5 Reasons to Use a Battery Grip on Your Camera

Photography Tips

Of all the accessories out there for our DSLRs, the battery grip is perhaps among the most neglected. Easily attaching to the camera body’s internal battery compartment, this handy little attachment has a number of useful functions that may surprise you. Photographer Miguel Quiles goes through just a few of them in the following short:

1. Improves camera ergonomics

The addition of the of a battery grip instantaneously makes cameras easier to hold vertically and provides better balance when using a larger lens. This is especially true for individuals with large hands who may struggle with getting a comfortable hold on smaller mirrorless cameras. Whats more, the design of most battery grips allows easy access to aperture and shutter speed controls, as well as custom buttons without overextending reach when shooting vertically.

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2. Extends battery life

As the name suggests, a battery grip’s primary utility is to provide supplementary battery life to your camera. Most grips can hold two batteries simultaneously, and as you might expect, double the battery storage space means double the battery life! Especially when working on long continuous shoots that span over multiple hours, it can be incredibly advantageous not to worry about running out of juice in the middle of a shoot.

3. Keeps you steadier in the field

Because battery grips are designed to improve your hold on the camera, getting a grip can actually improve steadiness and reduce shaking in your photographs when you’re shooting out in the field. When your hands are positioned in comfortable, natural positions, it becomes much easier to produce sharper, clearer images.

4. Makes for easy battery swap out

A battery grip is designed to extend you camera’s overall battery life. However, if you happen to find yourself in a situation where you need to swap out for fresh batteries, having a grip can be beneficial—especially when you’re attached to the tripod. It provides easy access to the battery tray without the need to disassemble your camera setup, allowing you to swap dead batteries for fresh ones in a matter of seconds.

5. Gives you a more professional look

Last but not least, appearance is important in the art industry. Although a battery grip won’t actually improve your camera’s functionality, it can add to your overall bulk and size. Potential customers can be turned off by the idea of their photographer using a product that isn’t top of the line, and a grip can create the illusion of a more “impressive” camera.

“I love using battery grips any time that I’m shooting, whether I’m in the studio or I’m shooting outdoors.”