemed to make a difference.

[Roy NN7DX]

I have a 300D grip and I don't like using it...

It looks great! It'd look better with a black camera or if the grip was silver but it does add some "pro" style. The fit and feel are fine... The placement of the added buttons are well done as well...

I'm a 99% handheld shooter... I carry my cameras for many hours at a time with a 100-400L/IS or 180mm Sigma macro lens attached... I've stripped the tripod clamps off both lenses... They seem more useable and it saves a bit of weight...

I don't like the added weight of the grip and second battery. If it were weightless I'd probably quit my bitchin' because the "hold" is better and those buttons are just right... I don't feel my lenses balance better using the grip or that somehow the added weight makes the camera/lens combo balance better and seem lighter... It adds weight. I keep a pocket full of spare batteries and memory cards, it's not a hardship to change one out from time to time...

I've not tried a grip on my 10D or new 20D either... I think I'd get down to this same point of removing them and leaving them home in a box...

I'll confess I think a grip on my 20D would be fun to use in public, just for a bit of style and when used with lenses that don't weigh a few pounds each... You know, use it with normal lenses (but on an abnormal "jacked-up" 20D PRO camera)... I can dig it, I'm a gear head.

Will I buy a grip for my 20D? Sorry! I'm already hemorrhaging $100 bills just trying to buy good glass, tripods and lighting gear... My tele isn't long enough, my WA isn't wide enough and my normal lenses need to be 1 stop better in low light... I don't need a grip that won't be used, no matter how cool I think it makes my camera look... I need things that make my pictures look better, not something that dresses up my camera but makes me curse my stupidity for the added cost and weight.

My 300D grip is for sale!

[Hellashot]

I got my grip for my digital rebel for $100 from newegg.

Hellashot

[waynejgilbert]

It's worth the investment just having the extra battery alone!

[ELtech]

I used a friends Reble which had a grip and was greatly impressed by the extra battery life and the portriat shooting, when I purchased my 10D I misssed the grip, so I went out shopping. OMG.. expensive $299 CDN for the grip. But then I found the 10D starter package, came with Grip, Battery(canon), Bag and UV filter for $279 CDN. That was a no brainer. But the grip came with nno instruction manual, so now thanks to a previos post, I have a place to store my battery cover. Gotta love this group !!
Bob
[/quote]

[DocFrankenstein]

It's worth the investment just having the extra battery alone!
Does the grip come with an additional battery? :?

[EoSD30fReAk]

It's worth the investment just having the extra battery alone!
Does the grip come with an additional battery? :?

mine didn't.

maybe some shops do it but as far as i know they don't come with the grip!

[boarsnuts]

I am, like a lot of you looking to buy the grip... My question to those of you who have it is...

Are there any problems when it comes to packing your camera in the bag with the grip on? Also, are there other grips other than the Canon that are just as good and possible cheaper?

[Familiaphoto]

Only problem with gripped camera in a bag is that you have to now make sure to have the room to hold the camera. Other than that, no issues I've experienced and I have grips on my 400D and 40D.

There are 3rd party manufacturers of grips, most notibly Opteka which can save you a decent amount of money. Check them out on Amazon. However, having owned an Opteka grip on my 400D/XTi here are my thoughts. It was a great price. I got the grip and two batteries for 90 dollars. The batteries were fine, not as long last as the Canon or a good Sterlingtek, but good enough given I had two of them in the grip. My problem was with the quality of the grip. The Opteka while it looks just like the Canon is not made of the same quality plastic as the Canon. I shoot verticle quite a bit and after a few months the Opteka came apart. It was under warranty but I didn't want that to happen again so now I buy Canon grips only and have never had an issues.

My approach is to buy the Canon grip and two Sterlingtek batteries for it. The grip will cost you more but reliability has a price. As for the Sterlingtek batteries, I don't believe you find a better value. I'm on vacation in Guatemala all this week and have not had to replace a battery yet on my 40D and have shot well in excess of 1k pictures.