thinking of ditching the grip on my 50D

ok so like the title says, i'm considering ditching my grip. i've used it for the longest time, had it on my 20D then moved it to my 50D. but i took a short trip couple weeks ago and to save room in the camera bag i took the grip off, and haven't put it back on since. just curious if anyone else has ditched their grip, or just don't use one. i figure i'll give it couple more weeks, and then if i still don't put it back on, probably sell it off for a few bucks, or i could always just let it collect dust. anyone if you got any thoughts they would be appreciated, thank you.

Well ... it doesn't affect anything besides ergonomics and battery life, so it really comes down to whatever works for you.

rpaul wrote in post #13601726
Well ... it doesn't affect anything besides ergonomics and battery life,

Which is why I have 1 on mine, I tried it without for a while, just never felt right to me.

Ditched mine back when I had the brand new 20D and there was a bug in the Canon grip. Haven't used one since aside from on the 1D3, where it's not optional.

Whether or not you use a grip on your camera is one of the most "personal" choices in photography, since (if you slap an extra battery in your pocket), it really has no bearing on anything other than how the camera "feels" and only you know what's right for you.

For me...no DSLR feels right without a grip, which is part of the reason I love the 1D-series...

I used to use a grip constantly on my 30D, because almost everything I shoot is in portrait orientation, and I liked the stability and alignment. I moved to the 1DII and it was mandatory, but I'm going gripless on the 5D. BG-E4s aren't made by 3rd party companies from what I've seen, so I'm just adapting. I've got an Ee-D focusing screen (with grid) coming in tomorrow that should fix the alignment problem though.

Battery life was never a factor for me, since it's always seemed anything xxD series and above can and will last an eternity, but having the vertical shutter button is a HUGE help. I think the biggest factor is, is that shutter button worth finding a bag that can handle it?

Tried a grip on my 7D for a weekend. Hated it. Grip is just too much weight for me and the camera already fits my hand perfect, so no need for the grip. As for extra battery power, I just carry an extra battery in my bag.

AA battery tray come in handy sometime thought I never use it before.

rpaul wrote in post #13601726
Well ... it doesn't affect anything besides ergonomics and battery life

And looks.

I'm sure a lot of people use a grip just to make their camera look like one of the big boy's toys.

I had a grip on my Minolta X700 35mm SLR, but only because it was also an autowinder/motor drive. I've never used one on my 50D and have never felt the need for it. I've got very large hands, but even so the ergos on the 50D without a grip suit me fine. I don't want to deal with the extra size in my camera bags or the extra weight on the camera. I carry a spare camera battery and have never had an issue with battery life.

hollis_f wrote in post #13604084
And looks.

I'm sure a lot of people use a grip just to make their camera look like one of the big boy's toys.

I agree 100%, most people I see walking around with a gripped Rebel are just trying to look cool. I was as guilty as the rest with a gripped XSi for a short time. The extra weight and size was not beneficial for my photography and caused me to leave the camera at home several times. I don't shoot weddings or many portraits, so I have little or no use for a grip.

I have to say that after shooting with my grip I find it strange to use a dslr with out one now. I went back to my parents and while showing them some stuff with their flash and 50 1.8 on a rebel XT that they owned I remembered how strange it feels to have to chicken wing when shooting again lol. I guess it just depends on whether or not it feels right to you, I like that I can keep everything tucked in and close to the body if I'm in a tight area trying to shoot.

Now I did use my buddies new T2i for a while, and my pinky has nowhere to go, just like my old Pentax K200D, so I would get a definitely get a grip for the T series. But on the 7D, all my fingers fit perfectly on the grip, so I have no reason for a grip.

So it definitely depends on the person.

murtaugh wrote in post #13601710
i took a short trip couple weeks ago and to save room in the camera bag i took the grip off

Get a bigger bag...

Different strokes for different folks...

I used a grip on my Canon A-1 35mm film camera because that was the only way to get auto advance and rewind and I didn't like the lever wind advance that was standard for the film cameras of that era.

I also tried a grip on my 350D because the body was a bit to small for my hands (I wear U.S. size extra-large gloves).

However, I have never used a grip on any of my xxD bodies nor for my 7D. Although the portrait shutter release position is a nice idea; it is not worth the extra weight.

The extra battery power is of no consequence to me since I always carry two, extra, charged batteries when I am out shooting.