battery grip
Posted 01/02/2011 - 21:05
Link
I think they amount to the same as the ones for the K-7 which I have.
I got the one with the metal locating pins. It fits well and looks and feels close to the body in finish. The switches and particularly the wheels feel lighter and a bit tinny.
The genuine article would be better but if budget is a serious issue, then china was 1/3 the price
cheers
Pete
I got the one with the metal locating pins. It fits well and looks and feels close to the body in finish. The switches and particularly the wheels feel lighter and a bit tinny.
The genuine article would be better but if budget is a serious issue, then china was 1/3 the price
cheers
Pete
K-1 K-01 Q-7
some len
Close to the Edge
Down by the River
some len
Close to the Edge
Down by the River
Posted 01/02/2011 - 23:59
Link
I have just bought one from amazon for £42, it has the metal pins etc and works really well, it does feel a little cheap on the buttons but for the price i cant complain, spending 225 after just shelling out for the camera would of hurt, but £42 is easier to swallow
Pentax K-5
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
DA 18-55mm AL WR DAL 50-200mm Tamron 70-300mm, Auto Chinon 28mm 2.8. sigma 30mm 1.4 DC
Metz 48 af-1
Flickr
Posted 02/02/2011 - 07:43
Link
I have the original because if I spend £1200+ for a K-5 plus WR Lenses I was not prepared to break the weather sealing with a cheap knock of grip plus I got £120 cash back anyway so that was only an extra £80 at the time (also, I have to admit that I was thinking about a third party one briefly at the time).
The third party ones seem to have gone up in price by now (and that has nothing to do with the extra 2.5%VAT) as they used to be around the £30 mark but where advertised only for the K-7.
As soon as they added the K-5 to the fit in the advertising for it, the grip gone up by £20-£30 as well.
SRS had an original a few weeks ago for £169 (second hand).
I had a third party grip on the GX-10 (K10D) and it was a pain. The Buttons where loose and the switches where to easy to move so you could switch it on/off by accident. The wheel was 'wobbly' and was almost 'free running'. The fit was 'just there' and obviously no weather sealing.
I know there are some better ones out there, but they tend to cost more as well.
In my eyes there is no substitute for the original grip.
This is purely my opinion
The third party ones seem to have gone up in price by now (and that has nothing to do with the extra 2.5%VAT) as they used to be around the £30 mark but where advertised only for the K-7.
As soon as they added the K-5 to the fit in the advertising for it, the grip gone up by £20-£30 as well.
SRS had an original a few weeks ago for £169 (second hand).
I had a third party grip on the GX-10 (K10D) and it was a pain. The Buttons where loose and the switches where to easy to move so you could switch it on/off by accident. The wheel was 'wobbly' and was almost 'free running'. The fit was 'just there' and obviously no weather sealing.
I know there are some better ones out there, but they tend to cost more as well.
In my eyes there is no substitute for the original grip.
This is purely my opinion
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 09:34 - Helpful Comment
Link
I got a third party cheapy (with metal pins) off ebay about a month ago for under £35 (can't recall the exact amount).
I can concur with most of the above - while the buttons and build aren't (I assume - not having seen one) up to the original, it's actually pretty solid and fits the camera well. If it's raining then I won't use the grip - I don't envisage using it much in any case - my biggest lens is a Sigma 50-150, and the camera handles fine without the grip.
The most attractive thing for me about a grip is probably the ability to run the camera off AAs if so desired. While I might use it occasionally for the extra heft, on balance I think I'll generally stick with the discreet size, but excellent handling, of the K5 on its own.
I can concur with most of the above - while the buttons and build aren't (I assume - not having seen one) up to the original, it's actually pretty solid and fits the camera well. If it's raining then I won't use the grip - I don't envisage using it much in any case - my biggest lens is a Sigma 50-150, and the camera handles fine without the grip.
The most attractive thing for me about a grip is probably the ability to run the camera off AAs if so desired. While I might use it occasionally for the extra heft, on balance I think I'll generally stick with the discreet size, but excellent handling, of the K5 on its own.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 09:50 - Helpful Comment
Link
I would be reluctant to use a cheap grip on a £1000 camera.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 10:35
Link
mille19 wrote:
I would be reluctant to use a cheap grip on a £1000 camera.
That makes two of us (or in the case of my K20, a £600 one).
I would be reluctant to use a cheap grip on a £1000 camera.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 10:37 - Helpful Comment
Link
It's obviously very tempting at the price, especially when new grips are over £200.
My preferred option was keeping a beady eye on eBay for 2nd hand ones and managed to pick one up a few months ago for £100 which went straight on the K-5 as I took it out of the box on Monday.!
My preferred option was keeping a beady eye on eBay for 2nd hand ones and managed to pick one up a few months ago for £100 which went straight on the K-5 as I took it out of the box on Monday.!
Posted 02/02/2011 - 11:02 - Helpful Comment
Link
Oggy wrote:
I believe its three of us as I too said in my post that I would take the original any time over the third party onemille19 wrote:
I would be reluctant to use a cheap grip on a £1000 camera.
That makes two of us (or in the case of my K20, a £600 one).I would be reluctant to use a cheap grip on a £1000 camera.
Unlocker wrote:
It's obviously very tempting at the price, especially when new grips are over £200.
My preferred option was keeping a beady eye on eBay for 2nd hand ones and managed to pick one up a few months ago for £100 which went straight on the K-5 as I took it out of the box on Monday.!
As said above, second hand one from SRS was £169. May be worth a shot to call them to see if they got one in?
It's obviously very tempting at the price, especially when new grips are over £200.
My preferred option was keeping a beady eye on eBay for 2nd hand ones and managed to pick one up a few months ago for £100 which went straight on the K-5 as I took it out of the box on Monday.!
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 16:51
Link
Out of interest, what am I risking when using a third party grip? Mine certainly fits firmly enough on the camera.
While I can imagine that if you are someone who always uses a grip the original might be worth the investment, for occasional users my impression is that decent copies will suffice.
While I can imagine that if you are someone who always uses a grip the original might be worth the investment, for occasional users my impression is that decent copies will suffice.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 17:14
Link
Dr. Mhuni wrote:
Out of interest, what am I risking when using a third party grip? Mine certainly fits firmly enough on the camera.
While I can imagine that if you are someone who always uses a grip the original might be worth the investment, for occasional users my impression is that decent copies will suffice.
Honestly, my grip never comes off as I got quite large hands and the K-5 would be to small for me without it.Out of interest, what am I risking when using a third party grip? Mine certainly fits firmly enough on the camera.
While I can imagine that if you are someone who always uses a grip the original might be worth the investment, for occasional users my impression is that decent copies will suffice.
I am not sure about the K-5 third party grip, but one thing is for sure it has no weather sealing so you may shorten your contacts from the grip to the camera if you are in a moist/misty atmosphere. But I am only guessing here as I can not be sure. Someone else may be able to answer this one.
As for the third party that I had on my GX-10 (K10D) see my above 'review'. That put me off third party grips, but there may be some better ones out there.
For me it is the sealing and the build quality. Why chicken out on about £150 (difference between third party and Pentax one, also there are some cheaper ones out there) plus I had the £120 Cash back so at the end I really did not pay this much and if I can buy a Camera for £1200+ I will know if I need the grip and calculate that in the whole price in.
For a camera of £300 or so I would buy a third party one but with the K-5 and the weather sealing why should I compromise on that one.
I buy Hoya Filters that cost £20+ each and at the end it is similar to it. I get quality. I bought some cheap ND Filters but I replace them one by one. Can I see it, I am not sure as I have not made a side by side comparison but I be sure that I have proper photographic lenses in the filter where the cheap ones may just be window glass.
I may be right I may be wrong., I don't know.
Someone soon will tell me.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Posted 02/02/2011 - 17:49
Link
I too have a third party grip. I love it. When it is attached to the camera, it looks exactly like it was made with the camera. It works fantastic, and came with two genuine Pentax battery for around $40 Canadian. Like Dr Mhuni, I feel like I am risking nothing. I am pretty happy.
My son lives in China, and he explains to me how easy it is for the Chinese people to make "knock-offs" of products. He tells me that many times they will use the same material, put it together using the same quality technology, and because they have no middle man selling it for them, they sell it at cost.
I find my battery grip sturdy, feels like a nice quality material. Most important it fits perfectly....no issues at all. I have also bought lens caps....lens hoods....soft camera covers...battery chargers....filters...and other fun stuff, all from the chinese e Bay market, except for some long shipping times....everything has been wonderful....Oh! except for the remote I bought, all the directions were in Chinese!!!Ops:shockIt's okay I figured it out by trial and error:roll
Here are som Pics:
My son lives in China, and he explains to me how easy it is for the Chinese people to make "knock-offs" of products. He tells me that many times they will use the same material, put it together using the same quality technology, and because they have no middle man selling it for them, they sell it at cost.
I find my battery grip sturdy, feels like a nice quality material. Most important it fits perfectly....no issues at all. I have also bought lens caps....lens hoods....soft camera covers...battery chargers....filters...and other fun stuff, all from the chinese e Bay market, except for some long shipping times....everything has been wonderful....Oh! except for the remote I bought, all the directions were in Chinese!!!Ops:shockIt's okay I figured it out by trial and error:roll
Here are som Pics:
Posted 02/02/2011 - 17:52
Link
I got mine the other day, along with two spare batteries... now for the K5 to turn up. Need to order a recorder and a couple of 32GB SDHC cards and then I'm done.
Bret
Bret
my pics: link
my kit: K3, K5, K-01, DA 18-55, D-FA50 macro, Siggy 30/1.4, 100-300/f4, 70-200/2.8, Samsung 12-24/f4, Tamron 17-50, and lots of other bits.
my kit: K3, K5, K-01, DA 18-55, D-FA50 macro, Siggy 30/1.4, 100-300/f4, 70-200/2.8, Samsung 12-24/f4, Tamron 17-50, and lots of other bits.
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
586 posts
15 years
nantwich
thanks Peter