7D GRIPPED. Post Em! Experiences,pics.

[RiaGurl]

as titled :D

waiting for mine.

what are your experiences, any pics of the beauties mating from your collections?

no one seems to have posted/bought gripped so...

[thepaul]

Think this (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=765695&highlight=7d+grip) is what you are looking for

[RiaGurl]

thanks for the pic. I am wondering about experiences as well, the other is not titled as such, despite a user or 2 posting as such.

considering there are upteen threads on any given specific topic, and this one is not the same technically, considering i am asking for experiences, then i will let this stand.

i wouldn't mind if they are merged. but i mainly want to know experiences. i don't have the whole shabang yet, and i will post when i do.

[GGordon]

They have been out in the wild for a week now. Since I have them for my IR 20D, 40D and 5DmkII I'm kinda' use to them. It's about the same size as the 5D mkII grip and works as advertised.
For big hands like I have it's more a necessity instead of accessory. The bare 7D felt more secure in my hands then the 5D mkII but feels even better with the grip.

[RiaGurl]

Did anyone notice that the new bg-e7 grip for the 7d is not 'branded' with the nice logo as on the bg-e2/n or the 5d2 grip?

not sure if this is good or bad, but it could pass for a cheap knock off fwiw.

[JBF]

I don't see any pics?

[RiaGurl]

yes post them. i have mine on order. there are more than a handful that already have it but do not post....yet. perhaps they are too busy shooting as i would.:D

[Jimster71]

I'd also like to see some more opinions on the battery grip or a proper review!

[apersson850]

Compared to the BG-E2N for the 40D, I'd say this about the BG-E7:
+ Better grip due to high-friction surface on the battery door as well, not only on the front of the grip.
+ Smooth EOS 1D Mark III-type trigger button.
+ All essential functions on grip. That means that this time they forgot neither the M.Fn nor the AF-ON button.
+ Significantly more rigid design, which also integrates better with the camera body. Looks less like the add-on it actually is.
+ Battery door much more rigid than plastic door on BG-E2N.
+ Detailed battery information brought up from grip to display on camera LCD, including physical placement of each battery in the grip.
- Flimsy rubber thing to cover the entry for the AC power kit.
* No sealing between camera and grip on this one either, just some mechanical ridge along the edge of the grip.

Apart from these things, it does exactly what the grip for the 40D does.

[jfretless]

I received the BG-E7 on Friday from Cameta Camera. I paid a little extra for USPS priority in hopes I would get it before shooting youth Soccer on Saturday. Two days from NY to CA, I was impressed.

I been using grips on my camera for as long as I've been shooting, so having the 7D without a grip for the first two weeks, was hard to get used to. My main body is a 1DMK2N and I love the ergos of the 1D series. ...needless to say, the 7D felt naked to me without the grip.

To me, the grip is nothing fancy. To me, it feels the same as the 40D with grip. A bit more square and little less comfortable than the 1D series grips. For me, it's more of functional over form. It mounts securely to the camera, however the thumb screw to tighten the grip to camera felt like it could be tightened more, but I opted not to over tighten it for fear of busting the bolt. To me, the grip is a must for vertical shooting. AF-on button on the grip is nice, although I don't use the two button AE/AF setup. The shutter button on the grip and ergos are identical to the main shutter setup, so I never felt a difference. I did once have to pull my eye away from VF because my thumb couldn't find the main wheel on the back of the camera while vertical shooting and trying to change AF points. Not a huge deal, it happened once, then never again.

John

[gasrocks]

How does the grip affect images?

[Collin85]

How does the grip affect images?
:lol:

[RiaGurl]

How does the grip affect images?
i'm guessing if it's like the BG-E2N, that it opens up the lenses by 2 f stops maximum aperature, and expands iso with little noise reduction. it's a cheap way to get an f/2 lens from an f/4 lens, or a 2.8 from a 5.6.

[krb]

As far as a review, it's been covered above except that a couple of us have noticed that the shutter button seems a little more sensitive. Or rather, the difference between a full press and a half press is a little more subtle than the button on the main body making it too easy to take a pic when you really just wanted to focus and/or check exposure.

