What are they for?

[Markw]

I keep hearing about these battery grips. What are they for? I have the D90 and I was wondering if I should get one. I dont know what theyre for, though.

Mark

 

[TJ K]

You get longer battery life because you can put two batteries in them and they can also run of AA's if needed. They add bulkiness to the camera and allow you to shoot in portrait with ease by giving you control dials in vertical position and a shutter release in the vertical position. Hope that helped.
-TJ

 

[Markw]

I dont fully understand the vertical buttons thing. I dont know what the battery grips components are, but from what youre saying, Im getting that they have a shutter button on the (what would be bottom of the camera/battery grip) bottom and you can use this instead of the cameras built in buttons if needed?

Mark

 

[Samanax]

A battery grip will also help when using long lenses...your rig won't feel so front heavy since there's more weight on the body end.

 

[Markw]

Ahh. After a quick look through amazon, I see how they work. I probably should have just looked there first but I was wondering about the advantages of them. Is there any brands that you would reccommend?

Thanks all!
Mark

 

[Markw]

Well, let me rephrase. Are there any brands you would stay away from?

Mark

 

[Samanax]

Is there any brands that you would reccommend?

Since you have a Nikon D90 you should get the Nikon MB-D80. With 3rd party brands you lose quality and gain the possibility of problems.

 

[KmH]

Because a DSLR sensor is rectangular in shape the camera can be turned to give 2 formats: Landscape (long side on top/bottom) and Portrait (short side, top/bottom).

They standard shutter release is located for holding the camera in landscape mode. When the camera is turned to portait mode the shutter button is akwardly placed making steady camera holding problematic.

By having a second shutter release (and other control wheels, buttons) positioned for use in portrait mode, the camera can be held steadier.

So a vertical grip provides 3 advantages:

1. Fewer battery changes.
2. A second shutter release and other controls for use when holding the camera in portrait mode.
3. A shape that also facilitates holding the camera in portrait mode.

You might note that the top-of-the-line pro bodies all have a second potrait mode shutter release.

For many photographers there are disadvantages to a vertical grip, the main one being the increase in weight. I find the weight increase an advantage to steady camera holding.

Note: A vertical grip has a second shutter release, a battery grip doesn't.

 

[Big]

The first thing you need to ask yourself is if you absolutely need it. If you didn't know what it was, do you really need it? I was going to get one for mine but I decided not to because the battery lasts long enough for me as it is.

 

[KmH]

For me the main benefit of a vertical grip is, well the grip, both landscape and portrait, plus the vertical shutter release and controls.

I make 75% of my images in the portrait, or vertical, format.

 

[Plato]

A battery grip will also help when using long lenses...your rig won't feel so front heavy since there's more weight on the body end.

You should be holding long lenses by the lens anyway. Then, the battery grip simply adds weight to the total that you're carrying.

 

[CrazyCanuck]

No offence Plato, but have you hand held a 300 f2.8 lately? I have one, and I can testify that a battery grip on my D300 certainly does help to balance out the whole combo.

 

[PhotoXopher]

This thread provoked me to put mine back on to re-evaluate it.

For me (non-professional) I'm undecided. Sure, it's cool and all of that but do I need it? Definitely not. In fact, even with it on I find myself doing the same thing I would if it weren't on, only it's heavier. That could be simply because I don't shoot portrait enough or because I don't use the grip enough to really 'remember'.

I like it, and I think the ability to use AA's in a pinch keeps me from selling it even though the chances are very slim I'd ever need to do that with 3 batteries on hand.

 

[Josh220]

I got one because it makes my camera way sexier. :thumbup:

Seriously though, I got it for the vertical shutter, and more importantly, the increased FPS. I don't believe the D90's battery grip provides a FPS boost though.

 

[Markw]

I do alot of portrait shots, so that would really help me. Also the battery life will help me for overnighting when I dont remember my batteries. I will be ordering a sigma 70-200 F2.8, Nikon 80-200 F2.8, or sigma 50-500 soon and the balancing act it does will really help with any of those lenses. Could I manage without it? Sure, Do I want one now? Definately. I think I could really benefit from it. The extra buttons I will definately use alot. I already have the Nikon 70-300 F4-5.6 and I think it wouuld even help with that lens in balancing. I will be getting one I think.

Thanks again.
Mark

EDIT- I also like the look of it on the camera, Josh. :thumbup: