FYI the first Chinese knockoff grip is on eBay now.

my thoughts exactly: I find it troublesome to have to remove the grip each time i need to charge the battery in the body. you know, wear and tear of taking off and putting on will create some problems with connectivity etc in the long run. i am no pro so running out of juice wouldnt be too much of a problem for me. i am mainly thinking of portrait ergonomics and looks.

imua hawaii said:
will the D7000 function using only 1 battery mounted in the grip instead of the camera?

Other than the handling improvement, doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of the grip?

To some extent, that might be a good idea though- I don't like the fact that you need to remove the grip to get to the batteries, I'm curious as to whether or not that decreases the durability of the grip.

Yes it will. You can take the main battery out of the camera (body) and put it in the MB-D11 and the unit will function perfectly. That said, I personally think the camera will serve you much better if purchase the extra battery. After all, who like to run out of juice while shooting?

Cheers,

Ali

will the D7000 function using only 1 battery mounted in the grip instead of the camera?

I'm also thinking about the grip..

Advantages: Portrait with more commodity, Can use AA batteries just in case :)
Disadvantages: What if the inside battery drains? (hard to replace?)

.. from the price, it costs almost like 4 additional EN-EL15 bateries...

What about this rumor: http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=3278

Cute video on the Grip: http://youtu.be/2SJgMM0toq4

--- Ricky Marek (Happy Passover/חג פסח שמח וכשר)

I just got mine a week ago. It provides me much better feeling. Love it.

But I cant help to notice that the wheels on the grip are made of solid plastic instead of a rubber like material on the D7k body. So it is sometime harder to dial those wheels on the grip compare to the wheels on the body.

ultrataco - I agree on the price. It costs way too much and is just not worth the full price.

Usual price here in England is almost £300. I bought a brand new one from a Malaysian seller on eBay for £130 delivered, much more like it. Even then it is still expensive but a much more realistic level than RRP. Same for the battery, got it for £30 rather than the £60 UK rrp which is a complete joke.

I've set mine to draw from the battery pack battery first as it is easier to replace once the grip it attached. It can alternatively use AA batteries should you not want to get an official battery.

It has improved my photography though and is much more pleasant to use with the grip attached. I'm definitely glad I bought it.

"How does the grip work with the batteries? Does the camera draw power from the main battery until it runs out then draw from the 2nd battery in the grip?"

You can choose that in the menu, its usually best to use the external one first as its easier to change.

I have not used one either but its suppose to really help with grip, some people buy it just for that.

I'm waiting for an off brand version, they should be out soon. they usually go for under a $100

"will this grip allow for usage of a black rapid strap??"

yup, there is a normal tripod screw under the grip.

I was interested in getting one until I saw the price. $220 seems way high for a battery holder, plus $50 for another battery to really use it as intended. Heck I think even $100 would be a bit high (but not too bad). Why does it cost so much?

I'm still curious to try one out to see if I like it. I rarely shoot long enough to worry about battery life so that aspect is not a big deal for me. However, I just got my first "heavy" lens (24-70) and I'm curious how a grip affects balance and handling.

How does the grip work with the batteries? Does the camera draw power from the main battery until it runs out then draw from the 2nd battery in the grip?

will this grip allow for usage of a black rapid strap??

fantastic tip Matt.

It would be nice if we had a place to store tips like the above, so you could just go to tip.

lauzobe said:
Try jamming a small folded-many-times-over piece of paper (away from the connections). I've done that in an older camera and more recently an energizer battery charger for my AAA and it seems to work. Or you could wrap some of the electrical tape around the battery.

I'm now getting worried about getting the grip, seeing some of the issues.

I too had a little flex and play with my MB-D11 grip, mainly on the side with the shutter release button. With my 50mm 1.4, there is almost no flex or wiggle. However, when I throw my beastly Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 on the D7K, the grip naturally shifts when shooting in portrait mode. After contacting Nikon regarding the slack, I was told that the electrical connection on the grip has been designed with some natural play to aid in the docking to the camera without causing damage to the fragile connectors. This makes sense as it is quite difficult to connect the grip to the D7K perfectly vertical.

To combat this shifting, I found a quick and simple fix that so far has worked wonders for me.

