Is a Grip Helpfull

[Jcas]

Apart from spare battery power does a grip help with stability?

To me they look rather cumbersome, but i find there are times when one can't use a tripod and wondered if these would help with stability.

[I @ M]

I don't think they add to stability on a tripod much at all Julie, if you are fitting your camera + grip to a tripod they raise the centre of gravity of the camera and that isn't a good thing.

But when hand holding ---- a grip that has the cameras controls, shutter button, shutter speed dial, aperture dial and autofocus button incorporated in my opinion makes the camera much easier easier and accurate to use as your hands are gripping the camera in vertical orientation in the same places relative to your body as when you are holding it in horizontal orientation.
So I guess it may add to stability when you are hand holding the camera.

I love mine for the above reasons + the D200 is a battery killer extrordinare.

[yummymummy]

Thanks for posting this, I've actually been wondering this myself. I had a look at Julie-Annes camera and Phils camera at the QLD meet and have since decided that it looks much more comfy taking photos with it on there when you are taking photos with the camera on the side

[Harves]

I agree with Andrew, the battery grip is great for hand held shooting, but I tend to take mine off when using a tripod, could get too much camera shake.

[Cris]

Another vote for the grip, even though it adds weight, the camera just sits better in your hand, feels more stable especially when hand holding longer lenses, plus the extra controls when shooting in portrait mode are great.
Cris

[jev]

I tend to take mine off when using a tripod, could get too much camera shake.

As always, it pretty much depends...

Long lenses mount on a collar, not on the camera - thus they don't add to the height of the construction. With long lenses, the weight distribution often is much better with a grip attached, handheld but on a tripod too. That weight distribution is important - if you ever tried mounting the camera body on a tripod with a 70-200/2.8 attached to it you know you will end up with creep - the camera will tilt forward and there seems no way to stop it doing so.

With shorter lenses, one would indeed often attach the tripod directly to the camera and yes, than instability might be more of an issue.

Handheld it is a no-brainer (at least to me ): always with a grip. All my SLR's have grips and they hardly ever come off...

[smorter]

Also keep in mind that grips cost money. This is money that can be saved up and spent on things like L lenses and stuff. It's important to also note the opportunity cost of purchases of peripherals.

I personally only have a grip for my 400D (which I never use anymore) because I got it for very cheap ($90) brand new when the 400D was discontinued, and more significantly because I wanted to use a E1 handstrap I had. But I haven't used money on grips for any of my other cameras and with the savings I've managed to pick up some other nice accessories (like a 580EXII from the money saved on a grip for the 5D2)