Battery grip - worthwhile addition to kit?

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I've been offered a battery grip for my Canon 600D and was wondering if it is a worthwhile addition to my kit. I realise that it will give me more battery life as it holds 2 batteries and that it will help when shooting in portrait mode. I also realise it will add quite a bit of weight.

Any other benefits or disadvantages I should be aware of?

Thanks in anticipation.
 
I find with my grip as I only have 1 charger and 2 batteries when it goes dead, its a pain to get them both going again.

A worthwhile addition would be a secondary charger and a few spare batteries.

As I only have a Canon 1000D I feel it adds a bit more value to my camera :P Heavier the better they say.
 
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well, as you mention it will add weight but that also helps with balance when using larger, heavier lenses.
 
I held off buying one thinking I didn't need one but after shooting a fair few shots in portrait mode one day and realising how awkward it felt I took the plunge.
It doesn't really add a massive amount of weight but it's fairly chunky.
AzureFlyer, ideally you'd always need at least twice the amount of batteries you're using, two in total when using a grip just isn't enough as you're finding out.
I have one charger but 6 batteries so always a fresh set in the grip, a fresh set ready to be used and either another fresh set or a set waiting to be charged.
Compatible batteries are pretty cheap and plenty good enough.
 
Yea, really need to get more batteries. Gonna have a browse around and see what I can find.
 
I have grips on all my cameras (20D, 40D, and 450D) because I have big hands and it gives me a lot more to grip and thus better handling - the battery capacity is secondary for me because its the work of a moment to change bats anyway.

That said grip or know you need more than 2 batteries - I currently have 14 BP511As possibly slightly excessive - although i usually only carry eight at one time - I also have 8 batteries for the 450D
 
The only gripe I have with my grip is that I use a Blackrapid shoulder strap which means I keep knocking the grip's shutter button.
I thought the grip's on/off switch would disable it completely but it disables all the other buttons and the turnwheel and leaves the shutter button active.
 
I was much the same, wondering whether a grip was worth it or not. The main reason I wanted to try one was that I felt I wasn't take enough portrait shots. I'd review my pics after a day out shooting and think how many of them would have been better if shot portrait. I felt it just wasn't occurring to me at the time to shoot in portrait and wondered whether the grip would promote more portrait shots.

I decided the only way I'd know was to try it myself so took the plunge, figuring I could sell it on for not much loss if needed. I've never looked back. It does help and promote portrait shooting massively. Yes it does add a fair bit of weight but I've got used to it very quickly. I actually found the balance of the camera was improved when a heavy lens was attached. Now, I've become so used to the grip that the camera feels weird without it. I've ended up getting a grip for my 40D too :)
 
Tried grips more than once and come to the conclusion that I can't stand them

Couple of batteries is more than enough for me, reckon at a conservative estimate 600 hundred shots from each.
 
I bought a grip for my 350 d a few years ago, I used it no more than three times and it has been in the cupboard ever since. I do use the batteries that came with it all the time.

For me it was no real benefit, I have never found the size of my crop cameras to be a problem even with my 70-200 L attached. I would put the money to a spare battery.

If the grip has a second button for vertical shooting or an interval timer I would reconsider.
 
For me, it's well worth it.
Waited a long time for the BG-11 for my 5D3 and it turns it into a whole new camera.
 
will69 said:
If the grip has a second button for vertical shooting or an interval timer I would reconsider.
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All the grips I've seen do have shooting buttons so not sure what you mean by that unless the one you bought was just a 'blank' battery grip. :shrug:
The benefit is twice the battery capacity and the extra buttons to make portrait mode shooting more convenient.
You can get 3rd party grips with LCD displays that also function as intervalometers.
 
scott_mcphee said:
For me, it's well worth it.
Waited a long time for the BG-11 for my 5D3 and it turns it into a whole new camera.
Click to expand...

One thing I'm really envious of on that grip is the joystick - I'd kill for that on my BG-E7! :(
 
My grips are pretty much always on my D700 and F100's. As I tend to use heavier lenses, it makes the whole ensemble feel a little more balanced, plus I do shoot a lot in portrait format, so the vertical shutter release is a boon. And a gripped F100 is probably the best weight and size of any camera that I've ever used, just feels right in a way that the ungripped body doesn't.
 
I've had 3rd party grips on all my Canon bodies. The 550D grip has just gone onto the 650D so the 550D is naked now, but I've got them on my 5D3 and 60D and it just makes it so much more comfortable to hold and gives a better balance with long lenses. The 5D3 has a 'vertex' made grip and it works flawlessly with the camera. I shot around 2,500 photos last weekend and the battery level dropped by 1 mark.
 
Have grips for both bodies and wouldn't be without them.

Prefer using the camera with a hand strap and the grip provides a mounting point for the strap in the perfect position for me.
 
I recently brought a grip for my Nikon d7000 and to be honest I wouldn't be without it. I took it off at the weekend for the first time since getting it and within a few minutes it was back on. It makes the camera so much more easier to hold. It's balances a heavier 300mm f4 lens so much better, a 50mm prime does seem a little weird but I'm used to the 300mm as I use it most of the time. Taking portrait shots is so much easier. I've been using the grip without a battery at present but I'm thinking of buying a battery for the grip soon.
 
I have a D7000 which I use my 24-70 on at least half the time...the. Marta just doesn't feel balanced without the grip. Even more so with the 70-200. Wouldn't be without it.
 
I've always had grips on my camera bodies. Shooting is so much more comfortable for me with them fitted... Especially with long lenses!
 
I had one on my 450d. I have small hands but it helped the balance. Got a 60d now and like it without. I suppose like all things, best to try one and see if you like it or not.
 
Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question. :) As always, this forum provides a wealth of advice and treats numpty's like me with care and respect!

I am more than likely to give a battery grip a try. The one I have been offered is a non-genuine Canon and I suspect it is not suited to the 600D so I will source a genuine Canon grip to be on the safe side.

Thanks again to all who responded. :clap:
 
RegG said:
Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question. :) As always, this forum provides a wealth of advice and treats numpty's like me with care and respect!

I am more than likely to give a battery grip a try. The one I have been offered is a non-genuine Canon and I suspect it is not suited to the 600D so I will source a genuine Canon grip to be on the safe side.

Thanks again to all who responded. :clap:
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I'd suggest finding out which make it is first. Meike do copies of canon versions and are excellent quality (do a search in here and you will find most people recommend them). Much cheaper than canon versions
 
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