If you remove the grip, you'll notice that there is a small depression in the base that is designed to hold the rubber dust cover for the camera's grip connector. When stored 'correctly', this rubber cover sits flush with the top of the grip and stows away nicely. However, if you flip the dust cover upside down and re-tighten the grip, you should notice that the loose fit that can occur with large glass is nearly gone!

I'll be anxious to hear if this quick fix works well for anyone else.

Happy Shooting!

-Matt

pher said:
By nature of the design every one of them is going to have play. Put a big lens on it and put it on a tripod and you'll see it.

* Gotta disagree with you here. Mine is firm.

* The heaviest lens I have is the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 and I "LOVE" the feel of that grip-lens combination!! Plus I can whack an idiot in the head pretty good if he tries to take my camera.

I LOVE my MB-D11 grip. It is a huge improvement and worth every penny, imho. I have zero play with mine. It fits very snug, even with my PRO 3 pound AF Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8D ED telephoto. Don't have a single issue with the grip! The controls are perfectly placed, the shape is awesome and very comfortable and the grip is very well made!

Highly recommended if you prefer the look and especially the feel of a pro body. It will help improve your technique too.

By nature of the design every one of them is going to have play. Put a big lens on it and put it on a tripod and you'll see it.

After not using a grip on my D90, I decided to try one on the D7000. I don't have really large hands, but the hold I get on the camera really is much nicer. The vertical controls have been a real treat as well.

The grip fits tightly for me with no play. I have no noise from a moving battery but I'm using an EN-EL15 in it and not AAs. With the battery life I'm getting, the two EN-EL15s (in camera + in grip) will last over 3,000 shots or about five 16GB cards when shooting raw.

I feel like I'd have more than enough power to shoot all weekend and still be able to use the rest to recharge my cell phone! (Hey, Nikon. New feature?)

I just got my grip tonight. There is noticeable flex on mine as well. I can hear the battery inside the grip when I move it around, also. I'm really not impressed with it. I will probably end up sending it back.

lauzobe said:

I'm now getting worried about getting the grip, seeing some of the issues.

Hi Lauzobe,

I think there are going to be a few (probably rare) instances where somebody's battery grip doesn't quite fit right but I doubt that it's the norm. I'm also aware of the other thread about the battery grip that's causing somebody's batteries to die overnight. In these cases I would just send it back instead of trying to figure it out.

I wanted to wait for the Zeikos copy but couldn't resist and ordered the Nikon brand. I love it and actually feel that there's less of a chance of me dropping my camera with the grip on. It's a solid fit for me. Time spent unloading and charging batteries has been cut in half. The only caveat I might mention is getting it to fit into your case if you already had a snug or perfect fit.

Regards

ithurtswhenipee said:
I fixed the play in the grip connection with a piece of electrical tape wrapped around the post that is next to the electrical connection. It is solid now. One thing I haven't been able to "fix" is the play that the battery has when inside the tray of the grip.

Try jamming a small folded-many-times-over piece of paper (away from the connections). I've done that in an older camera and more recently an energizer battery charger for my AAA and it seems to work. Or you could wrap some of the electrical tape around the battery.

I'm now getting worried about getting the grip, seeing some of the issues.

I fixed the play in the grip connection with a piece of electrical tape wrapped around the post that is next to the electrical connection. It is solid now. One thing I haven't been able to "fix" is the play that the battery has when inside the tray of the grip.

My grip is going back! The loose condition seems to be caused by the electrical connector. GH

freedom7 said:
...JohnnyApple I know the ergonomics are important to you i would definitely buy A grip for this camera. Sensible too to avoid the silly price of the Nikon grip...

It's definitely on my list. Does anyone have any experience with how long it usually takes third-party manufacturers to come out with a grip for a camera? I trust Zeikos from my D90 grip experience, so I'll wait for them to release one.

Just took delivery of both the D7k and its MB-D11. My concern over the ergonomics of the D7k lead me to consider the d300S (JohnnyApple I know the ergonomics are important to you i would definitely buy A grip for this camera. Sensible too to avoid the silly price of the Nikon grip) The fit is nice and snug with no movement, If there is any movement nikon4good I would take it back.

It must be an age thing 'cause I'm loving reading the manual!

I'm looking to see if adding something... maybe additional rubber... between the camera and the grip will increase stability. It's frustrating because after feeling the movement, I always have to readjust or double check the tightness of the connection. Nothing's stuck in between the two pieces and I certainly twist as much as I can possibly twist to make keep it together. Anyone have any ideas?