How do people get so much mileage arguing over battery grips?Let's get the most obvious aspect out of the way- if you shoot in 2:3 portrait orientation all day, use of the grip is recommended so you don't have to shoot with your wrist wrapped round the top of the camera.Then there's the question of being able to change one battery in smaller stages while the other still keeps the power if you can't predict breaks in action. This might seem far-fetched to you, but I've been in those situations where I only had gaps of a few seconds and a battery tray or the chamber clip takes a few in itself. First I only had time to dig out my new battery and lay it down beside me, then next time I only had time to take the old battery out, next time I could insert the new one... if this nonsense happened to me too often I would have to buy an extra chamber cover or tray.The only way people can be arguing is over whether it is worth using a grip in horizontal orientation for bigger lenses. But this also varies according to camera. The D90 always was a little too narrow for me, but when I put a grip on it felt like a proper-sized camera and I didn't remember having a problem with it then. This probably would go for the D750 too,But if I want to go out landscape and interior shooting, I don't want the grip. It makes the whole kit bigger and heavier, and means I have to put a support under the lens in the bag. It's much more convenient just to take a loose battery. I've got fed up before of cameras with grips that weighed too much- I had a 1DS II that weighed 1.5Kg due to the big and clunky NimH battery.

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?Currently, I have no digital bodies with a grip, my F100 has a grip, plus I have the motor for my FE2, but nothing on my digitals. I had a grip on my D700 and D200, when I parted with them.I liked the gripped D200 better than the D700 w/grip. I doubt I'll re grip any current bodies, I just don't feel the need. I have my D2X for a "beast in the hand" its about the best feeling Nikon I've ever had."dog house riley"

I didn't start this thread as an argument, just a simple question.  For me, the arthritis pain in my right hand actually is worse with the grip than without it.  I was just curious how many others have found the same.

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 have a "benign tremor" in my left hand, it makes holding the camera still unless I'm on my tripod.I know where your coming from, even having VR in the lens is of no help when my hand begins to shake. I have to remove my left hand from the camera and lens, and thats part of my reason why I don't use a grip, the less mass the better,it gets so bad at home, my hand will shake so violently I lose my grip on a coffee cup, I have to use my right hand, to carry things.I liked the grips, but its become best to avoid them, I cannot control the shake, and afraid it might lead to dropping the camera.I hope your post doesn't bring ill replies? For me buying a lens with or without VR is of no deal, I shut it off most times so I'm just not that big of a fan."dog house riley"

Sorry to hear...I hope you are able to find relief.  It's sad when something we love so much can also cause so much physical pain.

Carl Maiorino wrote:Sorry to hear...I hope you are able to find relief. It's sad when something we love so much can also cause so much physical pain.I thank you, but I get by, my most often used camera is my D3300, I have a Peak wrist strap works pretty goo, I just turn off the VR if I'm using a larger camera lens combo, it doesn't do any good i just try to keep a shutter speed up! and try to time the "shakes" and take my hand away and shoot one handed. So VR just not that big of a help in my case.D H R

That's good to hear...I have a D5600 that is use a lot for the same reason...

I realize I’m fortunate not to suffer from arthritis pain in my hands. I’ve often wondered how my perspective would change on gear if I did suffer from it. I am sorry that it afflicts you. I think most people that answered your post did so from their own personal perspective as opposed to the few that cannot pass up an opportunity to demean and belittle. Believe me, I get where you’re coming from. I know that the day will come when I will discard the battery grip. Looking at my hands at this very moment, I can say that I am a fortunate man. For that I am eternally thankful.

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’ve also purchased a grip for every camera I’ve owned, if a grip was available. Unlike you however, I find that having a grip has become useful. I admit, that when I first started buying them, it was a status thing. But with the purchase of big heavy lenses, the use of continuous shooting modes; I found a need for the grips.On a recent trip, I concluded that having grips on my two cameras wasn’t necessary. I needed to limit the weight of my kit, so I chose lenses over grips.  It worked well. So, if you don’t see a need for grips in your photography, don’t buy them. You won’t miss them.

With the D850 I get 9 fps with the grip and the D5 EN-EL18b batteries. I also get much longer shooting times when using LiveView and shooting video with the camera. Same problem with the battery life using the EN-EL15a when doing time lapse photography.There are other ways to provide additional power but they entail EN-EL15 adapters and special cables and battery packs which reduce portability with the camera for use hand held.

I use the grips and consider them essential for every camera. Without a grip, the camera is too small to comfortably hold.The camera-plus-grip package also has much better balance with heavy lenses, making the combination easier to handle, including when tripod mounted for positioning.I also like to use (on the high end models I use, not available on lower end bodies) the big batteries from the professional integrated grip bodies, which the grip permits but the gripless bodies do not. This extends battery life greatly and reduces the need to detach and re-attach the grip every time the battery in the body needs charging (I don't use a battery in the body, just the big battery in the grip).The additional functionality with the D850 plus grip plus pro battery (extra frame rate, etc.) makes the use of a grip a no-brainer, when I buy one (or two, if they cooperate well with my lenses).

Oh, and when digitizing slides, I use the power adapter that plugs into the grip (if my batteries need to be charged after a period of non-use, typically), which doesn't appear set up to plug into the body.

lonewolf1983 wrote:i use them a lot but i shoot a lot of sport and wildlife so portrait orientation is important to me Only thing i dislike is having to take it off to change the battery in the body!I dispense with that problem by just using the battery in the grip, specifically (for the high end bodies) the "pro" batteries that are compatible with the camera grip.

TOF guy wrote:I even make sure I have a grip on hand before I get the camera.Yes I make sure I get the "package" all at once - it would be annoying to use without the grip!

I have a "flashpoint/Adorama" magnesium grip for my D800. I only use it for sports for the faster frame rate. Outside of that, not much at all.

Having been on both sides of this issue I'm now squarely on the side that prefers not using them unless "forced" to, such as needing the extra FPS on my D850. Otherwise they just add bulk, weight and expense and get in the way.

Geomaticsman wrote:Having been on both sides of this issue I'm now squarely on the side that prefers not using them unless "forced" to, such as needing the extra FPS on my D850. Otherwise they just add bulk, weight and expense and get in the way.Ha! I’ve never used one for the very reasons you enumerated, but am feeling compelled to try one for shooting birds with my D850 to replace the fps of my now-sold D500. Wouldn’t do it though, if inexpensive third party options were not available.Alan

Only on the D500. I have a grip for the D300s and D700, but never took to it. My D800 series never were gripped.

I've always bought the battery grip for every camera. All the way back to the MD-12 for my FE2. Mainly for the extra battery power and faster fps. I also have large hands. With the newer cameras, I like having the controls when shooting in portrait orientation.

I find threads like this interesting. On of my biggest complaints about mirrorless is the small body size. I find the D8xx body size perfect for my hands but yet, here is a thread, where some are saying they need their cameras gripped for their hand size.It's wonderful that we have options.