I do put a battery in the grip...they're too light to make a difference.  For me the grip just adds too much bulk and shifts the weight balance uncomfortably.

I even make sure I have a grip on hand before I get the camera.

As you said, they just add bulk to the camera, and I do not need the extra battery capacity.  I just carry spare batteries in my pocket (just in case).

vbuhay wrote:Carl Maiorino wrote:With every Nikon DSLR I have ever bought, starting with my D100, I also bought the grips. Generally, within a few months, I ditch the grip as I find them to be uncomfortable and they add bulk to the camera. I pulled the grip off my D800e before the last round of shooting and the camera just feels so much more comfortable in my hand. I probably will not purchase any more battery grips moving forward.Am I a "lone wolf" or do others feel the same? How many here use the grips and consider them essential?The main reason for the Battery grip for me -is that I am able to get 9FPS with the D850. I normally do not like them.....In addition with the D850 it adds an extra mass to help stabilized the body specially with longer lenses....I am finding that the body movement does contribute a great deal on the image sharpness where VR can not due to higher shutter speed...here are a sequence of sample shots....If you look at the time stamped for each frame, it looks like I was able to get 10 FPS!!!!correct me if I am wrong.

vbuhay wrote:vbuhay wrote:Carl Maiorino wrote:With every Nikon DSLR I have ever bought, starting with my D100, I also bought the grips. Generally, within a few months, I ditch the grip as I find them to be uncomfortable and they add bulk to the camera. I pulled the grip off my D800e before the last round of shooting and the camera just feels so much more comfortable in my hand. I probably will not purchase any more battery grips moving forward.Am I a "lone wolf" or do others feel the same? How many here use the grips and consider them essential?The main reason for the Battery grip for me -is that I am able to get 9FPS with the D850. I normally do not like them.....In addition with the D850 it adds an extra mass to help stabilized the body specially with longer lenses....I am finding that the body movement does contribute a great deal on the image sharpness where VR can not due to higher shutter speed...here are a sequence of sample shots....If you look at the time stamped for each frame, it looks like I was able to get 10 FPS!!!!correct me if I am wrong.Not looking to start a fight...but someone did tell me that the D850 is actually a bit faster than 9 FPS with the grip.Rob

Rob, I just noticed it (the 10 FPS) when inspecting the time stamp.... I am happy with the advertised 9FPS, but if I actually get 10FPS, then the D500 is no longer necessary....maybe as a back up....

vbuhay wrote:Rob, I just noticed it (the 10 FPS) when inspecting the time stamp.... I am happy with the advertised 9FPS, but if I actually get 10FPS, then the D500 is no longer necessary....maybe as a back up....I am also noticing how quickly the Auto ISO works....That D850 just keep getting better and better the more I get to know it.....I wonder if the Auto ISO  can keep up with 10 FPS? any ideas how to test for that?

Carl Maiorino wrote:With every Nikon DSLR I have ever bought, starting with my D100, I also bought the grips. Generally, within a few months, I ditch the grip as I find them to be uncomfortable and they add bulk to the camera. I pulled the grip off my D800e before the last round of shooting and the camera just feels so much more comfortable in my hand. I probably will not purchase any more battery grips moving forward.Am I a "lone wolf" or do others feel the same? How many here use the grips and consider them essential?Mine vertical grip pretty much " glued" to the camera from the day it arrived and never came off . currently have D500 and 850 and the grip was purchased with the camera together and mated to the camera before the first shot was fired. no, i don't even have a big hand like a KingKong I just hate small camera, yes, D500 and 850 is consider small, well, maybe not just small but not very con=mfortable to hold by itself, I am too used to the D3 and 1D body style for the last 15 and so year, even with the film Canon 1V I had the power booster and going back further with the Nikon FM and FM2 I also had power booster on them. so the vertical grip/power booster is a "must have" accessory and become part of the camera already.

I always keep the grip on.  It makes it much easier for vertical shooting which is probably 30% of my stuff.  Just bought one for the D850 which I purchased last week.The other major benefit with the D850 is the increased frame rate and shooting time, plus it gives me a spare battery if ever the grip comes off.

vbuhay wrote:I am also noticing how quickly the Auto ISO works....That D850 just keep getting better and better the more I get to know it.....I wonder if the Auto ISO can keep up with 10 FPS? any ideas how to test for that?Use autoISO in manual mode using a shutter speed of say 1/200s.

vbuhay wrote:I just noticed it (the 10 FPS) when inspecting the time stamp.I've read something like 9.3 FPS. But maybe it depends on the external battery you use. Which one you have ?

