| Author: | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2009 Location: Lévis, Canada (Québec) Posts: 144
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 9, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $275.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice fit, feels solid | | Cons: | | |
Excellent build quality, weather sealed, with all the buttons in the right place. My only complaint would be that it forces me to remove the grip if I want to remove the battery from the body. I see the advantage of that: you can remove the battery grip whenever you want to make your camera lighter, and keep shooting immediately. Since I used to shoot for long periods of time (music festivals, documentary, etc.), it ends up being more of a hassle for me.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2010 Location: south west Posts: 775
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 28, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | much needed accessory that helps hold the camera more steadily especially in vertical position and/or with bigger / heavier lenses | | Cons: | price; contacts plastic cap doesn't stay in place well; lack of a tripod holder pin hole; hard to unscrew; mine has started malfunctioning! | |
Pros:
i'm happy i got this (for my K-7 in 2010) especially after i also got a 3rd-party one at a quarter of the price a couple of years later (when i also added a K-5) too ...
sadly, the cheaper one was fully damaged and turned to garbage when it received its first splash of sea water at a beach ... (it's not even quite good for parts anymore! i have a report of that broken grip with photos somewhere in this forum, possibly within these pages but can't find it right now ...) ... the original Pentax grip did also undergo the same fate in the same incident, but it is still working fine after 4 or 5 years because it is splash-proof, while the cheaper 3rd-party one wasn't! (i have another problem with the original Pentax grip though, see below please ...)
Cons:
some people (including myself) consider this item a little too pricey! yes, but given its overall build and performance (especially compared to the faulty cheaper 3rd-party offers) i guess we have to agree it's reasonably priced after all ... so, i don't know if we should mention the price among the cons or pros or just leave it really!?
others have criticized the Pentax DBG-4 grip for its off-center tripod screw ... understandable, but since i don't use the camera on a tripod while its grip is attached too, not all the time at least, it's of no particular concern for me anyway, especially when the camera's going to be used in the vertical position while on the tripod and the extra bulk and weight of the grip with an extra battery inside make it rather cumbersome if a light weight tripod is in use ... speaking of the the extra bulk and weight of the grip, well, i don't criticize that item either because that's simply the way it is: attaching a grip to any camera adds to its overall bulk and weight too, right? i also agree this grip is hard to unscrew when you attach it to the camera, especially if you screw it a little too tight ... but, well, it's probably because Pentax designers and makers decided that extra tightness helps two things: a- the contact pins on the grip touch their mates on the camera's bottom plate more securely, and b- moisture and dust won't get to the 'exposed' pins and contacts ... (am i right about that Pentax / Ricoh?)
i believe the little yet important contacts plastic cap that doesn't stay in place well is really important though, because if it did stay securely in place then you wouldn't have to worry about those fragile pins when you leave the grip loosely inside a camera bag ... and then the lack of a tripod holder pin hole; well, as i said already, i don't use the camera with the grip attached on a tripod very often but that 'holder pin hole' thingy is certainly missing on the Pentax camera bodies at least! surely that's an item that's mostly needed on video cameras rather than still photography cameras, especially when used on video-specific tripods that do offer that extra holder pin (most photography tripods don't even bother with that item) but nowadays many DSLR (as well as majority of non-DSLR) cameras do video too, don't they? besides, such an item is a great help to hold a camera (and possibly its grip just as well) even sturdier, especially when the camera is mounted vertically on a video tripod ... of course i know of almost no other DSLR (or non-DSLR) photo-video cameras offering that holder pin hole, but maybe it's about time Pentax as well as everybody else started doing something about it, don't you think so?
