Battery Grip vs Grip Kit for KP

roxiemyhorse · 02-24-2019, 08:20 AM

I can't find any reviews for just the grip kit. I have big hands, so I am really just interested in adding the larger grip. There are plenty of battery grip kit reviews, but for over $200, I can just as easily put in a new battery.

Anyone have just the larger grip?

Thx!!

**pepperberry farm** · 02-24-2019, 08:40 AM

I don't use the grip for the extra battery - in fact, in the short time I've had a battery grip, I've never had both batteries loaded...

I use it for the extra grip and for the better ergonomics, especially in portrait mode...

SSGGeezer · 02-24-2019, 09:06 AM

I have not seen any aftermarket grips for the KP. Are you referring to the three sizes that are interchangeable? I know some areas of the world only came with one size, (Small,) while in the US we got all three sizes. Even if there were aftermarket grips out there, would you trust them if the weather became very bad? The KP battery grip mates up to the camera body like it was manufactured there and thus does not compromise the weather sealing. I paid MSRP less a 10% sale on Ebay from the Adorama store and I love having it when using my longer/heavier zoom lenses.

When you mount the battery grip, the camera now weighs about what the K-3 does. It is a very handy accessory that uses either battery size. (I am not writing the models down because Pentax's battery numbers look almost Identical with all the 1s lower case L's and i's.) The battery from the K-1/K-3 and the KP battery fits in the grip.

You get the large interchangeable grip with the purchase of the battery grip. I would offer my extra but I already sent it to a member in Australia. It is probably better to buy the battery grip if you can find a sale and get it as part of the deal. The large or Medium grips themselves are pricy and shipping from the US is expensive to many locations.

roxiemyhorse · 02-24-2019, 09:24 AM

It is this, it says it is a Pentax grip:

Pentax O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) 37175 B&H Photo Video

I am in the US, in Texas

SSGGeezer · 02-24-2019, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by roxiemyhorse

It is this, it says it is a Pentax grip:

Pentax O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) 37175 B&H Photo Video

I am in the US, in Texas

41 bucks just seems like too much. didn't your KP come with all three sizes? Or did Pentax stop providing all three in the US after a certain point in time? I ordered a year ago this month and got all three so I am curious why they would have stopped. 41 dollars is 5% of the MSRP for the whole camera!

**monochrome** · 02-24-2019, 09:42 AM

It is the same high quality as the grip currently on your KP. It dfoesn’t fill your fingers the way the grip on a full-sized dSLR does but it reduces the cramped, fingertip pressing feeling when holding the KP with the right hand. I don’t hold a camera with one hand. I support the base and lens with my left hand and my right fingers really don’t do anything but press buttons, but the large grip adds comfort.

Docrwm · 02-24-2019, 10:47 AM - **2 Likes**

Battery grips are more than an extra battery. They provide additional controls for portrait photos while providing a stale grip in that orientation. They also provide you with a slot for an extra SD card (when you forget to reload one after transfer that can be a life saver). Finally, they offer you the option of using AA batteries (which are fairly widely available) for when your proprietary batteries are exhausted. My K5iis and K3 are never without theirs.

reh321 · 02-24-2019, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by SSGGeezer

41 bucks just seems like too much. didn't your KP come with all three sizes? Or did Pentax stop providing all three in the US after a certain point in time? I ordered a year ago this month and got all three so I am curious why they would have stopped. 41 dollars is 5% of the MSRP for the whole camera!

The KP I purchased from B&H on the most recent Black Friday {3 months ago} came with all three sizes - but I have never used anything other than the smallest one.

roxiemyhorse · 02-24-2019, 10:50 AM

Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it.

---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ----------

Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips.

SSGGeezer · 02-24-2019, 11:29 AM

Originally posted by roxiemyhorse

Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it.

---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ----------

Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips.

I bought from Adorama and it did. If it is a US model, it generally has all three. If you buy it and it doesn't, it is only 2 or three days to get the grip. There is no additional packaging involved in the three grips with the camera so I suspect that the B and H rep did not open a box to check. I would assume that they will have all three.

