[robert52]

Hi was wondering when I bought my K10D 2nd hand it came with a Pentax grip. My K7 had a 3rd party grip.
What I was wondering yes I know 3rd party arent weather proof like the Pentax . When you buy a grip for your Pentax do you buy 1 Pentax grip 2 3rd party 1 & reason why
Thanks as I hope in next 3 months to buy a K3 & if it dosent come with a grip I want 1 ( I am looking more 2nd hand market)

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi Robert. When I get accessories for my equipment, I always try to get the genuine article if I can. As you mentioned yourself, the B-G5 for your K-3 ( I have one ) would be weather sealed and maintain the integrity of the camera. The 3rd party imitations of all the genuine items are either not quite as tight fitting ( lens hoods ), don't take as many images ( batteries ) or aren't weather sealed ( battery grips ). I would not put re-tread tyres on my Ferrari ( oh I wish !! ), so I try to keep the same philosophy with camera gear. NOTE - I do have 2 cheaper batteries as back ups for my K-3 as the genuine Li90's are $99 AUD !!

[lesmore49]

I have a battery grip for both my K10D and K-5. I carry an extra battery in each. Makes them even heavier cameras, but I don't mind.

I'm a big guy and I find an attached grip provides good grip for my big mitt to fit .

I also have a Km ...which is grip less and I find the size of my hand overwhelms the small size of the camera. What I'm saying is that I need surface area.

I also use Pentax battery grips only.

[lithedreamer]

Is there even a third-party grip for the K-1 yet? It was only $120 with the camera new, so I think the weathersealing is worth whatever price premium there is.

[robert52]

Hi with the K1 there isnt 1 yet but I know now its same price as the K3 / K3ii grip

[jpzk]

I don't takes chances: Pentax only for my K5 and K3.
Used to have a K20D and a K10D ... same thing.

[E-man]

When I picked up my K10D a few months ago, it came without a battery grip and I wasn't even sure I really needed one. But just for fun, I decided to price them. I found out two important things in this process: Genuine Pentax batter grips for this older model camera are a bit hard to find, while third party units are plentiful and there is a significant price difference between the two. I still wasn't sure I wanted one but when I found a third-party unit at $19.99 including shipping--which was considerably less than half of the best price I found for a genuine Pentax grip--I decided to take the bait. I have never seen a genuine Pentax battery grip in the flesh, much less held one in my hands, so I really don't have much to go on in the way of a comparison. What I can say about my third party grip is it may not be weatherproof, nor does the finish texture match that of the camera, but it works and it serves the function--at least for my modest needs. As to how it holds up to my use, only time will tell. My only slight criticism about this unit is it's sort of tricky to get it properly seated on the bottom of the camera. The positioning pins don't want to line up readily with their corresponding holes on the underside of the camera. The trick I've found is to screw it into place just enough to keep it from falling off and then jiggle the grip until it seats itself and quickly tighten it down. In terms of handling, I'm kind of on the fence about whether the grip's added support is enough of an asset to justify the added bulk. The camera is already the heaviest of the four Pentax bodies I own and the grip with a battery onboard make it REALLY heavy, enough so that my arms get tired when I'm shooting for an extended period of time. As a result, I don't always use the camera with the grip in place and due to the size of the bag I keep it in, the camera gets stored with the grip in a separate pocket. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I should get a bag that will accommodate the camera with the grip in place and maybe I will someday but for now, this setup works pretty well for my needs.

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Last edited by E-man; 12-12-2016 at 03:34 PM. Reason: additional information

[bill.mc]

While mine is not technically a battery grip, it is a grip, it is “third-party” and was significantly cheaper (I made it myself).


But, like most third-party grips it does have some limitations.
This one wont take a battery and has no buttons. And it must be removed to replace the battery or use a tripod.


However, and most importantly, the camera fits my hand much better, which is why I use it.
It is also not overly large, it is waterproof, and it protects the camera base from getting scratched.