[apersson850]

To completely disregard the ironic tone in that question, I can say that to me, who rather often try to shoot sports, where it's impossible to know when the action is going to happen, where I usually have to drag the quipment through the woods, so it's very inconvenient bringing even a monopod and where a major part of the shooting is in vertical format, it makes quite a difference to the pictures. I simply don't endure good enough wihtout it.

[zincozinco]

anyone else a bit dissapointed in the sense that they could easily fit 3 batteries in there instead of 2?

[RiaGurl]

forgot to add the smileys to my last post :D

[jwcdds]

anyone else a bit dissapointed in the sense that they could easily fit 3 batteries in there instead of 2?

If they did that, it would outlast the 1-series body and the 1-series owners might get upset. ;)

[krb]

anyone else a bit dissapointed in the sense that they could easily fit 3 batteries in there instead of 2?
I'm mentally doing the tetris thing and I just don't see where a 3rd battery would fit.

Having said that, I think most people would have preferred that they put the batteries in sideways so the grip could be the same size and shape as that on the body. Maybe a cartridge that holds two batteries and slide in through a door in the same position as the battery door on the 1 series. Or just make it able to use the 1 series battery.

[apersson850]

Not much space left for the buttons and electronics, if the batteries would be oriented the other way. The BG-E3 does have a tray, which slide in from the side, but the batteries are turned in the same direction as in these grips anyway.
As it is now, the size of the grip is just perfect for me to hold.

[Bill Boehme]

How does the grip affect images?

:lol:

i'm guessing if it's like the BG-E2N, that it opens up the lenses by 2 f stops maximum aperature, and expands iso with little noise reduction. it's a cheap way to get an f/2 lens from an f/4 lens, or a 2.8 from a 5.6.

Additionally, it creates an aura of good karma around the camera which enables me to get shots that would be otherwise impossible. ;)

[JazzyMac]

At least the price is coming down a bit.

[apersson850]

I'd rather say it increases a bit, as soon as you add the grip to the total.

[RiaGurl]

i'm guessing if it's like the BG-E2N, that it opens up the lenses by 2 f stops maximum aperature, and expands iso with little noise reduction. it's a cheap way to get an f/2 lens from an f/4 lens, or a 2.8 from a 5.6.
yes i am quoting myself.

i wanted to say further, that they call this the grip factor, similiar to crop factor on the 7D effectively extending the lens focal length.

the grip factor on the 7D is 2x, whereas on the bg-e2n it is 1x, which is the same as the 5d2 grip factor.

also the grip factor on this bg-e7 allows the user to hypnotize those around her/him and do their bidding. well worth the $220 if you ask me.

[Collin85]

Additionally, it creates an aura of good karma around the camera which enables me to get shots that would be otherwise impossible. ;)

:lol:

[Collin85]

anyone else a bit dissapointed in the sense that they could easily fit 3 batteries in there instead of 2?

No way! Personally, my reason for getting a grip is for vertical shooting alone, and I'm already a bit bitter over how the current battery configuration forces the grip to be of different shape and size to the main grip.

If Canon made a grip which feels exactly the same as the main grip (including being in the 'same position' relative to the main, like in the D2000) and had an AF-joystick, I'd ejaculate in my pants. And then I'd order two.

[Bill Boehme]

Also, it is heavy enough with two batteries. If we're going to get carried away with stuffing batteries into the grip, how about four or six? :eek:

[RiaGurl]

I just got it! Will post when I have time. Too many things to do tonight!

[cfibanez]

To completely disregard the ironic tone in that question, I can say that to me, who rather often try to shoot sports, where it's impossible to know when the action is going to happen, where I usually have to drag the quipment through the woods, so it's very inconvenient bringing even a monopod and where a major part of the shooting is in vertical format, it makes quite a difference to the pictures. I simply don't endure good enough wihtout it.

+1.

I would also like to comment that I personally find the shutter of the BG-E7 a bit too happy. Coming form a BG-E2N, the first time that I put my finger on it the shutter went off just like that! It's really very sensitive, but I'm getting used to it.

[johneo]

Don't know if it's me or not but yesterday I went out for a bit with the 7D and a gripped 5D. Maybe I'm so used to having a grip on all my cameras but there was noticable hand shake when using the 7D w/100-400 When I swapped the lens to the 5D w/grip, it was nice and steady.