Thagomizer · 02-24-2019, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by Docrwm

...Finally, they offer you the option of using AA batteries (which are fairly widely available) for when your proprietary batteries are exhausted.

The KP battery grip does give you the option of using a K3/K1 size, higher capacity battery, but does not have the AA option.

After reading here on the Forum on KP cold weather shooting tips, I got my battery grip for use in cold weather I'll likely be encountering on an upcoming trip to Yellowknife NWT. It's a bit bigger to handle (I've got smallish hands), but not unwieldy or uncomfortable. Having come from a K-S2, I've opted for the largest of the three interchangeable grips for my KP.

**monochrome** · 02-24-2019, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by roxiemyhorse

Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it.

---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ----------

Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips.

Copy/Paste from the B&H webpage on the KP Body Only SKU:

In the Box
Pentax KP DSLR Camera (Body Only, Black or Silver)
O-GP167 Grip Kit (Small)
O-GP1671 Grip Kit (Medium)
O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large)
Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-Li109 for The KR Digital SLR Camera
D-BC109 Battery Charger
AC Cord for K7 Digital SLR Camera
O-ST162 Camera Strap
Eyecup FR for K7 Digital SLR Camera (replacement)
Hotshoe Cover FK
KII Body Mount Cap
2 x Triangular Ring
Protective Cover
Battery Grip Terminal Cover
S-SW167 Software (CD-ROM)
Limited 1-Year Warranty

**Alex645** · 02-24-2019, 12:55 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by monochrome

Copy/Paste from the B&H webpage on the KP Body Only SKU:

In the Box
Pentax KP DSLR Camera (Body Only, Black or Silver)
O-GP167 Grip Kit (Small)
O-GP1671 Grip Kit (Medium)
O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large)
Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-Li109 for The KR Digital SLR Camera
D-BC109 Battery Charger
AC Cord for K7 Digital SLR Camera
O-ST162 Camera Strap
Eyecup FR for K7 Digital SLR Camera (replacement)
Hotshoe Cover FK
KII Body Mount Cap
2 x Triangular Ring
Protective Cover
Battery Grip Terminal Cover
S-SW167 Software (CD-ROM)
Limited 1-Year Warranty

I concur with @monochrome, all US warranty KPs come with three grips. Are we talking about the large camera grip that comes with the KP or the battery grip that is sold separately? Pentax D-BG7 Battery Grip 38598 B&H Photo Video

The large grip should be fine for large hands if you're holding/cradling the camera 'correctly'; left palm face up underneath the lens. This is a bit awkward to do if using the battery grip, but the battery grip really helps for vertical/portrait oriented shots and adds a bit of weight for more stability.

reh321 · 02-24-2019, 02:02 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Thagomizer

The KP battery grip does give you the option of using a K3/K1 size, higher capacity battery, but does not have the AA option.

After reading here on the Forum on KP cold weather shooting tips, I got my battery grip for use in cold weather I'll likely be encountering on an upcoming trip to Yellowknife NWT. It's a bit bigger to handle (I've got smallish hands), but not unwieldy or uncomfortable. Having come from a K-S2, I've opted for the largest of the three interchangeable grips for my KP.

We seem to be mixing two products here. There is a difference in function between
* the three grips packaged with the camera, which attach to the front of the camera and which cannot hold any battery
* the battery grip sold separately, which attaches to the bottom of the camera and allows the user to use an additional D-Li battery but not AA batteries.

thazooo · 02-24-2019, 02:14 PM

I have the Large grip attached to my KP. I find it better than the other 2 but lacking as a grip. The area where the tips of your fingers 'Grip' is sculpted out so there really isn't a flat surface to hold as in a K3 or K50. I've adapted some what but also considering making a custom grip.

