Which should I buy?

[Provo]

Would you rather get a battery grip with two cells or would you rather skip the battery grip and purchase 3 cells and keep the cells charged and use them as they die off. I am not sure how I would feel about adding bulk to the camera.

 

[KmH]

I grip all my camera's that don't have one built in.

Not only does the extra weight help counter balance the weight of f/2.8 and long reach glass, gripped bodies just sit in my left hand more solidly for less camera shake.

Swapping batteries is really a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.

The vertical orientation controls also help promote a more stable hold in that mode and contibutes to nice sharp portraits.

At resale time it's easy to get most of your money back out of the grip too as they don't depreciate like camera bodies.

 

[Vinny]

If you bought the grip would it interfere with the screen's manuverability?

Do you have large hands? I ask this as the D5000 is a little smaller than the D90 and it may make a difference either way.

Does the grip use NiMH batteries? That could be a big plus - no proprietary batteries to worry about. It appears that on the D90 the battery is metered and has a finite life. Having batteries that can go for how ever long timewise may also be a savings vs buying 2 more batteries with the expiration being about the same time. Some devices that I am familiar with have the metered type of battery and when they go - they just stop working.

If you can use NiMH batteries, how much will it cost you for the batteries and charger(s)? Initial outlay can be expensive but could pay off over the long run. Sanyo eneloopes have a long shelf life but less mAh and Powerex which are fantastic can power anything for a lot of use but have a short shelf life.

 

[icassell]

I have large hands and don't have grips on either of my bodies (but have several spare batteries). I dunno, but the cameras feel fine in my hands and I'd rather have the $$ in my glass fund.

 

[Phranquey]

Any film camera I had always had a motor drive on it, and when I got my first DSlr (D70), the first thing it received was a grip. A regular camera feels uncomfortably tiny in my hands without one.
As far as batteries go, I loved having two of them in my grip. I could shoot all weekend without having to change them, even though I carried a spare pair in the bag. And I'm with KmH on the weight... if you have a heavier lens on, it helps balance out the feel of the whole rig.

 

[Rosshole]

I just got mine in the mail today, and the screen still is able to flip out and around while the grip is attached.