I really gotta get a Grip!!! :rolleyes:

[tim]

My 7D grip turned up today, and it's like it has a hair trigger. A tiny amount of pressure trips it, unlike the main shutter where you half press then fully press it's very difficult to half press as it's just too sensitive.

Does anyone else have this problem with the 7D grip, or are most ok? I got mine from the US so I'd have to return it for exchange :( Still cheaper than buying in NZ though.

[timecube]

A lot of people on here were reporting the sensitive trigger issue so it's probably all of them :S

[BioFan]

just got one myself
wasnt as comfortable as I imagined, I like it better without the grip. I might sell it :(
and the shutter is way too sensitive like the others said...

[jwcdds]

I got used to the shutter on the grip. So YMMV.

[garrykolb]

Got my 7D on Friday, along with the grip. Agree with the hair trigger. Don't know if it is the trigger, or just the 8fps that causes it. Had several double-shots when shooting a single. Regardless, feel-wise, it is similar to the 40D+grip I upgraded from, the 20D+grip before that and the 5DMKII+grip I also currently use. The 7D+grip feels slightly larger than the 40D+grip, but otherwise about the same. Now, I just have to get used to the new power switch position...

[tim]

I can't focus recompose with my grip. Well I can occasionally, but it's real tough.

[apersson850]

Use AF-ON. They didn't forget that button on this grip.

[jwcdds]

I can't focus recompose with my grip. Well I can occasionally, but it's real tough.

Took me about a week to get used to it. Now it's not an issue anymore.

It was just such a dramatic difference coming from the BG-E2N of the 40D. I bet now if I went back to a xxD-gripped, I'll be like, "This darn thing dun work. I have to push the button down an inch!" :lol:

[timbop]

I got used to the shutter on the grip. So YMMV.
same here - definitely more sensitive, but do-able

[carshop]

It is sensitive, but I have gotten used to it.

[Canonswhitelensesrule]

I had a chance to "play" with a 7D+BG-E7 combo today, and OMG it feels so freakin good in the hand. Nice and solid. Good balance. Just the right weight. (I have big hands so I like a gripped camera). The shutter release on the grip is very sensitive, but NOT such a "hair trigger" as others have suggested. You just have to use some "touch".

The only thing I found I had to "get used to" is the position of the grip's shutter release button. I had to "feel" for it a couple of times before I found it, but after a few tries, it seemed one with my hand/finger. Works especially great when using AF-ON for focusing, and just using the shutter release to release the shutter.

[apersson850]

My finger had problems finding the M.Fn button for the first few days, but now it's getting better at it.

[tim]

I'm having my grip replaced, it's just too sensitive to use the additional shutter button.

[RiaGurl]

let us know if the new grip is any different or the same, will you? from the sounds of it, none of them will, which then makes you wonder, what will you do then?

[tim]

let us know if the new grip is any different or the same, will you? from the sounds of it, none of them will, which then makes you wonder, what will you do then?

Seems some are better than others (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=771089).

[RiaGurl]

ya, i guess it can be subjective. one cannot compare one person with another. that's why i asked if you could post your opinions on the replacement grip, ok. it's relative to you.

[hondo11]

http://i34.tinypic.com/25qvpxt.jpg

Loving mine. The shutter button is a little more sensitive, but it's not unusable...at least for me.

[mcgong]

Here is video on youtube I made with the BG-E7 for those that are interested in see the size of it on the camera. I incuded a soda can for reference.


Enjoy,


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A18ff7iMbuE

[oRGie]

I've had grips for my last 3 eos bodies, but not for shooting portrait, for the extra space for my fingers and better grip.. So I decided to try and make a grip extension that just adds a bit more height to make just enough space for my finger and the most important part is to put some of the weight of the camera into the palm of my hand, thats what makes them steadier gripped imho.. I made a new version, black and more sculptured, about a third of the height of the proper grip, not designed for portrait use so not overly bulky, add's no noticable extra weight, am very pleased with it.. Someone should make something like this commercially.. I am waiting for a hand strap to arrive, that will be turned into mk3 :)

[Magnus_yj]

I've had grips for my last 3 eos bodies, but not for shooting portrait, for the extra space for my fingers and better grip.. So I decided to try and make a grip extension that just adds a bit more height to make just enough space for my finger and the most important part is to put some of the weight of the camera into the palm of my hand, thats what makes them steadier gripped imho.. I made a new version, black and more sculptured, about a third of the height of the proper grip, not designed for portrait use so not overly bulky, add's no noticable extra weight, am very pleased with it.. Someone should make something like this commercially.. I am waiting for a hand strap to arrive, that will be turned into mk3 :)



Pictures?