02-24-2019, 08:20 AM	#1
roxiemyhorse Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 36	Battery Grip vs Grip Kit for KP I can't find any reviews for just the grip kit. I have big hands, so I am really just interested in adding the larger grip. There are plenty of battery grip kit reviews, but for over $200, I can just as easily put in a new battery. Anyone have just the larger grip? Thx!!

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02-24-2019, 08:40 AM	#2
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,781	I don't use the grip for the extra battery - in fact, in the short time I've had a battery grip, I've never had both batteries loaded... I use it for the extra grip and for the better ergonomics, especially in portrait mode...

02-24-2019, 09:06 AM	#3
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	I have not seen any aftermarket grips for the KP. Are you referring to the three sizes that are interchangeable? I know some areas of the world only came with one size, (Small,) while in the US we got all three sizes. Even if there were aftermarket grips out there, would you trust them if the weather became very bad? The KP battery grip mates up to the camera body like it was manufactured there and thus does not compromise the weather sealing. I paid MSRP less a 10% sale on Ebay from the Adorama store and I love having it when using my longer/heavier zoom lenses. When you mount the battery grip, the camera now weighs about what the K-3 does. It is a very handy accessory that uses either battery size. (I am not writing the models down because Pentax's battery numbers look almost Identical with all the 1s lower case L's and i's.) The battery from the K-1/K-3 and the KP battery fits in the grip. You get the large interchangeable grip with the purchase of the battery grip. I would offer my extra but I already sent it to a member in Australia. It is probably better to buy the battery grip if you can find a sale and get it as part of the deal. The large or Medium grips themselves are pricy and shipping from the US is expensive to many locations.

02-24-2019, 09:24 AM	#4
roxiemyhorse Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 36 Original Poster	It is this, it says it is a Pentax grip: Pentax O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) 37175 B&H Photo Video I am in the US, in Texas

02-24-2019, 09:36 AM	#5
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Originally posted by roxiemyhorse It is this, it says it is a Pentax grip: Pentax O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) 37175 B&H Photo Video I am in the US, in Texas 41 bucks just seems like too much. didn't your KP come with all three sizes? Or did Pentax stop providing all three in the US after a certain point in time? I ordered a year ago this month and got all three so I am curious why they would have stopped. 41 dollars is 5% of the MSRP for the whole camera!

02-24-2019, 09:42 AM	#6
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	It is the same high quality as the grip currently on your KP. It dfoesn’t fill your fingers the way the grip on a full-sized dSLR does but it reduces the cramped, fingertip pressing feeling when holding the KP with the right hand. I don’t hold a camera with one hand. I support the base and lens with my left hand and my right fingers really don’t do anything but press buttons, but the large grip adds comfort.

02-24-2019, 10:47 AM - 2 Likes	#7
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Battery grips are more than an extra battery. They provide additional controls for portrait photos while providing a stale grip in that orientation. They also provide you with a slot for an extra SD card (when you forget to reload one after transfer that can be a life saver). Finally, they offer you the option of using AA batteries (which are fairly widely available) for when your proprietary batteries are exhausted. My K5iis and K3 are never without theirs.

02-24-2019, 10:47 AM	#8
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,186	Originally posted by SSGGeezer 41 bucks just seems like too much. didn't your KP come with all three sizes? Or did Pentax stop providing all three in the US after a certain point in time? I ordered a year ago this month and got all three so I am curious why they would have stopped. 41 dollars is 5% of the MSRP for the whole camera! The KP I purchased from B&H on the most recent Black Friday {3 months ago} came with all three sizes - but I have never used anything other than the smallest one.

02-24-2019, 10:50 AM	#9
roxiemyhorse Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 36 Original Poster	Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it. ---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ---------- Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips.

02-24-2019, 11:29 AM	#10
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Originally posted by roxiemyhorse Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it. ---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ---------- Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips. I bought from Adorama and it did. If it is a US model, it generally has all three. If you buy it and it doesn't, it is only 2 or three days to get the grip. There is no additional packaging involved in the three grips with the camera so I suspect that the B and H rep did not open a box to check. I would assume that they will have all three.

