With or without battery grip on K5?

Hi all,

I might need some opinions regarding the need of battery grip on my K5.

Now, the question is with or without battery grip on K5?:hmm:

Thanks.

Battery grip for K5! I guess a good starting point is why do you need one?

Then explore the +'s and -'s

+ Provides additional power for longer shooting periods

- Heavy
Cost

My opinion, buy a spare battery, less cost and less bulk. However, depends on what your needs are!

conclusion! Try before you buy.

+ gives more space to hold the camera different ways
+ balances bigger lenses


Mine is the cheap Ebay one, and sometimes I take it off as an experiment. With the Sigma 10-20, Tamron 17-50 or Samyang 85mm the camera is just easier to handle with the grip on. Those are all fairly fat but not long lenses. I'd say that using the camera with a very small lens there is a definite advantage with the no-grip approach.

I have a cheap third party grip, and find it is much more comfrotable to hold the camera. It feels more secure in the hand, without the grip I find my small finger falls below the camera sort of hanging in the air, so to speak.

I've never used a grip, even with huge lenses like the Bigma I have never felt the need for one. I just carry a spare battery or two with me.
I have big hands for a woman, but smaller hands than most men of course.

If you feel comfortable holding the camera as it is, then I wouldn't bother with one. If the camera feels small, or unbalanced then try it with a grip.
If you want a Pentax own brand one then find a shop which has them in stock and try it, or borrow one from a friend, or maybe even order one online and try it. If you don't like it return it quickly and get your money back.
Alternatively buy a third party grip cheaply so you haven't lost too much money if it turns out you hate it.

When I went from the K10D to K-7 the first thing I missed was the size of the K10D .. it just sat better in my hand whereas the K-7 was too small. One cheap Chinese grip later and I was happy again.

So much so I bought an original grip for the K-5 which is much better built than the Chinese.

+1

Like I said in the other forum. Look at it as a vertical grip, not battery grip.

If you just need extra juice, extra batteries will be much cheaper. It's the ergonomics and comfort when holding the camera in portrait modes that trump other things.

If you don't need weather sealing, knock-off Mao's grip will save a lot of money.

When I had my grip for my K20D/K10D I always held the camera in the regular way when in portrait mode.

I haven't bought a grip for my K-5s and always have spare batteries in the bumbag. Although I took 4,000 shots in the last big shoot and didn't need a battery change on either body. Impressed