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

Wilt wrote in post #6273349
In the days of film cameras, the add-on grip provided motor drive for faster advancing the film and winding the shutter, film magazines permitted 250' and longer spools of film for longer uninterrupted shooting. Modern dSLRs have fast advance even without a BG, and they shoot hundreds of shots without a BG. It is not difficult to merely carry a battery or four in a pocket, and swap them at a brief lull in the shooting. It is not difficult but a convenience having the buttons on the BG for portrait orientation, as photographers did without added buttons for decades. It is not a difficulty but a convenience in having more grip area, as again decades of photographers managed quite well with much smaller SLRs!

So do you need one, NO. Is it nice to have one, yes, for some.

True. About the only advantage of grip that I can see is that you can use AA cells in a pinch. I had, and sold on, a grip for my 20D. All my film SLRs had them to give me power advance.

If you think the grip helps you balance a big lens, you're holding things wrong. You should be supporting the camera by the balance point in the lens, not gripping the camera for dear life to keep the lens from pulling it down. Left hand under the lens to support; right hand on the camera to steer.

Jon wrote in post #6289408
If you think the grip helps you balance a big lens, you're holding things wrong. You should be supporting the camera by the balance point in the lens, not gripping the camera for dear life to keep the lens from pulling it down. Left hand under the lens to support; right hand on the camera to steer.

Jon,,,I would never attempt to balance a lens like a 70-200mm F/2.8 on my 350D or even my 20D without a grip,, even with a grip on my 350D a 70-200mm F/2.8 feels totally out of balance and I'm no 100lb weakling.. And do you think after 30 years of pro-photography I've learned how to hold a camera??

yogestee wrote in post #6289440
And do you think after 30 years of pro-photography I've learned how to hold a camera??

slow learner?

Wilt wrote in post #6289541
slow learner?

Yeah Wilt.. Spent too many years shooting 4x5 and medium format on a 3pod

Wilt wrote in post #6288712
You mentioned 'twisting wrist...hurts',not 'holding arm up for a long time hurts', which mislead me about your complaint. Keep doing it and your upper arm will become stronger and stop hurting!

Not at all - it's an issue with my wrist, not the forearm.

yogestee wrote in post #6289440
Jon,,,I would never attempt to balance a lens like a 70-200mm F/2.8 on my 350D or even my 20D without a grip,, even with a grip on my 350D a 70-200mm F/2.8 feels totally out of balance and I'm no 100lb weakling.. And do you think after 30 years of pro-photography I've learned how to hold a camera??

I don't get that at all. I spent a lot of hours holding my 400D + 70-200/4 before I got the grip, and never once felt it was 'unbalanced.' As Jon said, I support the lens at about the balance point with my left hand, and steer with the right. Convenient portrait-mode shooting and extended battery life are the only benefits, for me.

AdamC wrote in post #6289769
Not at all - it's an issue with my wrist, not the forearm.

I don't get that at all. I spent a lot of hours holding my 400D + 70-200/4 before I got the grip, and never once felt it was 'unbalanced.' As Jon said, I support the lens at about the balance point with my left hand, and steer with the right. Convenient portrait-mode shooting and extended battery life are the only benefits, for me.

The f/2.8 version of the 70-200 does weigh twice as much as the f/4 version.