I use them as needed.I am one of those that don't believe in the "more balanced" argument for using the grip.  It's a personal opinion.  If one thinks it feels more balanced in use then by all means use it.I put the grip on for two reasons.1. A long photo shoot where I don't want to worry about the in-camera battery running out .2. When I know I'm going to be shooting for long periods of time in portrait orientation.Otherwise I refer the grip off.  Especially, when I'm traveling or out hiking and shooting nature.

Same here...I don't buy into the "more balanced" claim either.  They're hollow with all the weight in the camera, they feel very imbalanced to me.  It's nice having the vertical release (but not necessary for me, even though most of my shooting is vertical) but the added bulk and weight is just a killer.  My D800e and D600 feel so much more comfortable now, like they did when I first got them...

It depends on what I’m shooting. If I’m doing events, action, or portraits, the grip is always on. If I’m on vacation or hiking, the grip is off.

Carl Maiorino wrote:With every Nikon DSLR I have ever bought, starting with my D100, I also bought the grips. Generally, within a few months, I ditch the grip as I find them to be uncomfortable and they add bulk to the camera. I pulled the grip off my D800e before the last round of shooting and the camera just feels so much more comfortable in my hand. I probably will not purchase any more battery grips moving forward.Am I a "lone wolf" or do others feel the same? How many here use the grips and consider them essential?I thought I would use a shutter button on the integrated grip on D3, but I found this not practical because I like to change the focussing point often and I do not reach the rocker wheel with my thumbI would probably use the vertical grip on D4 since the thumbstick is duplicated.I do like the idea of heavier camera, but not for "balancing the heavy lens" since I am supporting the lens with my left hand anyway, but for an inertia to counteract the mirror flappingAs for a convenience for shooting in a portrait orientation I never really understood the point. I have relatively unrestricted freedom of movement in my elbow and shoulder joints and moving camera 90 degrees is not a problem for me

nuke12 wrote:jbear wrote:Always on all bodies. That's my shooting style and, beyond the added functionality, cameras just feel so much more comfortable to me that way. Big lens, little lens, tripod or not...doesn't matter. I use a grip.What about when on a tripod? I'm told that using camera that does not come with a unified grip is a bad thing on a tripod?No issues...I wouldn't do it if it affected my work.

When I know I'm shooting wildlife with the big-ish 150-600, or portraits with my 70-200 f/2.8, I much prefer to attach my grip on my D750. However, when I'm doing anything else (as in 90% of my shooting), I have my L-bracket on at all times. It's very unusual that my D750 doesn't have the grip or L-bracket on it.

Carl Maiorino wrote:Same here...I don't buy into the "more balanced" claim either. They're hollow with all the weight in the camera, they feel very imbalanced to me. It's nice having the vertical release (but not necessary for me, even though most of my shooting is vertical) but the added bulk and weight is just a killer. My D800e and D600 feel so much more comfortable now, like they did when I first got them...Put the 200-500 VR on WITHOUT the grip and the whole setup is front heavy and the same with the 70-200. The balance thing is very real and you'll fatigue faster with a less balanced rig, even if it's a little lighter.With smaller lenses it doesn't matter.But the grip adds ergonomic advantages, faster FPS, wireless remote control and much longer battery life.The Meike grip is a very sensible accessory for many. Yesterday I was shooting sculpture with the tripod and used the remote for almost everything.But I do shoot grip-less plenty of times. I like having options and access to everything my gear can do.Rob

MrHollywood wrote:Put the 200-500 VR on WITHOUT the grip and the whole setup is front heavy and the same with the 70-200. The balance thing is very real and you'll fatigue faster with a less balanced rig, even if it's a little lighter.That's an opinion.  Like I said, if it matters to you, go with it.My opinion is not the same as yours.  In fact I even use the 200-500 with the D7200, a smaller camera yet.  Balance?  Holding my left hand under the zoom ring, where I place it when shooting, the center of balance is towards the camera.  So in my opinion adding a grip would make it even more unbalanced.  I'll shoot without the grip, thank you.With smaller lenses it doesn't matter.But the grip adds ergonomic advantages, faster FPS, wireless remote control and much longer battery life.As I said in my post I use a grip WHEN I need the features the grip provides.  For me, balance is not one of them.  When I need FPS, longer battery life, etc. I'll put the grip on.

I use the older 80-200 f2.8 a lot...still more comfortable for me without the grip...