In a world where cameras are getting smaller and lighter, why on earth would you want to use a battery grip on your camera?
It’s a question we hear often, and if you haven’t been taking pictures long, or if you’re a casual photographer, it might seem counter-intuitive. But in practice a battery grip can make your camera more intuitive to use.
What is a battery grip for a camera?
A battery grip is a device that attaches to the bottom of your camera and features a secondary shutter release and mode wheel.
Why would you use a battery grip?
Well, if you’ve ever shot with your camera in portrait orientation you’ll know that it’s a little more awkward to control.
A battery grip makes your camera not only more comfortable to hold, but returns those key controls to the locations where your motor memory expects to find them.
What’s more, a battery grip helps improve stability, particularly when you are shooting with large telephoto or long zoom lenses mounted to your camera.
Another advantage of using battery grips is in their name – they hold extra batteries. This effectively doubles the battery life of your camera and extends the amount of time you can spend shooting without distraction.
For press or street photographers, or landscape photographer out on long ventures, this can make all the difference.
Battery grip price tags can vary, but generally you can find them from between £100 and £300, depending on the make and sophistication of your camera.
All camera manufacturers offer a battery grip to their brand’s users, but typically only fit several models in a company’s range as they have to match a camera’s body shape, connectors and power specifications to be effective.