_ _ _
lately though, i have found out there is a problem with the original Pentax grip: it's been a while its rear dial is showing erratic behavior! i have set it to control the ISO (which is the same as the camera's rear dial) but it jumps or skips between ISO settings! when i turn the camera on first and then the grip on too, it may or may not read the ISO already set on the camera correctly and when i turn the dial right or left to set the correct ISO i want, it behaves drunkenly all the time and may change the ISO in the opposite direction and in no particular order, or skip some settings just as well!
to give a clearer picture, if the camera was set @ ISO 200 when i turned it off, after i turn it on again, it's still on the same ISO because it's the only thing i want the camera's memory to retain for me when i turn the system back on later ... but when i turn the grip on too, it may set the ISO lower or higher than 200 all by itself occasionally but not always! then when i want to turn it back to 200, or merely change the ISO to another setting using the grip's rear dial, it may jump to 1600, or on the next move of the rear dial when i want to turn the ISO digits back down to reach 400 for example, it may jump to 12800 or even higher ISO settings instead of back down to 800 first and then 400 and so on ... now if i turn it the other way again and in the opposite direction to correct the error, it may go up or down as well as skipping some settings again! it malfunctions when i try to change the ± exposure compensation too!
long story short, it works so badly i just have to quit using the grip's rear dial eventually and go back to the camera's own rear dial which works just right ... all other buttons and the front dial on the grip still work fine and correctly but for the rear dial ... (my Pentax K-x's only dial on the camera's rear also started to behave erratically a while ago when trying to change the ISO or aperture!)
i have tried cleaning the dial's whereabouts and even slightly pushing a special cleaning brush a little further inside the dial's housing; cleaned the contacts on the camera's bottom plate as well as on the grip; tested it without battery, or with both weak as well as freshly recharged batteries (all genuine Pentax batteries that are still working great btw) but the problem is still there ... i switched it between K-5 and K-7 and the problem has remained unsolved! changed the order of how the two batteries are to be used, no use! (i set that option on Auto in the menu most of the time anyway, or sometimes to grip-first because that way it's easier to remove the grip's finished battery for recharging and i won't have to remove the grip to reach the other battery inside the camera itself for quite a while ...) even tried 'hard-resetting' the grip by live-removing the battery while the camera and the grip are both on, but to no avail! (the only thing i have not tried is resetting the camera to factory defaults ...)
dunno if i did the right thing to talk about this here or should i have posted it in another page of the forum, asking for help?! if anyone knows anything about this odd behavior, then please let me know too! thanks.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2011 Location: SK, Canada Posts: 83
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 14, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $199.99
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build/fit, great for verticle shooting, AA option | | Cons: | No hand strap connection | |
I bought the battery grip to make verticle shooting more comfortable, and it does a good job of that. I haven't used the AA battery tray, but I like that it's available if I need it.
I usually only use the battery in the grip, and don't put one in the camera body, so it doesn't bother me that you have to remove the grip to get at the camera battery.
I do wish they would have put a hand strap connection/mount on it though. My friend's 7D grip has one, and it works great with hand straps. One thing I like, compared to the 7D grip, is you don't have to remove the camera's battery compartment cover to attach the grip.
Another con is the price. Although I paid $199 for mine (which seems average for OEM grips), I had to buy it from a US retailer. If I bought it from a Canadian seller, the price was $279.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2014 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,037
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 12, 2016 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
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It's a quality piece. Gets the job done. A grip is one accessory though where I would pony up for the real deal and skip the knock-offs.
There are no real downsides. Design-wise though I find that this grip feels more like an after thought for the k-5/k-7 line compared the the grip for the K10d/k20d line which seems to have a much more integrated design and personally I feel has better ergonomics. But I'm nit-picking here which tells you how good the D-BG4 actually is.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2016 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 136
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 4, 2016 | Not Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great build quality, fits perfectly, gives robust grip | | Cons: | makes camera bulky, heavy and difficult to pull out of bags | |
The product is very good, does what it is supposed to do. It makes the camera look professional. So if you need this, this is the best product.
However, did not work for me.
1. Makes the camera bulky, heavy and difficult to put in the bag.
2. Handling became difficult for me - without the grip, I slide the little finger below the base and that gives me firme grip with 2 fingers on the grip.
