Nikon MB-D15 battery grip question

[daniel_smithson]

<p>Ok, so I want a second battery in my 7100 because for some reason after updating the firmware my batteries seem to be going dead sooner, and I want the external power grip. My question is, if I want to have two batteries in the camera, do I have to take this grip off every time I use the camera to charge the main camera battery, the one under the grip, not the one in it? Because this seems to me that this would be very time consuming, or is there a way to charge this battery without removing the grip?</p>

[steven_kersting]

<p>The internal battery must have a charge and it must be removed to be charged. But, you can set the camera to use the grip first and then the body battery. That way the battery in the body lasts a lot longer and you (mostly) only have to charge the ones in the grip.</p>

[User_4754088]

<p>Steven is right, just seems like a really stupid design by Nikon. I have the same issue with my D700, having to remove the grip to charge the battery in the camera body. Been an annoyance for the last six years. Nikon should have done better.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<blockquote>

<p>The internal battery must have a charge</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Do you have a link to an official Nikon document that states that? I just took the in-camera battery out of my D7100, attached the MB-D15 and the camera worked just fine with just the battery in the external battery grip. </p>

<p>Also, since one can choose the option to use the internal battery first and then the one in the grip, that statement can't be true since in that scenario, the in-camera battery would be empty by the time the camera starts to use the external one.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>just seems like a really stupid design by Nikon</p>

</blockquote>

<p>What design do you propose? Sony doesn't ship their camera with an external battery charger - you can only charge the battery in camera - which for me is a lot more stupid than having to unmount an external battery grip to get to the in-camera battery. What it have have a spare battery but can't use the camera because it has to sit on my desk and act as a charging station?<br>

Remember the battery grip for the D200 - you had to take the internal battery out and the grip then held two batteries. People were complaining about that stupid design all over the place.</p>

[daniel_smithson]

<p>The easy design change would be to incorporate a power port on the camera, like my Sony camcorder has, then the grip could be installed on the camera and never removed, unless the battery fails.<br>

It's not rocket science.</p>

[joseph_smith3]

<p>Another benefit is that it comes with two battery trays, one for 6 AA batteries (Various types accepted) and one tray for another for the lithium battery that goes into the camera.<br>

I just came back from Botswana, Africa and I used 6 lithium AA batteries in the MB D12 for my D 800E over 9 days in Botswana. Each day I shot about two 32 GB cards of raw images and those 6 lithium AA batteries never needed to be changed and the lithium battery in the camera was never used as best as I could tell.<br>

I usually use rechargeable AA batteries but I left them and their chargers at home to save weight and bulk in my bags. <br>

I love Nikon's battery backs. </p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

<p> </p>

[erik_christensen3]

<p>You do not require to take the battery out of camera for using the grip on any of the Nikon cameras.<br>

I am normally using car when travelling and bring along 3 batteries for my D700 and D810 respectivel, and the spare is charged in the car during driving, and I could definitely not use the camera body as charger, as I am properly stopping 4-5 times per hour to take photos. </p>

[daniel_smithson]

<p>I can not bring my car into the woods where the animals are, I typically hike 5 to 10 miles per day. At any rate taking this part on and off every day, will wear out the connectors, it's a bad design. as for car charging, if there was a power port on the camera, you could charge that as well while you drove. Like I can do with my Sony Camcorder.</p>

[joseph_smith3]

<p>Daniel, I almost never take my MB D12 off my d800E. I do remoive the battery tray so I can access the batteries for recharging. I never have had an issue with Nikon MB D xx on my various Nikon bodies. </p>

<p>Joe</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>D.S. If you have only one battery at a time in use, put that battery in to the grip.<br>

When that battery goes low, replace with a new fresh one. After a day charge batteries. Nothing to complain about.</p>

<p>If you want to have a battery BOTH in the camera and in the battery grip, then set your camera to use the battery grip first. The Nikon camera is able to automatically change to the camera battery after the grip battery has been exhausted. The Nikon camera changes to the camera battery even while you are changing the grip battery and continues to use the the grip battery after the change to a fresh one is done.</p>

<p>Usually after a day, you just recharge the battery in the grip. Or batteries that you have been using in the grip<br>

I'd say this is good design :-)</p>

<p>Yes there is a wear when taking the battery grip away and putting it back again, but the wear is of the same level like wear caused by a lens change. I have not been worrying too much about wear by lens changes.<br>

:-)</p>