Battery Grip Advantages & Disadvantages

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a battery grip?

Advantages:
•Allows use of two batteries
•Makes the camera larger and heavier
•Vertical shutter release

Disadvantages:
•Extra expense
•Makes the camera larger and heavier

Here are a couple of many existing threads on the topic

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=821857
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=650904

and my thoughts...

I know I've posted this on here before but can't be bothered trying to find the link so I've just copied and pasted it from a word doc that I've created (the topic comes up so often) - it's easier and quicker to do this than trawl through threads to find what I'm looking for.

It's horses for courses but these are my thoughts...

I wouldn't shoot without a grip if I had the choice.
The extra controls are in exactly the same position as on the body and make the camera more usable when shooting vertically (portrait)
When I borrow my BIL's 400d that doesn't have one, it doesn't feel right and doesn't have as much usability as a body with a grip.
My old 10D and even older d30 both had grips as does my 40D.
The extra weight of a grip is so negligible, it's not worth talking about.
A 600ml bottle of water weighs more than a grip.
Most sports photographers might shoot as many as 4-5000 frames (sometimes more) in a day. I average around 2000 a day just at a club race meeting and as much battery life as possible is required. It's just one less thing to worry about when shooting.
Remember that it's not only firing the shutter that uses power, but also AF, the LCD screen and all the other electronic circuits in todays cameras.
However it is horses for courses and each to their own but I'm afraid I can't get my head around this "so much extra weight" thing that people always bring up with grips.
It borders on the ridiculous.

This is why...

A grip for a 40D weighs around 460g fully loaded with two batteries, at least that's what the kitchen scales I used told me - hahaha.
Thats 300 grams for the grip itself and and 160g for two batteries at 80g each.
If you are carrying two spare batteries anyway, then the grip adds only 300g extra.
Hardly back breaking.
And you've already got one battery in the camera anyway.
The average grip for other brands and aftermarket ones would be of similar weight, give or take a little either way.
A decent jumper/windcheater weighs around that, maybe more. A jacket even more than that again
If you're going out shooting and it might turn cold or wet, do you leave the jumper/windcheater/jac​ket home because they add too much extra weight? - err, probably not. You'd probably take all three AND the bottle of water.

Looking at the weight thing in another way - lets say you get rid of your 75-300 "kit" lens and upgrade to a better, heavier lens such as a 70-200/2.8L or 100-400L or Nikon/Sigma etc equivalent that weighs considerably more than the "kit" lens.
What do you do? Take the new heavier lens or leave it at home because it's too heavy and take the kit lens instead?
I know, you leave the new lens at home because it's too heavy.

Or this scenario - you finally upgrade the 20/30/40/5D etc (or Nikon equiv) and finally get the 1D MkIII or Mk IV you've been hanging out for that comes with its own built in grip and big battery and weighs considerably more than the old camera with no grip. Again, what do you do? Take the new camera or leave it home because its so much heavier than the old one?...

Tough call that one - Not!

What would I do? - Take BOTH bodies.
I'll bet there's people here who lug a tripod around on a shoot with them, in a lot of cases, unnecessarily, but won't have a grip because it "adds too much" weight.
I've never been able to work that one out.
As I said earlier, a 600ml bottle of water weighs more.
I guess those who suggest that a grip is too heavy would never consider carrying two or more bodies with lenses to go with them let alone owning a 300, 400 or even a 500 prime - 'cause they weigh a TON.

another advantage is you can quickly change batteries if the camera is on a tripod. the battery tray just slides out the side.

Lenses feel a lot more balanced and the battery life is superb! Unless you really don't like the extra weight/size, don't do it. Otherwise, go go go!

philwillmedia wrote in post #10165876
Or this scenario - you finally upgrade the 20/30/40/5D etc (or Nikon equiv) and finally get the 1D MkIII or Mk IV you've been hanging out for that comes with its own built in grip and big battery and weighs considerably more than the old camera with no grip. Again, what do you do? Take the new camera or leave it home because its so much heavier than the old one?...

Why does it have to be about weight? Sometimes I just want a smaller camera to take with me. The 1DMK3 isn't all that heavy, especially compared to the MK2 I used to have, but it is BIG and I find that I don't take it with me very much unless I am actually going out to shoot something. An un-gripped XXD will fit in smaller bags, like the tank bag on my motorcycle, and it will come with me more often than the MK3 does. In my case, it has nothing to do with weight. It comes down to portability. Grips are a good thing, as you can put them on or take them off as you like. I don't think there are any negatives to having a grip for your camera. Although, I do miss that fact that a grip in the film days added more FPS as it was an actual motor drive too. Now it's just the extra battery and controls.

Vertical shooting is the benefit but that would be it for me.

Swapping bp-511's in a non grip takes about 5 seconds.

Personal preference determines grip or no grip.

The biggest for me, is when you have a heavy lens, or a flash on the shoe, the camera is MUCH more solid in your hand. Grip is BEST word here.

I take off the grip, when I don't want the weight (say on vacation) with a smaller lens on the camera.

Big disadvantage of a grip is that people try to use it to support the camera with. This leads to strain, and makes for more camera shake. You should support your camera/lens combo from beneath with your left hand at the balance point. Yes, you can still zoom, and focus, as needed that way.