[lesmore49]

While mine is not technically a battery grip, it is a grip, it is “third-party” and was significantly cheaper (I made it myself).


But, like most third-party grips it does have some limitations.
This one wont take a battery and has no buttons. And it must be removed to replace the battery or use a tripod.


However, and most importantly, the camera fits my hand much better, which is why I use it.
It is also not overly large, it is waterproof, and it protects the camera base from getting scratched.

Very nice job. You are an excellent woodworker. Back in the 1980's I rented a Pentax 6 X 7, which had a Pentax accessory rosewood grip on the side of the camera. It was beautiful, effective, ergonomically well designed and an absolute pleasure to gaze upon.

To a certain extent your wooden attachment to the base, triggered my memory of the old 6 X 7 grip.

BTW, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of wood did you use, how did you shape it and what finish did you use ?

[MadMathMind]

I had a 3rd party one for my K-5IIs. The shutter quit working after 8 months or so. Battery worked fine but the rest of the electronics didn't do much.

I have the real deal for the K-1. It feels more robust. I suspect it will last quite a bit longer than the previous one.

[bill.mc]

Very nice job. You are an excellent woodworker. Back in the 1980's I rented a Pentax 6 X 7, which had a Pentax accessory rosewood grip on the side of the camera. It was beautiful, effective, ergonomically well designed and an absolute pleasure to gaze upon.

To a certain extent your wooden attachment to the base, triggered my memory of the old 6 X 7 grip.

BTW, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of wood did you use, how did you shape it and what finish did you use ?

Thanks for your comments.

I don't know what kind of wood it was. I made it from wood from a discarded pallet from a work site. It was a light, soft wood (easy to sand and lightweight)

I took a template off the camera base, and transferred it to the block of wood.
Cut out the rough shape by hand saw and holesaw (for the inside curve) and then sanded it to final shape.

I used a section of a biro insert (the plastic tube that holds the ink) - it fits the locating hole on the camera base perfectly.
The screw I got off ebay (about a dollar), and finished with a dark stain and varnish.

One thing to be aware of if, is that there are small raised "nipples" on the camera base that leaves a slight gap between the base and the grip. These will cause the camera base to bend slightly at the centre hole when the screw is done up. I added an adhesive rubber strip to the grip cutting out around these nipples to eliminate this gap, so it is flush with the base.

[lesmore49]

Thanks for your comments.

I don't know what kind of wood it was. I made it from wood from a discarded pallet from a work site. It was a light, soft wood (easy to sand and lightweight)

I took a template off the camera base, and transferred it to the block of wood.
Cut out the rough shape by hand saw and holesaw (for the inside curve) and then sanded it to final shape.

I used a section of a biro insert (the plastic tube that holds the ink) - it fits the locating hole on the camera base perfectly.
The screw I got off ebay (about a dollar), and finished with a dark stain and varnish.

One thing to be aware of if, is that there are small raised "nipples" on the camera base that leaves a slight gap between the base and the grip. These will cause the camera base to bend slightly at the centre hole when the screw is done up. I added an adhesive rubber strip to the grip cutting out around these nipples to eliminate this gap, so it is flush with the base.

Again excellent job and thank you for providing the process. Very resourceful.

[Canada_Rockies]

I bought my K10D with Pentax grip in Nov 2007. I replaced the camera less than a year ago with a used K-3. The first accessory I bought was a Pentax grip. It just didn't feel right without a grip to me. My hands are not particularly large, but I do use Pentax lenses that are relatively heavy and it balances better.

[jswilson64]

I love the genuine Pentax battery grip for my K-50.

Oh, wait, they didn't make one.

[iGlad]

I've just purchased a K10D recently via that well known website and it came with Pentax genuine accessories such as a battery grip, remote control, battery and 2 non Pentax batteries. I have big fingers so the battery grip gives it a great feel and it makes me feel like a pro ;-). I love the fact that it can take an extra battery, hold an SD card and also the world's smallest remote control ( which i'd lose in an instant). I'd go for the genuine pentax grip.