Battery Grip question

Just a question regarding the on/off switch on a battery grip. If the camera is off, but the battery grip is still on, does it still drain the battery? Is there any reason to not to leave it on? Reason is sometimes I forget to turn on the grip and I go to turn to portrait mode and miss a shot.

Maybe I just have to get used to turning it on whenever I turn my camera on.

Shouldn't have any more of an effect than if you were to leave both on and just let the camera go to sleep (which often happens...)

If fact, if the main power switch is off none of the buttons on the grip will function (at least they don't on my 5D which I just tested...)

I always thought that the switch on the grip merely locks out the controls on the grip -- it's not a power switch. I just leave it on all the time and turn the camera off with the main power switch, and I get really good life out of my batteries.

I just got my grip and was wondering this exact thing. Thanks for the info guys.

Yes, thank you for the replies. They were very helpful.

xn2b8r wrote in post #6626465
I always thought that the switch on the grip merely locks out the controls on the grip -- it's not a power switch. I just leave it on all the time and turn the camera off with the main power switch, and I get really good life out of my batteries.

With most grips, that is true, BUT the Opteka grip for the 20/30/40D has an actual power switch on it. And yes it will drain the battery even if the camera is turned off. At least that is the case with mine. BTW this is the grip that I am referring too.

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Not sure about other manufacturers but the switch on the Canon grip only locks the controls, it does not override the main camera power setting.

Nope, I used to always leave it on on my Canon grips and never had any issues with it draining the batteries.

RRitch wrote in post #6628330
With most grips, that is true, BUT the Opteka grip for the 20/30/40D has an actual power switch on it. And yes it will drain the battery even if the camera is turned off. At least that is the case with mine. BTW this is the grip that I am referring too.

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I wonder if this is true of the XSi Opteka grip?I just got one and am unsure where I should leave the switch. With the switch off could the lack of power reset the date/time?

If you have the single button Opteka grip there won't be any issue. It is the two button versions that will drain power from what I am told.

Familiaphoto wrote in post #6793483
If you have the single button Opteka grip there won't be any issue. It is the two button versions that will drain power from what I am told.

I think that is true. The Opteka grip that I had on my XTi, did not have this issue.

The grip in my original post I was referring to was the Phottix BP-40. I leave it in the on position all the time now and the batteries are still good. As stated before, the on/off switch on this grip only disables/enables the functions of the grip.

Thanks for the info everyone i was wondering the samething!!

Yeah, thanks for the info.