BG-E3 Battery Grip: Worth The Money?

[pakeman]

Hello all. I have been shooting with the 350D for about 18 months now, and I

am largely happy with it. Although I had heard that the 350D's diminutive size

was considered a con, I wasn't swayed by this factor when I bought it, but

after a year+ shooting it's starting to feel small and plasticky in my hand.

 

I have heard good things about the BG-E3 battery grip, but to me it seems like

a lot of money for what, ultimately, merely increases the camera's size.

 

In short, can anyone seriously recommend buying the grip for this increase in

size, and has anyone been pleasantly suprised or disappointed with it?

 

Any feedback will be very much appreciated.

 

Regards, Tom Pakeman.

[jean_marc_liotier]

If you are happy with the size of the 350D the only other ergonomical improvement lies in the more comfortable vertical grip - useful if you shoot lots of vertical. Why don't you go to your local shop, try it there and buy it if you like it ?

[k._patrick]

Tom,

 

I'm no expert. I have used grips on my 10 and 20D's for several reasons.

 

The biggest reason I started using them is I have large hands and long fingers, it gives me more to wrap my hands around and thus to my mind a more stable grip/foundation.

 

I also shoot A LOT using the vertical capabilities of the grip. My vertical shots are of sports and dance which is a lot of run and gun, with the grip I've got my controls right where I need them.

 

I also like the extra weight/bulk of the grip to help balance out the 70-200 and 300mm lenses I seem to always shoot with. This may be more my fancy than fact though.

 

I will occasionally carry an extra body without a grip and it feels wrong everytime I pick it up.

 

These are personal preferences and frankly they've been cemented by long habit. I added a winder/grip combo to one of my first film cameras back in the early 80's and have always preferred the extra real estate for my hands.

 

I sold my BG-ED3 battery grips for about $15 less than I paid for them when I unloaded my 10D's. If you buy one and decide you don't like it, you'll probably recoup a good portion of your investment. I knew the instant I tried one in the store that I was walking out with it though and have never had a second thought about the purchase.

 

Cheers.

K

[25asa]

Keep in mind this grip also adds a second battery which really can help out on trips. I had the two batteries going for most of a year without recharging them- though the camera didn't get used all that much.

[mike_r9]

Put me down for pleasantly surprised. I used the 350D without a battery grip for about 18 months as well. I finally bought one because I was having so much trouble handling the camera in portrait mode, and I haven't taken it off since. Now, I can't imagine balancing a longer lense without the grip, but I also like the feel of the grip with shorter prime lenses. I can't fully explain it, the thing doesn't look like it would be comfortable, but it just feels right for me. I also ditched the neck strap in favor of the hand strap.

 

Also, for what it's worth, there are third party grips that cost roughly half what the Canon grip does, but I stuck with Canon because I've read that the shutter button on the other grip isn't as smooth as the Canon.

[pakeman]

Thank you everyone for your replies. You all seem to have had positive experiences with the grip, and as I shoot a lot with the camera held vertically, I think I might make the investment.

 

Oh, and a particular thank you to Scott, I had almost forgotten that the battery grip enabled you to use an extra battery!

 

Regards, Tom

[chris.sager]

YES!

[erin.e]

As well as all the good reasons above to use the battery grip is the fact that the E1 hand strap can also be attached to the camera/grip combo which makes it virtually impossible to inadvertently drop the camera when using it, which is very useful with 70-200 2.8 and larger lens attached.

[nigel whitaker]

I have an EOS 20D, with the BG-E2, and the same arguments apply. I like the larger size, I have large hands, and my previous camera was an EOS 1v-HS, very bulky.

 

The extra battery will give you better performance, as it will sustain the maximum AF speed, and frame rate longer, and if using IS lenses, then the advantage is even greater, as the Image Stabiliser, when used with continous AF will use up considerably more power than single shot AF photos with a conventional lens.