[Alexei TND]

Whats really nice about the 7d grip is how nicely its fits on the camera compared to say the 40D& grip. Design and comfort wise.
Its much more stable, almost no give at all ( feely like a single piece of metal when on the 7d), and the fine sensitivity is actually a bonus for me personally, bit odd at first but now once i had some time to get used to it its really responsive and feels great.

[oRGie]

Pictures?

Single camera household :) looks lost when not attached, when I get a chance I will get some pics of it on the camera ;)

[apersson850]

Single camera household??
You must be a minority here!
Seems it's time for yet another rather meaningless poll...

[Perfect_10]

Single camera household :) ..


Maybe we should send out a food parcel .. :lol:

I think I'll be staying gripless with the 7D. I run my 30D with a grip, but the 7D feels fine without it.

[Magnus_yj]

I'm actually waiting for my grip to arrive.
I found the standard 7D grip to be very satisfactory, with the exception of using a 2.1 lbs L lens. With that much weight on the front end, it makes shooting for any length of time just a little less pleasant.
I also enjoy having vertical controls, and the AA battery back up option.

[fdexclpl]

I've had grips for my last 3 eos bodies, but not for shooting portrait, for the extra space for my fingers and better grip.. So I decided to try and make a grip extension that just adds a bit more height to make just enough space for my finger and the most important part is to put some of the weight of the camera into the palm of my hand, thats what makes them steadier gripped imho.. I made a new version, black and more sculptured, about a third of the height of the proper grip, not designed for portrait use so not overly bulky, add's no noticable extra weight, am very pleased with it.. Someone should make something like this commercially.. I am waiting for a hand strap to arrive, that will be turned into mk3 :)I would like to see pictures of your creation.

[oRGie]

Maybe we should send out a food parcel .. :lol:

I think I'll be staying gripless with the 7D. I run my 30D with a grip, but the 7D feels fine without it.

LOL, I was going to say send xmas cake and mince pies, but I see your an ex pat too :)

I may well get a battery grip at some point, for the odd occasion when i would be shooting a lot of portrait pics, but I have to say the extender is ideal for normal use. Pics soon i promise ;)

[oRGie]

havent gotten round to visiting a friend with a camera yet, so here are a few pic's of the grip extender I made, see previous page for story ;)

I know it looks silly, but on the camera you dont really notice it. But it makes so much difference, I am very happy with it, but its not perfect yet, next version wont be cut to slope, I did that to see how it felt, but it just looks silly and just a nice taper at the end would do as well. Next one will have a rim all round to snug up to the camera, but only for looks, its totally secure with tripod bolt and non-slip foam and a lug to attach a handstrap.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4172674919_b32ed28b8b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2509/4172674737_63cf95395d.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4173432018_77a10cb213.jpg

I emailed kirk after looking at their camera plates and they said they will look into this as a potential product line, fingers crossed, a plate made to their standards in alloy would be fantastic.

EDIT: Dont worry if you find the shape of this hilarious and no juvenile puns are intended, but even I crack up re-reading my post :)

[Rainyday]

No way! Personally, my reason for getting a grip is for vertical shooting alone, and I'm already a bit bitter over how the current battery configuration forces the grip to be of different shape and size to the main grip.

If Canon made a grip which feels exactly the same as the main grip (including being in the 'same position' relative to the main, like in the D2000) and had an AF-joystick, I'd ejaculate in my pants. And then I'd order two.

:oops::oops: I'm trying not to envision that conversation. :)

[RiaGurl]

nice work so far, but wondering how you would change the batteries easily.

[oRGie]

nice work so far, but wondering how you would change the batteries easily.

