get a grip

[Monroe]

can someone please explain the purpose of a battery grip? My 5D is heavy enough with the lens, the flash and the stroboframe. I'm new so go easy on me here.

 

[asfixiate]

1. Adds battery life
2. Adds more grip to help balance lens weights.

I see them definitely necessary on 40d/Rebel sized cameras but no so much 5d/1d size.

 

[Monroe]

that's all I needed to know! Thank you asfixiate.

 

[asfixiate]

Someone might say differently but that's my assumption..

 

[Big Mike]

They also add another set of buttons so that you don't have to rotate your arm when you shoot in portrait orientation.

The grip also gives you the option to use AA batteries to power the camera....which would be handy if you were unable to charge your lithium batteries.

 

[asfixiate]

Oh yea that too.

 

[rmh159]

Can you use a grip with any type of dSLR? Not sure why but I've always figured it was an option for higher end cameras.

 

[Monroe]

there are buttons on the grip when you need to rotate for portrait?

 

[Atreus]

^^

yessir

 

[Big Mike]

Can you use a grip with any type of dSLR? Not sure why but I've always figured it was an option for higher end cameras.

They do make grips for most of the popular Canon & Nikon models...AFAIK.
Heck, you could make one out of a block of wood if you really wanted. They just attach to the camera with the tripod mount.

The 'high' end DSLR camera have the grip built right into the camera....so you don't need an additional one. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/518204.jpg

 

[Alfred D.]

Can you use a grip with any type of dSLR? Not sure why but I've always figured it was an option for higher end cameras.

It used to be. Back in the early eighties. But those weren't just 'grips' with batteries, those were motor drives. With an electric motor built in. To physically pull the film through the camera after every exposure (so that you wouldn't have to wind it manually). Today, virtually every (d)SLR I know has a 'grip'. And even some non-dSLRs do (dSLR look-alike all-in-one cameras). But although they look and feel like the motor drives of yesteryear's high end cameras, they contain only batteries and no film winding motor.