Vertical Grips - A MUST HAVE

[HeldInTheMoment]

Just saying folks, if you shoot weddings or other long running events, a Vertical Grip is a life saver! Not only do you get extra battery life, and some times more FPS, but it sure saves your wrists!

Just got mine for my D500 and getting another one for my D7100.

From now on, I will always have a Vertical Grip available for my main cameras!!!

 

[KmH]

Yep.
That's part of why the top of the line flagship DSLRs Canon & Nikon offer have a vertical grip built right into the camera.
When I was still working I put a vertical grip on all my DSLRs that didn't have one built-in.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Yep.
That's part of why the top of the line flagship DSLRs Canon & Nikon offer have a vertical grip built right into the camera.
When I was still working I put a vertical grip on all my DSLRs that didn't have one built-in.

Yeah, but the D4S and D5 (in my opinion) are not top choices for weddings or such events. I would take a D810 long before a D5, paired with my D500 of course. Just waiting for the D810 replacement to come out, then get one of those to fill in the FX gap I am suffering from.

 

[astroNikon]

I have a vertical grip for my d750 and d600
I'm pseudo planning on a d500 or d7200 and that will get one too.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

As you can see I have the D7100 and D500, I'll tell you straight off the D500 kills it...don't waste your time or money on the D7200 when the D500 is now available.

Though, before speaking out of my @$$...why are you looking at a DX Body when you have two (2) FX already?

 

[astroNikon]

As you can see I have the D7100 and D500, I'll tell you straight off the D500 kills it...don't waste your time or money on the D7200 when the D500 is now available.

Though, before speaking out of my @$$...why are you looking at a DX Body when you have two (2) FX already?

Several things:
Aircraft photography and some deep space, sports. Curious though. When I had my d7000, a cropped d600 FX/24mp image was better than the cropped d7000 DX/16mp image for subjects, say 7 miles and further away.

But with the d500, it's a 20mb sensor versus the d7200 24mb sensor, so different cropping maxes. Though better ISO abilities on the d500.
For example, this is 2xTC with a 2500 scope (aka 5,000 mm) on an jet about 11 miles away, uncropped on d600 ==> Aircraft_20160522_5000mmLens (2 of 2)
To you and me that jet is just a speck in the sky looking via eyesight.

For deep space though a 1.4 or 2xTC is good, as you are not going to get "sharp" images anyway, so FX is fine as ISO becomes important with tracking times. A DX would just give me more reach though d7200/24mp sensor may be more optimal. Although the d500/20mp with better ISO may help .. before stacking and all that fun stuff. I'm trying to improve my Jupiter & Saturn images.

I don't have any problems getting close to close aircraft. Sometimes it's larger than my sensor, so FX fits, except for those few times I need a DX because it's not close nor far enough away for optimal FX usage.

Sports. not necessarily the extra "reach" but the D500 FPS, color rendition, improved WB, etc though indoor sports I find the FX just rocks in the low and sporatic lighting events with ISO usually around 6400 for an FX camera. The d500 would have to be 1-2 stops more of 12,800 to 25,600 to match .. I think.
In the one indoor soccer arena my ISO in one sweep across the field can vary from 640 to 6400 on the D600/D750 at f/2.8-640 shutter.

The tracking, et all doesn't matter to me as I'm always focused on one individual anyways so Spot Focus is used. When you get depth of various players I'd rather make the decision than the camera. So the AF system .. i'm sure would be a nice value added but I don't think I need it. Doesn't help with specks in the sky either.

Plus the D7200 is $1,000 less.
But the D500 is cool too with an upcoming $1799 Black Friday special for D500 and OEM grip.
I've tried the d500 a couple times ...
I may just stick with what I have too ... save money.

For the sporadic weddings / events etc I'll still use FX.

 

[Frank F.]

I'm pseudo planning on a d500

The D500 grip is not only extending battery life to 9000+ clicks (with 8 x Eneloop Pro) but also does significantly improve ergonomics.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

For the sports and tracking, the D500 takes the cake! The AF-C in the D7100 isn't anything compared to the D500

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Plus the D7200 is $1,000 less.
But the D500 is cool too with an upcoming $1799 Black Friday special for D500 and OEM grip.
I've tried the d500 a couple times ...
I may just stick with what I have too ... save money.