3. The left hand cannot stretch all the way to the lens due to increase in height
4. No big deal that it can store battery and card. As long as you have them in the bag, fine.
5. Use of AA batteries.. well dont need to worry as u can get 2 extra Li d90 ones with travel charger for $25
6. It also defeats the point that pentax designed the camera in a compact body.
Hence if you are debating.. I would say you dont need a grip
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2013 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,146
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 19, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $79.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great feel, WR, adds to versatility | | Cons: | Maybe a bit bigger than I wanted | |
Love this grip. I was hesitant to buy it for a long time but when the price dropped at a major online retailer, I bought it and wish i had one earlier, very glad I went for the genuine item. The feel of this grip is excellent, and the versatility it adds both in camera orientation and length of shooting time is superb. I find have to really tighten it down to get the connections to work, but that's as it should be for a WR grip. I can tuck the WR cover for the connector into the spare memory card slot, too, for safekeeping, which I think is not on purpose but works well.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2014 Location: Newfoundland Posts: 501
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 29, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Rock solid build quality. Superbly compliments the camera for grip. Makes a huge difference for shooting portraits. | | Cons: | Heavy. Tripod mount is off-center. Easy to over-tighten, difficult to remove if over-tightened. | |
I shoot mostly primes, so adding a grip for balance wasn't needed. I purchased the D-BG4 (pre-owned) for power supply flexibility when travelling and for workflow when shooting portraits. The retail price is expensive. The K-5II feels like a brick with the grip attached but not in a bad way. The K-5II / D-BG4 combo still fits well in my camera bag. If you plan on leaving the grip attached as I do, change your camera strap to a Crumpler Industry Disgrace and the weight will not be an issue. If you shoot in cold weather the grip is a must.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2009 Location: Cork Posts: 1,882
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 2, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $165.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice balance with heavier lenses | | Cons: | Using portrait, fingergrip not that deep | |
I can see both the pros and cons of having this. On the pro side it does balance the K-5 nicely with the heavier primes i.e. DA*55 and does lend an altogether more serious look to the body and mounted lens combo for those that take notice of that kind of thing 
Battery life is doubled and means that I can use the internal flash with impunity for over 6hrs at gigs or parties. I also like the little slot for a spare SD card.
On the con side.. weight, the look at me aspect, bulk and also the fairly uncomfortable grip while in portrait more. Obviously the base has to be flat but the indent for your fingers has too tight a radii for me and its not deep enough so it means my hand is digging into the sharpish corner. Lastly there is no dedicated space for the Remote F like the D-BG2 on the K10/20 series which is a pity.
So to sum up, if i'm using my K-5 with a DA* prime or zoom I will use the grip, if I have a Limited mounted I will take the grip off for the more discrete look  , means my K-5 has a Jekyll and Hyde personality.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 10, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $275.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Fits nicely and works without flaws | | Cons: | Very expensive and missing remote compartiment (as on k10d grip) | |
A great tool that will improve your portrait photography.
Controls are placed in good position and intuitive. Except at the beginning when I had to get use to the placement, I have never looked at them again. Camera is still nicely balanced.
The battery door seems a little flimsy and I always handle it with care because I am afraid not to brake the little knob that you twist to open/close. Very light and I like that it comes with an additional door that holds AA batteries (mind you I've never used it though).
Things I miss - the compartment for the remote control. I've found that very useful on my K10D.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2013 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 391
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Well built, solid, matches body well, ascetically pleasing | | Cons: | Pricey, plastic-y | |
Overall, this battery grip is amazing... I first bought an off brand one of these (Bower) and had all kinda of problems with it, from the e-dials not working correctly, to it messing with the AF system while it wasn't even on, etc, etc. I decided for $100 more I may just as well get the OEM one, and I am rather glad I did. However I may be sending it back due to its high price, I may also be keeping it for the reason I bought it... Because Pentax is using this thing called 'PRO-SUMER SIZE' and I hate it... The K-5 is a little to small to comfortably fit in my hand, so I got this to make it more comfortable to hold and it does just that and then some! While it is made of plastic, it's rugged, and has a fair weight to it, which really help with my bigger/older lenses, such as my 28-300 Sigma, however, it still isn't heavy enough to balance out my 21-35mm Sigma  It makes the camera look THAT much better. And it really just takes me back to my days of using my K-10D (I really like the heavy camera body). Looks great, feels great, works great, is great, however VERY pricey for what it is... I think if Pentax were to reduce the price of this by even $50 it would be a much bigger turn on to so many more people.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2007 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,249
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 24, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Fits well to the body, supports AA batteries | | Cons: | off-center tripod mount, no more place for the remote, expensive | |
Overall this is a good complement to the K-5/K-7. It fits very well in the hand and it doesn't ruin the style of the body like some other makes.