02-24-2019, 11:39 AM	#11
Thagomizer Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: London Ontario Posts: 2,068	Originally posted by Docrwm ...Finally, they offer you the option of using AA batteries (which are fairly widely available) for when your proprietary batteries are exhausted. The KP battery grip does give you the option of using a K3/K1 size, higher capacity battery, but does not have the AA option. After reading here on the Forum on KP cold weather shooting tips, I got my battery grip for use in cold weather I'll likely be encountering on an upcoming trip to Yellowknife NWT. It's a bit bigger to handle (I've got smallish hands), but not unwieldy or uncomfortable. Having come from a K-S2, I've opted for the largest of the three interchangeable grips for my KP.

02-24-2019, 12:33 PM	#12
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by roxiemyhorse Thank you, I have no idea if it comes with the extra sizes. I will have to ask before I buy it. ---------- Post added 02-24-19 at 12:04 PM ---------- Just checked with B& H, it does not come with additional grips. Copy/Paste from the B&H webpage on the KP Body Only SKU: In the Box Pentax KP DSLR Camera (Body Only, Black or Silver) O-GP167 Grip Kit (Small) O-GP1671 Grip Kit (Medium) O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-Li109 for The KR Digital SLR Camera D-BC109 Battery Charger AC Cord for K7 Digital SLR Camera O-ST162 Camera Strap Eyecup FR for K7 Digital SLR Camera (replacement) Hotshoe Cover FK KII Body Mount Cap 2 x Triangular Ring Protective Cover Battery Grip Terminal Cover S-SW167 Software (CD-ROM) Limited 1-Year Warranty

02-24-2019, 12:55 PM - 1 Like	#13
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	Originally posted by monochrome Copy/Paste from the B&H webpage on the KP Body Only SKU: In the Box Pentax KP DSLR Camera (Body Only, Black or Silver) O-GP167 Grip Kit (Small) O-GP1671 Grip Kit (Medium) O-GP1672 Grip Kit (Large) Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery D-Li109 for The KR Digital SLR Camera D-BC109 Battery Charger AC Cord for K7 Digital SLR Camera O-ST162 Camera Strap Eyecup FR for K7 Digital SLR Camera (replacement) Hotshoe Cover FK KII Body Mount Cap 2 x Triangular Ring Protective Cover Battery Grip Terminal Cover S-SW167 Software (CD-ROM) Limited 1-Year Warranty I concur with @monochrome, all US warranty KPs come with three grips. Are we talking about the large camera grip that comes with the KP or the battery grip that is sold separately? Pentax D-BG7 Battery Grip 38598 B&H Photo Video The large grip should be fine for large hands if you're holding/cradling the camera 'correctly'; left palm face up underneath the lens. This is a bit awkward to do if using the battery grip, but the battery grip really helps for vertical/portrait oriented shots and adds a bit of weight for more stability.

02-24-2019, 02:02 PM - 1 Like	#14
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,186	Originally posted by Thagomizer The KP battery grip does give you the option of using a K3/K1 size, higher capacity battery, but does not have the AA option. After reading here on the Forum on KP cold weather shooting tips, I got my battery grip for use in cold weather I'll likely be encountering on an upcoming trip to Yellowknife NWT. It's a bit bigger to handle (I've got smallish hands), but not unwieldy or uncomfortable. Having come from a K-S2, I've opted for the largest of the three interchangeable grips for my KP. We seem to be mixing two products here. There is a difference in function between * the three grips packaged with the camera, which attach to the front of the camera and which cannot hold any battery * the battery grip sold separately, which attaches to the bottom of the camera and allows the user to use an additional D-Li battery but not AA batteries.

02-24-2019, 02:14 PM	#15
thazooo Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 854	I have the Large grip attached to my KP. I find it better than the other 2 but lacking as a grip. The area where the tips of your fingers 'Grip' is sculpted out so there really isn't a flat surface to hold as in a K3 or K50. I've adapted some what but also considering making a custom grip.