General Canon Rant: Side-loading Battery Grips

[rant]Maybe my annoyance is unique, but I'm not a fan of the side-loading battery grips.

I much preferred the rear-loaders, which I could easily unload/reload in my hands without fumbling, even while walking. I find the side-loaders pretty much impossible to load without setting something down somewhere.

[/rant]

Looking at mine side-by-side, one problem with the rear-loading grips is that they're much deeper than the side-loading ones - making the grip less comfortable in the vertical attitude. It wasn't much of a hindrance for me , but I can imagine people with small hands being annoyed by it.

I just stick my camera under my arm as I change out the batteries and then reinsert the cartridge, old batteries back into the pocket. If I had a neckstrap, then I would just let the camera dangle.

I use a 1DX and a 7D2 (usually with the Canon grip) - I prefer the way the batteries load from the side. In the past I had a battery grip that loaded from the rear, I found it a bit fiddly and (due to the much larger battery port) somewhat less rigid.
Just my opinion but side loading batteries all the way for me. Now as to cards? I find the rear loading of the Canon 1 series much better.

It's great how we all have our pain points.

This is an engineering nightmare, how do you try to please most of the people all of the time?

Three hands good, two hands better.

How would you accommodate the AA battery tray?

Rear loading makes the grip fatter. I take grip comfort as a priority over battery loading convenience.

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17944833
How would you accommodate the AA battery tray?

Pre-load the AA's in the tray for easy quick change. If you're strictly using AA's, you would need an additional tray, I suppose.

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17944833
How would you accommodate the AA battery tray?

Exactly like they did for the 7D2 Grip, turn them and run them the length of the grip.

No, I mean if the batteries loaded from the back, how would you use AA's?

Same way the D60, 10D, 20D, . . . did. The tray extended the full length of the grip, the batteries were parallel to the film plane, and it all slid in through the back door.

ok, got it. never owned any of those models.

Jon wrote in post #17944964
Same way the D60, 10D, 20D, . . . did. The tray extended the full length of the grip, the batteries were parallel to the film plane, and it all slid in through the back door.

I think you meant to say perpendicular (normal) to the sensor plane didn't you? This is my 50D with the genuine Canon BG-E2N battery grip, AA holder pack and a pair of genuine Canon BP511A batteries.

I lovethe side-loading grips! My first grip for my Digital Rebel XT was a side-loader, and it was great. Then, all of them went to the rear-loaders, and I HATED the flex of the door panel in my hand. Never got a Canon or aftermarket grip that didn't flex. When I got my 7dII with the solid side-loader, I was thrilled! I hope they never go back to the other style...