Positive aspects:
- Support AA batteries through a special tray (supplied)
- Easy to attach to the camera
- Can fit a SD card (only with Li-On tray)
- Add balance for heavy lenses
- Can be turned off
Negative aspects:
- Very expensive for what it is, no wonder there are cheap 3rd party alternatives at a fraction of the price.
- Tripod mount is off-center (but I don't use it on tripod anyway)
- Add bulk to the camera (I most often use it without a battery to avoid that)
- Doesn't add any special feature (no GPS, no dual SD card or additional performance)
- The K10D grip had a place to put the wireless remote. No more.
- Wobbly attachment, the K10D grip felt more secure, it's no big deal but doesn't feel like the camera and grip are one
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane Posts: 3,561
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 2, 2011 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | improved ergononmics, extended battery life weather selaed | | Cons: | none | |
Before I bought my grip (a few months ago), I thought the K-5 ergonmics couldnt get any better, boy was I wrong....
This grip feels so good on the K-5, I simply cannot go back to shooting the K-5 gripless again!
Plus the extended battery life is great, plus the option to use 6 AA's is a bonus too.
It has many buttons and controls all in the right place too, and too top it off- its weather sealed | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 59
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 1, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $227.50
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ease of use and very ergonomic, all buttons right under your fingers and fits perfectly in my hand, AA batteries | | Cons: | Remove grip to access in camera battery | |
The grip fits perfectly in my hand whereas my hand used to hang over the bottom of my K-5. It now makes portrait shots alot easier to do and makes the camera feel alot more 'professional'.
The use of AA batteries was a must since I had a heap of eneloops from my K-x but now, the camera just keeps going and going! Definitely glad I purchased this for my K-5 and have only praise on the ergonomics and function of it.
A little gripe though is having to remove the grip for access to the in camera battery, but I use the grip batteries before I use the in camera one so it doesn't matter too much. It is also a little bit on the pricey side (thus reduces the rating to 9, but I am alot happier I purchased it off Amazon rather than locally for nearly 2x the price) but usability is greatly increased and I would buy this again if I lost this grip
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2010 Location: Kiev Posts: 59
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 14, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | improves handling, adds stability, weather protected, nice build | | Cons: | price, availability, weird screw placing (not in center) | |
Since Pentax is unavail in Ukraine, I ordered it via ebay. Item came in in perfect state, and when you`ll take it in hand, you can feel that Pentax is still capable of doing luxury photo accessories. It feels superbly build, fit on k-5 like a glove and dramatically improves handling (I`m dude with big hands). Only thing I can`t get - why it doesn`t power on/off camera via second switch? Main switch is still the only that can do that...
Anyway, with this grip my k-5 feels complete. I like it. Highly recommended!
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 10
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 18, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $229.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very supportive and comfortable grip | | Cons: | Front dial is too exposed - can easily be moved accidentally | |
Compared to the D-BG2 I had for the K10D, this one is so much more comfortable.
The D-BG2 was just awkward to hold in portrait mode while this one has a much deeper grip that is almost as comfortable as holding it in landscape. The shutter button is also less likely to be pressed accidentally than the old grip.
Other things I liked:
- slot to hold the rubber seal AND the pin cover (nice!)
- tray for 6 AA batteries (probably won't be using it, but nice to have)
- SD Card holder
- Not nearly has heavy has I thought
- Large base surface area makes the camera more balanced when placed on a flat surface.
What I didn't like:
- no remote control slot (D-BG2 had it!)
- off-center tripod mount (they really need to correct this for future designs)
- Very expensive for what it is
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