To Grip..... or Not To Grip. That is the Question..

[Stradawhovious]

Well, I'm in the process of selling my NIKON 18-105 AF-S VR, and am hoping that I have it priced to move. I'm planning on looking into a grip for my D7000 with the money I get. (yes, I know they cost more that I will get for the lens, but I'm willing to write off the difference as the progress of man)

Can anyone provide me with reasons NOT to invest in a grip? It just seems silly to not have one.

Thanks.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

I wouldn't have a camera without one....

 

[Derrel]

I have big hands with long, slender fingers...to me, an add-on grip is a real asset when using a half-height camera body with big glass like a 70-200/2.8 or 300mm prime. ALso, on the heavier, pro zooms that weigh in the 35-48 ounce range, the added weight of a grip helps the balance of many lenses. On any heavy lens that wants to "nose-dive" forward, that causes a lot of torque on the hands and wrists, so if the grip and batteries help to counteract that nose-diving tendency, then the added weight is greatly offset by the reduced torque. it is not just the total weight of a camera/lens combination that makes it tiring or not tiring to use--BALANCE is a much, much more important factor.

 

[Ginu]

Grip for sure, but its just a shame the grip doesn't increase the FPS on a D7000.

 

[KmH]

A battery or vertical grip improves camera handeling, which is one of the reasons they are built-into pro level cameras.

 

[Big Mike]

Can anyone provide me with reasons NOT to invest in a grip? It just seems silly to not have one.

I agree with the posts above, but I guess there are some reasons why someone might not use one.
Cost is the easy one...these things usually aren't cheap.
Size & Space. It increases the size of the camera and makes it harder to pack. Also, the bottom of the camera and the bottom of the lens are probably out of alignment with a grip, so the camera doesn't sit flat on the bottom.
The grips that I've seen, don't seal 100% to the camera body, so that might create a bigger vulnerability to water & other elements to get into the camera body. Also, some of them (usually the cheaper, 3rd party ones) don't tighten as much as you would like (or the tightening gear may get stripped). I know that with my grip, I'm still a little wary of holding onto just the grip when I've got a big heavy lens on the camera.

 

[orb9220]

Have grips and never worried about it coming loose or taking the load whether on tripod or hanging on my RS-strap at my side. Have a manfrotto tripod plate on mine with a handy D-ling to clip into. And have had it supporting a D90/MB-D80 grip and nikon 80-200 f2.8 AF-D with no problems.

Also less cramping for this old hands for vertical. And helps balance the cam/lens for the heavier type f2.8 zooms.
Tried a day without one just for the experience and soon put it back on. Just feels too unnatural without it for me.
.

 

[Davor]

Ever since i bought my grip for the D90 i have never taken it off, not only does it provide balance and easier handling especially for those portrait shots it looks real bada**

 

[Stradawhovious]

Can anyone provide me with reasons NOT to invest in a grip? It just seems silly to not have one.

I agree with the posts above, but I guess there are some reasons why someone might not use one.
Cost is the easy one...these things usually aren't cheap.
Size & Space. It increases the size of the camera and makes it harder to pack. Also, the bottom of the camera and the bottom of the lens are probably out of alignment with a grip, so the camera doesn't sit flat on the bottom.
The grips that I've seen, don't seal 100% to the camera body, so that might create a bigger vulnerability to water & other elements to get into the camera body. Also, some of them (usually the cheaper, 3rd party ones) don't tighten as much as you would like (or the tightening gear may get stripped). I know that with my grip, I'm still a little wary of holding onto just the grip when I've got a big heavy lens on the camera.

Thanks Mike for reading the question...... I guess those reasons won't be enough to talk me out of it. I like the idea of a better balanced camera (among the several other perks of a grip), especially now that I'm getting into the older, longer heavier AI lenses.

And thanks to the rest too! It's good to have your on-the-fence- decisions reinforced by peers. My to-be wife, and bank account will more than likely have something different to say.........

But hey. It's not about them, is it?

 

[Big Mike]

Oh, one more thing. With my grip, my 70-200mm lens and my tripod head...I run into problems.
With the quick release plate attached to the foot on the tripod collar on my 70-200mm F2.8, the QR lever on the head hits the bottom of the grip. Not a big issue, and easy enough to work around...but when shooting on a tripod, I'll usually grab a body that doesn't have a grip, as opposed to one that does.

 

[msuggs]

get a grip man.....

After getting my D7000, I thought about a grip. Didn't have one for my D40.
The size difference alone made the D7000 feel like it had a grip
compared to the D40. The D40 now feels like a toy compared to the D7000.

I may have to get a grip for the D40 just so it doesn't have grip envy.

 

[gsgary]

I use 3 1D's but i wouldn't want a grip on my 5D not sure why i just like it as is, i think adding another connection your adding more potential for a problem on a shoot

 

[480sparky67 66]

Biggest reason I'm getting a grip: my fat hands. Even with the D7000, only my index & middle finger can grasp it.

Biggest reason it won't be gripped unless I want it to: 75% of my shooting is tri- or mono-pod.

If I'm pod mounting it, a grip is extraneous. If I'm shooting hand-held, then it'll be gripped.

 

[eric-holmes]

Get a grip! The best part is adding "Gripped D7000" to your signature.