Battery Grip 2

Peter Zack · 11-02-2008, 08:14 PM

I have grips on 3 bodies 100% of the time. great addition even with a shorter lens.

One note. With the BDG2 you have the option of selecting which battery is used first. It's in the menu. I select grip battery first and when it's drained I just change that one leaving the in body battery full. Every month or so, I'll just take that battery out to put in the grip and give it a workout so the cells remain fresh. So the grip does not come off often.

geauxpez · 11-03-2008, 06:22 AM

Ooooh -- a rare opportunity: I get to be the lone voice of dissent on something. I have the grip and have never made friends with it. Currently, I keep it in my bag to keep my spare battery, spare card & remote organized. When I have tried to use it with the buttons activated, I found that I would accidently change the shutter speed, aperture, or accidently focus. Maybe I have fumble fingers. With the switch off, the assembly just feels unnecessarily heavy. Could be because before having the K10d, I shot with an Olympus OM 35mm SLR (think very compact).

And how do people who use the grip set their cameras down?

I guess I could glue the bugger on until I get used to it. (:

Peter Zack · 11-03-2008, 09:37 AM

My Pentax's are never left idle so I don't put them down

Same as without the grip. Bottom down or in the bag.

Mindflux · 11-03-2008, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by legacyb4

I like it although I've started to use the AF button to activate focus instead of halfway shutter so unless I'm missing some setting, it's not easy to reach the button when in vertical mode.

Yeah this is my only complaint. I've since reactivated the half press shutter focus, but I find myself using the AF button in landscape mode anyway. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway since a half press on the shutter button is required to activate SR.

Venturi · 11-03-2008, 10:18 AM

I really hope Pentax has been reading/listening to the user base regarding the grip as it seems every single discussion of the D-BG2 inevitably ends up with us bemoaning the lack of an AF button on it.

Mindflux · 11-03-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Venturi

I really hope Pentax has been reading/listening to the user base regarding the grip as it seems every single discussion of the D-BG2 inevitably ends up with us bemoaning the lack of an AF button on it.

It'd be nice to have for sure, but as I stated above.. does it matter that it's on the shutter release since a half press is required for SR ? (assuming you use SR).

Venturi · 11-03-2008, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by Mindflux

It'd be nice to have for sure, but as I stated above.. does it matter that it's on the shutter release since a half press is required for SR ? (assuming you use SR).

I think it does.

Here's my very layman attempt to explain the physiology behind it...

When you flex your index finger your wrist wants to bend ever so slightly. This is because the ligaments between the fingers and the muscles in your forearm that cause them to move run through the wrist and up the length of your hand. The tension from the slack being taken up when your muscles contract causes the wrist to bend. Your palm moves the camera body and your index finger's pressure on the shutter amplifies it. In contrast, the ligaments of the thumb run down the side of your hand and flexing actually causes the wrist to want to bend up slightly, but gravity and pushing the AF button counteract the movement.
As such even the tiny amount of flexing to depress the shutter 1/2 way introduces lateral movement of the body/lens. It's no different really than shooting a rifle on the range, by applying slight pressure to the trigger as you train your sights on the target you flex the muscles of the forearm that move your index finger so that when you squeeze off the round there is no additional wobble induced.

When I'm shooting landscape as I'm composing the shot my trigger finger begins to apply slight pressure on the shutter button. This means that I can then focus (more than once) using the AF button without inducing wobble and when I like the shot I depress the shutter button nice and smooth.

In portrait orientation with the grip you can not do this. Each time you release/depress 1/2 the shutter you introduce wobble as that long muscle in the forearm contracts and relaxes. And each time you let up on the shutter button it takes approx 1/2s to reinitialize the SR.

dafiryde · 11-10-2008, 10:39 AM

i got my grip today, and i must say
WOW !!!
my K10D finally fits in my hands the way i like
thanks guys for the inputs

Dave

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11-02-2008, 08:14 PM	#16
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	I have grips on 3 bodies 100% of the time. great addition even with a shorter lens. One note. With the BDG2 you have the option of selecting which battery is used first. It's in the menu. I select grip battery first and when it's drained I just change that one leaving the in body battery full. Every month or so, I'll just take that battery out to put in the grip and give it a workout so the cells remain fresh. So the grip does not come off often.

