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Back in the film days I really never liked grips to much I'm not sure why, but lately I have been thinking of getting a grip. I mostly shoot landscapes and nature so the plus for getting a grip would be battery life but I have started to do more weddings and such.

So for those people who have grips, is it worth the money?

I have a 60D and if I do get a grip I plan on getting the Canon brand grip unless anyone has had any good luck with other brands.

mattdm
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Jonathan
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  • possible duplicate of Which battery grip should I get for my Canon 60D and why? – mattdm Jun 06 '12 at 19:32
  • I bought a Vello 60D grip and it drained my batteries in an alarming rate. (Completaly drained in 24 hours) I've heard that battery draining is a chief complaint with aftermarket grips. Personally if I was to get another grip it would be a genuine Canon. It does add a LOT of weight thought and feels off-balance clunky and cumbersome. – Jakub Sisak GeoGraphics Jun 06 '12 at 19:36
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    @mattdm - I think this is asking "why should I buy a grip?" not "Which of these two grips is better", as in the question that you linked to. – dpollitt Jun 06 '12 at 19:50
  • Yes I am asking more on the why should I get one – Jonathan Jun 06 '12 at 20:00
  • You could look at this http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/22483/is-it-worth-buying-a-battery-grip-for-my-canon-600d-even-if-i-dont-care-about-t/22539#22539 which is an answer of mine to another query about a grip, and was accepted as "answer"... :) – Mike Jun 07 '12 at 15:25
  • Cautionary tale from one who's learnt the hard way: take care not to over-tighten a Canon battery grip! http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitrot/5012254864/ – Mark Whitaker Jun 07 '12 at 20:51

2 Answers2

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Why buy a grip?

To add some bits to the other response:

  • better handling for portrait orientation. A good grip will duplicate not only the shutter but also other controls (joystick, buttons etc.) in order to quickly have them in the same place like in the landscape orientation. Really helps.

  • the camera is heavier. Important for heavy lenses (zooms) in order to have the things much more balanced if you're shoting hand-held. The center of gravity is in a better position.

  • longer battery life for camera. Sometimes changing the battery can be a problem especially for a photo journalist during in a fast-paced event.

  • (depending of the grip) you can put regular AA batteries in it. Usefull if you do a unplanned, extraordinary (etc.) long trip/trek and you don't want/have time to buy (yet another) spare battery just for that.

  • yeah, you look like a pro. Don't be fooled by this, just let the others be fooled. :-)

Matt Grum
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John Thomas
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  • Well I think I am going to get one. I am just going to stick with OEM and get the canon brand. Thanks – Jonathan Jun 07 '12 at 13:23
  • You can buy an aftermarket one but first read what the others say about these. There are pretty good brands out there. Usually Canon is much more expensive because is, you know, THE brand and also it includes expensive materials in it (eg. magnesium alloys etc.). If you know what are the limitations and you can live with these, you can save money. But do as you wish. – John Thomas Jun 07 '12 at 17:28
  • You can also buy a OEM grip second-hand, which doesn't have to be terribly expensive. And if you really want to look like a pro, put a lens hood on as well. With a battery grip on a 50D, the 28-70/2.8L and its hood mounted, I've actually had to almost argue with people that no, I do not earn my living as a photographer! – user Jun 08 '12 at 08:09
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For weddings and such I would say that it's definitely worth it to get a grip. It's very convenient to be able to switch into taking portrait orientation images without having to change into an awkward positon with one elbow up in the air.

It also looks and feels more professional, which makes you feel more confident, and people that you are photographing get more confidence in you. :)

The increased battery time is a plus of course, but not a big one. I usually only have one battery in the grip anyway, and one spare with me. That way I can use each battery until they are empty instead of charging them from half empty all the time, which greatly increases battery life.

Guffa
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    I think the last sentence is false. Lithium batteries prefer small charge/discharge cycles, instead of full ones. You want to fully discharge the battery only to calibrate the level meter, but not every device does that. – clabacchio Jun 07 '12 at 08:23
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    Agreed with @clabacchio; +1 for everything but the last sentence. – user Jun 07 '12 at 09:52
  • His camera might not use lithium batteries... – Steve Ives Aug 04 '16 at 08:12