Thanks.. Unscrewing the grip only takes about 2 seconds :) and considering how long they last, I dont expect that would be an issue. The benefits outweigh the extra step enormously.

If Kirk do something properly, they could even hinge the part that covers the battery compartment. I do hope they decide to try this out, a properly machined product would be fantastic, with an extra tripod thread, hand strap locator, maybe even hinge for battery area, or incorporate a qr plate, so you can drop of the grip and attach to a tripod head or easilly access the batteries. :)

I must get some pics sorted fitted, it makes the body just look right, to me it looks like its missing something as standard now.

[Magnus_yj]

havent gotten round to visiting a friend with a camera yet, so here are a few pic's of the grip extender I made, see previous page for story ;)

I know it looks silly, but on the camera you dont really notice it. But it makes so much difference, I am very happy with it, but its not perfect yet, next version wont be cut to slope, I did that to see how it felt, but it just looks silly and just a nice taper at the end would do as well. Next one will have a rim all round to snug up to the camera, but only for looks, its totally secure with tripod bolt and non-slip foam and a lug to attach a handstrap.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4172674919_b32ed28b8b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2509/4172674737_63cf95395d.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2593/4173432018_77a10cb213.jpg

I emailed kirk after looking at their camera plates and they said they will look into this as a potential product line, fingers crossed, a plate made to their standards in alloy would be fantastic.

EDIT: Dont worry if you find the shape of this hilarious and no juvenile puns are intended, but even I crack up re-reading my post :)

Nicely done.

[Perfect_10]

Kinda reminds me of the time I made 2 spacers for a rear spoiler I fitted on a 67 Mercury Cougar. The ends on the spoiler dipped down and hit the fenders, so I machined 2 pieces of oak to match the base .. and then sprayed them black. You really couldn't tell they weren't made for the job ;)

Neatly done .. :cool:

[tim]

nice work so far, but wondering how you would change the batteries easily.

I could photograph three weddings without changing the two cells in my 7D grip!

[RiaGurl]

I could photograph three weddings without changing the two cells in my 7D grip!
wow! well considering this has no actual batery grip. unless i am understanding how his extension works. is he making it to put on the bottom of the vertical grip? if so, then i had misunderstood all along.

[oRGie]

wow! well considering this has no actual batery grip. unless i am understanding how his extension works. is he making it to put on the bottom of the vertical grip? if so, then i had misunderstood all along.

No, you got it right, I made this to add extra grip and ballance to the camera without the need for the overly bulky battery grip :) I say overly bulky because I didnt use the battery grips for the extra battery space or extra shutter buttons for portrait work.

As they design the camera bodies to take a battery grip, the naked camera has to be small enough for that to be sensible, the result is the naked camera needs an extra 1 to 1.5 cm of height for my hands (and many others that use battery grips is my hunch). I read so many posts of people saying "I got the grip and its great, the camera feels right now" but I rarely see "wow I go the grip and its so much easier to use with the extra shutter button in portrait mode, or the 2 batteries last so long now"

Obviously some owners do use them as intended and then they are great, I have had 3 for other slr's in the past.

It would be nice of canon to make a grip extender for those not wanting the functions of the battery grip, but needing the body to be a little taller. (they could even mould one with storage space for cf cards, or lens cloths etc :) I can dream lol....

[RiaGurl]

well...they could just make the actual camera body bigger/taller.

[oRGie]

well...they could just make the actual camera body bigger/taller.

I guess they cant please us all :) I was thinking about "what if" if canon did make one, they could actually include a couple of cf card slots that work, enough people would like to see a second slot, to save pics to 2 cards at the same time for safety.. Perhaps using the wifi grip connector to transfer data to the card reader grip :) now were talking :cool:

[cccc]

havent gotten round to visiting a friend with a camera yet, so here are a few pic's of the grip extender I made, see previous page for story ;)

I know it looks silly, but on the camera you dont really notice it. But it makes so much difference, I am very happy with it, but its not perfect yet, next version wont be cut to slope, I did that to see how it felt, but it just looks silly and just a nice taper at the end would do as well. Next one will have a rim all round to snug up to the camera, but only for looks, its totally secure with tripod bolt and non-slip foam and a lug to attach a handstrap.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4172674919_b32ed28b8b.jpg





I emailed kirk after looking at their camera plates and they said they will look into this as a potential product line, fingers crossed, a plate made to their standards in alloy would be fantastic.