11-03-2008, 06:22 AM	#17
geauxpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Atlanta Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,196	Ooooh -- a rare opportunity: I get to be the lone voice of dissent on something. I have the grip and have never made friends with it. Currently, I keep it in my bag to keep my spare battery, spare card & remote organized. When I have tried to use it with the buttons activated, I found that I would accidently change the shutter speed, aperture, or accidently focus. Maybe I have fumble fingers. With the switch off, the assembly just feels unnecessarily heavy. Could be because before having the K10d, I shot with an Olympus OM 35mm SLR (think very compact). And how do people who use the grip set their cameras down? I guess I could glue the bugger on until I get used to it. (:

11-03-2008, 09:37 AM	#18
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	My Pentax's are never left idle so I don't put them down Same as without the grip. Bottom down or in the bag.

11-03-2008, 09:49 AM	#19
Mindflux Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 150	Originally posted by legacyb4 I like it although I've started to use the AF button to activate focus instead of halfway shutter so unless I'm missing some setting, it's not easy to reach the button when in vertical mode. Yeah this is my only complaint. I've since reactivated the half press shutter focus, but I find myself using the AF button in landscape mode anyway. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway since a half press on the shutter button is required to activate SR.

11-03-2008, 10:18 AM	#20
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	I really hope Pentax has been reading/listening to the user base regarding the grip as it seems every single discussion of the D-BG2 inevitably ends up with us bemoaning the lack of an AF button on it.

11-03-2008, 10:23 AM	#21
Mindflux Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 150	Originally posted by Venturi I really hope Pentax has been reading/listening to the user base regarding the grip as it seems every single discussion of the D-BG2 inevitably ends up with us bemoaning the lack of an AF button on it. It'd be nice to have for sure, but as I stated above.. does it matter that it's on the shutter release since a half press is required for SR ? (assuming you use SR).

11-03-2008, 12:41 PM	#22
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	Originally posted by Mindflux It'd be nice to have for sure, but as I stated above.. does it matter that it's on the shutter release since a half press is required for SR ? (assuming you use SR). I think it does. Here's my very layman attempt to explain the physiology behind it... When you flex your index finger your wrist wants to bend ever so slightly. This is because the ligaments between the fingers and the muscles in your forearm that cause them to move run through the wrist and up the length of your hand. The tension from the slack being taken up when your muscles contract causes the wrist to bend. Your palm moves the camera body and your index finger's pressure on the shutter amplifies it. In contrast, the ligaments of the thumb run down the side of your hand and flexing actually causes the wrist to want to bend up slightly, but gravity and pushing the AF button counteract the movement. As such even the tiny amount of flexing to depress the shutter 1/2 way introduces lateral movement of the body/lens. It's no different really than shooting a rifle on the range, by applying slight pressure to the trigger as you train your sights on the target you flex the muscles of the forearm that move your index finger so that when you squeeze off the round there is no additional wobble induced. When I'm shooting landscape as I'm composing the shot my trigger finger begins to apply slight pressure on the shutter button. This means that I can then focus (more than once) using the AF button without inducing wobble and when I like the shot I depress the shutter button nice and smooth. In portrait orientation with the grip you can not do this. Each time you release/depress 1/2 the shutter you introduce wobble as that long muscle in the forearm contracts and relaxes. And each time you let up on the shutter button it takes approx 1/2s to reinitialize the SR.

11-10-2008, 10:39 AM	#23
dafiryde Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Trinidad and Tobago Posts: 419 Original Poster	i got my grip today, and i must say WOW !!! my K10D finally fits in my hands the way i like thanks guys for the inputs Dave

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