when to use battery grip

[Kittykat23uk]

Hi folks,

Just bought a second body for my kit and it came with a battery grip amongst other things. When do you tend to use the grip? For what sort of shooting?

All the best

Jo

[snaarman]

Re: when to use battery grip

For me:

1 Photographing a Wedding, Show or Concert where a single battery might run down.

2 Taking lots and lots of portrait format pictures.

3 If I want to impress other photographers with my big imposing pro camera...



Pete

[Kittykat23uk]

Re: when to use battery grip

Okay but with 1. why not just change the battery? Do they last longer overall which used together in the grip compared to using them singly in the camera? I like point 3!

[snaarman]

Re: when to use battery grip

You don't have to stop shooting to change the battery if you are running off two. On the E-M5 you have to take the half grip off to change the battery in the camera, so would be a pain. There is some suggestion that using two batteries together (if that is how your grip works) might make the AF faster, as there's more amps available. Maybe.

P

[Kittykat23uk]

Re: when to use battery grip

hmm interesting!

[OlyPaul]

Re: when to use battery grip

With the E-620 it certainly makes using longer lenses (like the 70-300 & 50-200mm) easier to handle and get steadier shots.

[DerekC]

Re: when to use battery grip

I have the HLD-4 grip attached to my E-5 always.
As I shoot alot of motorsport I like the extra battery life as I'm doing more continuous shooting.
For portait shooting it put the release button in the correct place making it easier to handle.
It does in my opinion make the camera handle better with larger lens fitted

[rsh1960]

Re: when to use battery grip

With the E620 the grip seems to ballance the camera with a long lens fitted and at motor sport meetings you can shoot all day on two batteries.

[Kittykat23uk]

Re: when to use battery grip

Thanks for all the comments. I'm primarily using an E-620 and 50-200.

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: when to use battery grip

I've always left it on my E30. At anytime a portrait position photo is needed, it is nice not to have to reach over the camera to get it, as well as having double the battery life. It could be at an inconvenient time when the single battery runs out, so a large enough card (8GB) is also worth having too, when you have the longer capacity in the batteries.