[ytterbium]

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First of all, many think that AA's are good enough. I'm not questioning that, it just that you can always wish for something better. So please lets not discuss if AA's are good but actual topic.

Replacing AA batteries with a stable, powerful and well designed rechargeable Li-Ion is not possible because of the small space available for AA's. But you can easily fit a whole switched mode power supply unit in a grip, leaving a plenty of space.
This would allow for high current capable voltage stabilization, that does not waste power in heat to be used with heavy duty lithium battery.

*Is there already such thing?

*Do you think the gain is worth making one? (no need to design one, just replace the internals of some cheap 3rd party grip with readily available stabilization and lithium control circuits)?
-you could answer this, if you've used non rechargeable Li Ion AA's or external power supply - how much the camera performance and shot count increases.

*To save some weight.. does the camera work with power from grip but without batteries in camera?

How important it would be to foresee the possibility to change batteries? - it is MUCH easier to simply make it built in, with such a DIY design - especially if you wish to retain weather sealing.

[GerryL]

That has already been done and a company marketed it.
The problem with that was the fact that the *istDS/DL/DS2/DL2 and K110/100/100D super (same body) has no bottom contacts and once you consider that, the battery cover would be in the way (you have to open or do away with the battery cover to provide contact for the grip).
If you want to take the alternate route though and go by the DC connection port by the side of the camera, then you have to expose all of the connection ports since you will have that door open for the DC connection.
Anyway, here is one of those battery (I mean no battery as it is just a vertical grip) grips in production. Review of the Dicain Vertical Shutter Grip for K100D & Super
This is the third variant if I'm not mistaken.
There was another one that was a real battery grip but then the battery cover had to be open and it didn't provide any vertical camera controls as the connection ports are on the side of the camera.
There is also the Ownuser battery grip but all the wire connections are exposed by the side of the camera: Ownuser Battery Grip Review
I wanted something similar before but then I guess, the "AA's" work just fine!

[GerryL]

Here's the thread about it when it first came out: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/camera-studio-accessories/11053-k100d-grip.html

[GerryL]

Here's more of the Dicain grip: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/18374-k100d-grip-actual-news.html

[GerryL]

Here's the other grip where the battery door on the camera has to be open and it goes "in" the slot on the battery grip itself: grip for Pentax K100D super K110D with Li-On battery - eBay (item 110327845872 end time Aug-14-09 19:54:04 PDT)

Hope this answers all your questions.

[ytterbium]

Well the thing is k200d have dedicated grip contacts.
I even measured few of them, but an actuall grip would help determining all of them.
But as far as i know the only option original grip allows is AA's.

[GerryL]

Oopssss..sorry, I didn't read right.
It was the K200D and not the K100D.
I must've been still sleepy this morning when I read about this post!

[res3567]

Oopssss..sorry, I didn't read right.
It was the K200D and not the K100D.
I must've been still sleepy this morning when I read about this post!

Thaks Gerry. I found it very helpful.