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02-12-2021, 02:35 PM   #1
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The KP Battery Grip

Who is using this? Give me your experiences. Would be nice to have that extra battery.

02-12-2021, 02:57 PM - 1 Like   #2
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I have one. I’m not one to kill a battery but do carry a spare . I love the feel it gives me with the 50/300 PLM. I rarely use my monopod due to my comfort level and the SR.
I rarely use the grips release though.


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02-12-2021, 03:44 PM   #3
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It is useful on the KP, because the standard KP battery is smaller in capacity than that which fits the K-1, and the addition of the extra K-1 battery gives it enough endurance. I have drained the lot on occasion, but I get about three days' use out of the combination. I also like how it adds a bit of heft and volume to what I'm holding - bigger than average hands, though. Finally, on the plus side, it makes it a lot easier to do portrait mode shots when handheld. (You can, by using the adapter included, use two skinny KP batteries instead of the KP+K-1 battery combination if you want to.)
On the negative side: the tripod mounting socket is offset in a way that precludes its use on the gimbal I've got, because there's not enough clearance with the camera shifted over due to that offset. Because the offset is to the right (as you look at the back of the camera), use of the quick-release plate shifts the camera to the left, and the bar where the vertical and horizontal arms meet blocks the camera. I did find a cure for that - I use a Promaster macro focusing rail to elevate the camera a bit, which also gives a bit more flexibility front-to-back for better balancing of the camera and lens combination.
02-12-2021, 04:54 PM   #4
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I had one and sold it because I found it too big for my small hands. I imagine it's fine for people with big hands and I can see the benefit if you you're using a large lens, but for smaller lenses it seems to go against the ethos of the KP.

02-12-2021, 06:15 PM   #5
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I bought one recently. I don't leave it on the camera all the time. I don't really like battery grips normally. But I bought it to be able to use the camera in the winter with gloves and that makes a huge difference. Both the grip and the battery endurance. I will likely use it with long lenses too for kids sports. It's a nice setup for that
02-12-2021, 06:21 PM - 1 Like   #6
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Battery grip is essential.

Firstly it makes the KP tolerable to hold.

Secondly,with the bigger battery it gives it decent battery life.
02-12-2021, 07:07 PM - 3 Likes   #7
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I'll give you the opposite side of thinking, I wanted to get one and decided against it for these reasons: I like the small size of the KP, I use a ThinkTank Turnstyle sling bag, I'm afraid the KP with the grip may not fit. It's darn easy to carry a couple of extra batteries in the bag or pocket, and I can change the battery in the dark, it's easy and quick. The KP handles beautifully the way it is designed, I regularly carry it with the DA*300 and 1.4tc attached. I've seen some people on here think that you can't handle a large lens without a grip, I really question how they hold their camera, but everybody is different and you do what is right for you. I think the grip would be handy if I were doing a lot of vertically oriented shots and would probably buy one if the price were much lower, but would use it sparingly.

02-12-2021, 07:10 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramseybuckeye Quote
I regularly carry it with the DA*300 and 1.4tc attached.
Hows that fit in the bag?
02-12-2021, 07:50 PM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by surfar Quote
Hows that fit in the bag?
That doesn't fit in the bag, but it actually could if nothing else was in it. If it is in the bag it will have the 20-40 or the 55-300PLM on it. The bag fits the camera, those two lenses (one mounted), the DA 15, and sometimes a 50 is added. Lately I've been doing a lot of walking with the long setup, not carrying a bag. 31 miles so far this week, but probably none tomorrow with a lot of rain forecast, so Premier League and college basketball on TV. We'll see, the weather changes by the hour. I have a little smaller version of the bag too, that I have an MX in right now. I'm getting a second KP because I broke the mode dial on this one and it is permanently in Tv mode, so this combo will be on it most of the time. So I could actually swap the bags around and have one dedicated to the long setup, but I really don't think I will. There are not that many times I actually use a bag while shooting, but when I do I love these small Thinktank slings, And that is where I keep the frequently used gear to be able to grab and go, so the bag goes everywhere, but may stay in the car at the location if I don't need it all. I like to stay as light as possible, especially on a 5 or 6 mile walk. Then depending on the weather, gear may go into the dry cabinet for a time. Things were a lot simpler before I got an ILC, LOL.
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02-12-2021, 08:16 PM   #10
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I've had the battery grip for about a year. I bought it for these 3 reasons, primarily: cold weather photography, extended sessions, and for live view work. It is also very useful for portrait (vertically-oriented) work. I don't have the grip permanently fixed to the KP. I do need to buy a bag that better accommodates the camera plus grip combination.
02-12-2021, 08:19 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramseybuckeye Quote
That doesn't fit in the bag,
I knew that was the answer.

Its great you like how the KP feels,I won't ever but hope the K3/3 is ok.Then I can get rid of the THING!
02-12-2021, 11:36 PM   #12
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I bought the battery grip for several reasons, obviously some of those being what it is designed for. Longer battery life- especially for certain situations, one being shooting events where pausing to change batteries would be disruptive. At about the same weight of a K-3 II without a battery grip, having one on the KP will also deliver significantly longer shooting time than the K-3 II. Substantial periods of vertical shooting. Better handling with larger, heavier lenses- Although I can manage well with a large, heavy lens shooting with the KP even with the smallest grip, on a shoot of substantial duration with numerous intermittent pauses where I am holding the camera down from my eye, general handling as well as balance is far better with the battery grip. With the grip attached, gripping surface is even more than with my K-5 IIs without its battery grip.

I only use the battery grip for such special circumstances. When needed it is great to have. Some people prefer to have the grip on at all times. For me, most of the time with small to moderately-large lenses, I am perfectly comfortable with one of the supplied grips.

Last edited by mikesbike; 02-13-2021 at 03:10 PM.
02-13-2021, 03:47 PM - 1 Like   #13
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I ordered the KP and the grip at the same time. To me, it just brings handling of the camera to a different level.
Grip only comes off for charging the in-body battery.
02-14-2021, 07:10 PM   #14
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I have had the grip for a few months now. More out of laziness than anything else I mostly leave it on.
  1. I like the extra battery to switch to.
  2. I like the extra shutter button for portrait mode.
  3. Buying the battery grip got me the large-size camera body grip, which I prefer to the default small grip (which is how the KP is sold here in Australia).
  4. Although (for a guy) I have small hands I like the more solid, heavier feel of the camera in my hand (my first real camera was a Pentax K2 - big camera; hated it when I shifted to the compact Pentax Me).
I still flatten both batteries too quickly.

  1. I am a frequent, semi-compulsive half-shutter press user - even when I decide not to take a shot.
  2. I keep forgetting to turn the LCD screen off when keeping the camera turned on.
  3. Ahem......I sometimes forget to switch the camera off when I finish shooting for the day!!!!
I am often torn between setting the camera to use the battery in the body first, or use the battery in the grip first (ease of replacing the grip battery vs need to remove the grip to replace the body battery, vs wanting to keep the grip battery fully charged in case I want to switch to portrait orientation.

All that said, does anyone use the D L190 battery in the grip, and if so, just how much longer does it last than the D L109??
And can the D L109 charger be used to charge a D L190, or must one buy the dedicated D L190 charger?
02-15-2021, 02:45 AM - 1 Like   #15
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I'm with @ramsaybuckeye on this. The Kp with the small grip is much like the old Super A / Program A feel and looks. Discrete, stylish with ergonomics and battery life taking a back seat.

You can put a towball and a box trailer on a Porsche, but it doesn't mean you should! 😁
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