OH!? Well ****, maybe I will return my current D500 and get the Black Friday Deal! Same price but with a free OEM Grip and not a third-party! Cheaper and better!!!

 

[astroNikon]

Plus the D7200 is $1,000 less.
But the D500 is cool too with an upcoming $1799 Black Friday special for D500 and OEM grip.
I've tried the d500 a couple times ...
I may just stick with what I have too ... save money.

OH!? Well ****, maybe I will return my current D500 and get the Black Friday Deal! Same price but with a free OEM Grip and not a third-party! Cheaper and better!!!

Nikon 2016 Black Friday deals leaked online | Nikon Rumors

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Plus the D7200 is $1,000 less.
But the D500 is cool too with an upcoming $1799 Black Friday special for D500 and OEM grip.
I've tried the d500 a couple times ...
I may just stick with what I have too ... save money.

OH!? Well ****, maybe I will return my current D500 and get the Black Friday Deal! Same price but with a free OEM Grip and not a third-party! Cheaper and better!!!

Nikon 2016 Black Friday deals leaked online | Nikon Rumors

Yeah I just looked it up, thanks!

If I can get that on Amazon (no tax and free shipping) it's worth it! Otherwise, the tax and shipping will put be a few hundred over what I have spent now.

 

[astroNikon]

For the sports and tracking, the D500 takes the cake! The AF-C in the D7100 isn't anything compared to the D500

For tracking I was mentioning the telescope tracking in relation to space objects, and not tracking an object running across the field of view. I'm normally in APC-Single as too many times I have many players close and far and in between and I'm visually tracking only ONE player, usually the furthest one away. Every time I use even D9 to camera gets it wrong. So I stick to Single.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

For the sports and tracking, the D500 takes the cake! The AF-C in the D7100 isn't anything compared to the D500

For tracking I was mentioning the telescope tracking in relation to space objects, and not tracking an object running across the field of view. I'm normally in APC-Single as too many times I have many players close and far and in between and I'm visually tracking only ONE player, usually the furthest one away. Every time I use even D9 to camera gets it wrong. So I stick to Single.

The D500 has found a solution to that! Not only does it have AF-C Single Point or D21 (due to the insane amount of AF points) but it also has a delay option. Basically is will NOT refocus on anything else in front of what you locked onto based on the delay time you set. For example, I track a lot of birds in wild life shots and trees/branches often get in the way. I can keep tracking the bird and even with things blocking my line of view, it will not re-lock onto anything else within the set time frame (2 seconds default). So when the bird, in your case player, comes back into line of sight it is right there to keep tracking.

With my D7100 I had the SAME problem as you and it killed me...those are all worries of the past now thanks to the D500 which has the same guts as the D5 only in a DX format.

 

[astroNikon]

The D500 has found a solution to that! Not only does it have AF-C Single Point or D21 (due to the insane amount of AF points) but it also has a delay option. Basically is will NOT refocus on anything else in front of what you locked onto based on the delay time you set. For example, I track a lot of birds in wild life shots and trees/branches often get in the way. I can keep tracking the bird and even with things blocking my line of view, it will not re-lock onto anything else within the set time frame (2 seconds default). So when the bird, in your case player, comes back into line of sight it is right there to keep tracking.

With my D7100 I had the SAME problem as you and it killed me...those are all worries of the past now thanks to the D500 which has the same guts as the D5 only in a DX format.

Interesting feature.
I use the Back Button AF-Lock religiously for this issue. But that feature would make it automatic.

That and I really like the ISO button on top right. My D750 I have the video record reprogrammed (D7200 can do that also). My D600 can't .. drives me nuts with long heavy lenses on it.

 

[HeldInTheMoment]

Back Button Focus is VITAL when using AF-C; but yes, the D500 has solved this problem and it works like a charm!

I just did a photoshoot in the woods with a model, she was running around and behind trees as I was shooting. The D500 nailed EVERY shot, even at 10FPS! I tried the same with my D7100, FAIL!

...just saying