Battery Grip... when did you really need it?

helps an incredible amount when you're shooting with any lens that long/heavy
portrait orientation is a million times easier too, and its great for 2 week trips when your 4 canon 5D batteries will run out!

I have one on both my 20D and 350D,, infact they have never been off both cameras.. The reason?? Ergonomics.. Both cameras especially the 350D feel nicer to hold.. So much easier shooting vertically too..

Thanks for the continued input all... I do have two pretty heavy lenses so I am probbaly going to go down and check one out on my 40D.

I really needed it almost as soon as I took my XTi/400D out of the box--for the extended grip more than extra power. Mild animosity turned to outright love after the grip was attached. Extra battery life was a happy bonus.

Of course, with the 40D you don't have that tiny body problem. So that makes my post pretty much irrelevant, eh?

Going into an event where I know having a battery die would be unacceptable. The grip, when loaded with fully charged batteries, reduces that fear.

By the way, I made the decision to purchase mine after seeing 70+% of my images shot in portrait. Because I shoot in manual with an XTi, I like having a little less clutter around my AV+/- button. (This is held down to change the aperture in M mode).

Please add me to the list who state that once they put it on, they've never removed it.


Kevin

Didn't read the others but this is my take: It all depends on how much you shoot

- I went out and shot from 6:00am - 11:00ish on Tues with my 40D nd brought two full batteries as usual.

When I left I still had all my bars left on the ONE battery I used that morning...I do landscape and don't shoot unless I setup to take a shot...I took a total of 64 shots that morning

Are you a snapper or not thats the main question

If I shoot all day it usually involves driving from location to location and in that case I have a car charger that I keep the empty battery on inbetween spots.

I have never in my history of shooting ran out of two batteries because of this (then again I don't have time to go on week long hikes )

s8langwo wrote in post #6248246
Please add me to the list who state that once they put it on, they've never removed it.

In all honesty, I take it off when I'm doing astrophotography. The extra weight is a bear to balance on my scope. But for regular shooting it's always on.

HighPlainsPhotographer wrote in post #6229158
It is not battery life for me, though I do appreciate the extra capacity. I have grips on both of my cameras because I like the way they feel and enjoy the convenience of the 2nd shutter release and other controls when shooting with the camera vertically. On the occasion that I pick up a non-gripped camera it feels as if something is missing!

Shaun

Exactly!

I bought a grip post sale for my 300D, and after that, I bought the grips with both the XTi and the 40D when I purchased the bodies. I think there is a reason why the 1-series has the shape that you get when put a grip on their smaller brothers .....

Maxdave

I may be hallucinating, but I could swear that my photos off the 40D with the grip are sharper than without the grip. My theory is that the 40D's shutter (more precisely the mirror slapping), which I've found to be more "jarring" or "vibrating" than my 20D, can produce "softer" images especially under lower speed. I think the grip adds a great degree of "stability" to the 40D, and therefore, better image results.

I think your hallucinating how much does the grip weight btw? I always see that like 5 pound ball in the back of photo mags that screws into the tripod part on the bottom of the body...Its suppose to allow you to take handheld shots up to 1 second...but thats a LOT more weight haha

i have never run out of power/missed shots even during weddings with only one battery installed... BUT... i use grips 24-7 on both my bodies because i have permanent E1 hand straps attached which i LOVE.

i never use the grip controls.

wallybud wrote in post #6269591
I think your hallucinating how much does the grip weight btw? I always see that like 5 pound ball in the back of photo mags that screws into the tripod part on the bottom of the body...Its suppose to allow you to take handheld shots up to 1 second...but thats a LOT more weight haha

Oh, I forgot to mention that I ALSO had my 70-200 on the 40D with the grip.

SYS wrote in post #6269671
Oh, I forgot to mention that I ALSO had my 70-200 on the 40D with the grip.

Your sure you can't take 3 second exposures with that setup hehe
man that's a heavy rig to carry about I traded away my 2.8 IS for the F4 IS and I don't even use the grip
but then again I weigh 130LBS hahaha
how is the non IS 2.8 compared to the IS version...are they far apart in weight?

Non IS 2.8 or IS, the darn set up with the grip is heavy. I'm glad I got the Gitzo GM-3550 monopod that can handle the weight!

somethingsimple wrote in post #6269605
i have never run out of power/missed shots even during weddings with only one battery installed... BUT... i use grips 24-7 on both my bodies because i have permanent E1 hand straps attached which i LOVE.

i never use the grip controls.

ah **** thats another HUGE thing I forgot, is my E1. I just got my 40D and just realized I wont be able to use my E1 until I get a new grip. I hate neck straps and would rather have it on my hand, ready to go