EDIT: Dont worry if you find the shape of this hilarious and no juvenile puns are intended, but even I crack up re-reading my post :)

An thick L bracket would be nice too. I admit that the only reason I bought a grip for my XSI was so my pinky wouldn't hang off. If a proper L bracket was made that allowed for more pinky support, it would have been my first purchase...after the tripod haha.

[krepta]

I read so many posts of people saying "I got the grip and its great, the camera feels right now" but I rarely see "wow I go the grip and its so much easier to use with the extra shutter button in portrait mode, or the 2 batteries last so long now"I am one of those people who feels the battery grip benefits me in each of these ways, better handle in landscape orientation, easier handle in portrait orientation, use of shutter button (and a few other functions) in portrait orientation, capacity for two batteries, and more balanced weight for heavier lenses.

With the BG-E2N on my 40D, my only complaints were the lack of AF-ON button and the ugly shape. The BG-E7 is an improvement in these two areas. There is still room for improvement in the aesthetics department; something I would like to see (in future non 1-series models) is a battery grip whose shape is more or less like that of the 1D vertical handle, with an elongated battery to go along with it. That would reduce the overall profile (and perhaps weight) and improve comfort of handling while maintaining functionality. The MB-D10 battery grip of the Nikon D300s, for example, can use either the EN-EL3e battery as used in the camera, or the EN-EL4a battery of the D-3 series.

By the way oRGie, I like your signature playing on the Windows 7 tagline, lol.

[tim]

wow! well considering this has no actual batery grip. unless i am understanding how his extension works. is he making it to put on the bottom of the vertical grip? if so, then i had misunderstood all along.

Yeah I realise that, my point was that you probably won't need to change the single battery very often. Three weddings with two batteries means one and a half weddings on a single battery :p

[Panda_stunter]

ok, i just pulled the trigger for a 7d and i cant wait to get it on my greedy hands!

but heres the thing, the 7D is weather sealed, as everyone knows, by adding the battery grip, would the battery grip also considered to be weather sealed? i mean, since its two units connected as one, there are ways that it wouldnt be. but does it say anywhere in the manual of the grip that it would lessen effectiveness of the weather sealing since the grip would be a liability for lessening its continuity.

please answer coz i want a grip but if its not weather sealed, then there really no reason for me to get the grip.

thanks for your time and answers in advance!

[lannes]

I think the grip in itself has a sealed battery compartment, but the camera wouldn't be completely weather sealed with the grip attached, there is no gasket between the bottom of the camera and the top of the grip. Water if it pooled in between the two surfaces can get into the cameras battery compartment. The Canon grips fit very tightly in this area so there is less risk, some third party grips leave a small gap.

[tim]

http://www.doobybrain.com/2009/12/06/canon-eos-7d-has-superb-weather-sealing/
http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/

Looks like it's pretty well weather sealed with a grip to me.

[RiaGurl]

i actually put silicon caulk (black) around mine after I put the grip on.
















































kidding!

[Perfect_10]

i actually put silicon caulk (black) around mine after I put the grip on.
....
kidding!

Phew, you had me worried .. everyone knows you should use the clear stuff ;)

[Mocows]

I think the grip in itself has a sealed battery compartment, but the camera wouldn't be completely weather sealed with the grip attached, there is no gasket between the bottom of the camera and the top of the grip. Water if it pooled in between the two surfaces can get into the cameras battery compartment. The Canon grips fit very tightly in this area so there is less risk, some third party grips leave a small gap.

+1 The canon grip isn't really considered weather sealed as it's only the battery compartment which gets the seal.
My 3rd party grip fits pretty close but there's no sealing on the battery compartment from what I can tell (Phottix). I still love having the grip but if you decide on going out in the rain/beach/etc... I'd just remove the grip for that time period. Most likely you won't notice a problem even if you do go out in the rain/etc... if your careful with your camera.

[Mocows]

Phew, you had me worried .. everyone knows you should use the clear stuff ;)

Seriously though, what about a little black electrical tape? I'm sure that would stand up decently.