[klkitchens]

Always meant to get the BG4 battery grip for my previous cameras, glad now that I didn't since it wouldn't fit the K-3. But I just got my BG-5 today and it's very nice and gives a good heft. I bought it primarily for the extra battery power though I've rarely run out of juice on a shoot unless I grabbed partially charged ones by mistake. The reaching over the top of the camera for portrait mode never fazed me, but still it will be nice to hold it normally and shoot portraits.

So I've set the camera to use the grip battery first since it's the easiest to change out as needed, but I'm wondering about a few things.

1. the tripod mount is now off-center from the lens. Any issues with this?

2. For tripod mounting, I've seen L-brackets which I assume make it easier to switch between P and L. Is this right and is there one people recommend?

3. If I turn the camera off, but not the grip, will it drain the battery or does it power off as well?

Anything else worth knowing?

Thanks!

[blackcloudbrew]

Um...let's see (this is based on my experiences with the BG-2 and BG4)

1. No, not for me. Mount, point, shoot. Simple.
2. Really Right Stuff is the brand most often recommended for the L bracket. I've always wanted one but...haven't got one yet.
3. I've never had an issue on this. AFAIK when the camera is off, it's all off.

My normal procedure is to have the camera on auto for the grip and camera. I tend to charge both batteries and rotate them between the camera and grip. No particular reason other than it seems like the right thing to do.

I love my grips and how they really improve the camera handling. It's also cool to be able to have an extra SD card in the grip too. I do miss the BG-2 though which you could also keep the remote trigger in it too.

[alcstudios]

Um...let's see (this is based on my experiences with the BG-2 and BG4)

1. No, not for me. Mount, point, shoot. Simple.
2. Really Right Stuff is the brand most often recommended for the L bracket. I've always wanted one but...haven't got one yet.
3. I've never had an issue on this. AFAIK when the camera is off, it's all off.

My normal procedure is to have the camera on auto for the grip and camera. I tend to charge both batteries and rotate them between the camera and grip. No particular reason other than it seems like the right thing to do.

I love my grips and how they really improve the camera handling. It's also cool to be able to have an extra SD card in the grip too. I do miss the BG-2 though which you could also keep the remote trigger in it too.

Everything he just said.

[DogLover]

Always meant to get the BG4 battery grip for my previous cameras, glad now that I didn't since it wouldn't fit the K-3. But I just got my BG-5 today and it's very nice and gives a good heft. I bought it primarily for the extra battery power though I've rarely run out of juice on a shoot unless I grabbed partially charged ones by mistake. The reaching over the top of the camera for portrait mode never fazed me, but still it will be nice to hold it normally and shoot portraits.

So I've set the camera to use the grip battery first since it's the easiest to change out as needed, but I'm wondering about a few things.

1. the tripod mount is now off-center from the lens. Any issues with this?

2. For tripod mounting, I've seen L-brackets which I assume make it easier to switch between P and L. Is this right and is there one people recommend?

3. If I turn the camera off, but not the grip, will it drain the battery or does it power off as well?

Anything else worth knowing?

Thanks!

I've used grips on every body since at least the K-7. Maybe before then, I can't remember. I'm sure most folks would find the way I use them to be odd in that I almost don't "use" them. I hardly ever use any of the controls nor do I hold the camera by the portrait grip when in portrait mode. I'm just so used to holding the camera "sideways" that it takes a concerted effort to actually use the grip. Weird, I know. But I just find that the camera feels odd to me without it. I use a hand strap exclusively (I hate neck straps) and have it mounted to an arca plate that I have mounted to the bottom of the grip. The grip gives the body more length down the side, making it fit better in my hand, and I don't even have big hands. The extra heft also feels better to me, though I only use a battery in the grip, not the body (hey, another way I don't get full usage of the grip!), so there isn't that much extra weight.

Anyway, as to your questions;

1. Never been an issue for me, either, though my arca plate somewhat minimizes the off-center issue.
2. RRS would be the brand to get, except that they don't make one, at least not for the body + grip. I think Kirk may have made one in the past, but not currently. AFAIK no one currently makes one specifically for the K-3 + grip. Hopefully, the K-3 will be a big enough hit that these kinds of issues will begin to go away.
3. Again, since I don't use the controls, I don't worry about the power switch, but I think blackcloudbrew may be right about that.

[klkitchens]

Thanks everyone...

[pete-tarmigan]

Anything else worth knowing?

When you are not using the battery grip to trip the shutter or adjust aperture or shutter speed, turn the switch to the off position. My hand is large enough that when I grip the camera with the built-in grip the palm of my right hand presses the shutter button on the battery grip half-way. If I haven't switched the battery grip off, the palm pressure on the battery grip's shutter button results in competition with the body's shutter button for focus and exposure adjustment.

[rbefly]

My hand is large enough that when I grip the camera with the built-in grip the palm of my right hand presses the shutter button on the battery grip half-way

Plus one on this and I've got photos of my feet to prove it! It's the palm of my right hand, near the base of the little finger, that contacts the grip shutter release. So, I leave the grip power 'off' until I use portrait orientation, then hold the camera by the grip vertically; My forefinger sits naturally on top and it's easy to switch the grip power on.
Also a + 1 with blackcloudbrew on rotating the batteries. Otherwise you end up constantly using/ cycling the main battery and hardly ever using the grip battery.
I've had grips since the K10D and don't leave home without them. The extra weight is more than compensated for by the comfortable handling, security, balance, ergonomics and general 'heft' of the entire body.
Every once in a while I'll try a body without a grip and it feels weird, too small and oddly unbalanced. But, then again, I have motor winder/drives for my film cameras, too!
JMO,
Ron

[TenZ.NL]

1: No issues, and with long lenses I`ll use the tripodcollar of the lens anyway.
2: No bracket needed since I`m using a ballhead
3: It does drain but very, very little. It was empty once, after I got back for a workingtrip that lasted a month.

Put an extra memorycard in the batterytray, this saved me more than once. Sometimes I use my Manfrotto RC-2 plate as a coupler for my Blackrapid sling when the lens isn`t too big, offcourse this is at your own risk

[Weevil]

I don't have that instruction for the BG-5 on hand right now, and cant find a PDF for that...
I have a question or 2 though:


Does the power button has to be "on" on the grip to get the extra power ?


How does it work: does the camera use the "in-body" battery first, and then use the "grip" power after ? How is it managed ?


thanks

[DogLover]

I don't have that instruction for the BG-5 on hand right now, and cant find a PDF for that...
I have a question or 2 though:


Does the power button has to be "on" on the grip to get the extra power ?


How does it work: does the camera use the "in-body" battery first, and then use the "grip" power after ? How is it managed ?


thanks

No, grip power switch does not have to be on to utilize the battery in the grip.

You can set the way you want the camera to utilize the batteries in the camera settings menu.