Is a battery grip an essential accessory?

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maccaman

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I have a Canon 70D, flash unit, remote shutter release, and some reasonable lenses. Is a battery grip an essential accessory, and if so, are non-Canon grips any good? What other accessories should I be looking at?
I am really just a hobbyist, doing more still photography, but also looking to start using the camera a lot more for video shooting.
 
In my opinion, no, a battery grip isn't essential, but that depends on your grip style and number of hours you'll be photographing for.

I actually think people just like battery grips because they bulk-up entry-level DSLRs and make them look a bit more like their expensive top-end cousins.

I'd personally prefer just carrying a spare battery around in my camera bag and switching it out when the time came, rather than having the added bulk of a battery grip at all times ... the real benefit of the grip is if you're shooting in portrait mode a lot.

As a hobbyist I say don't bother getting it yet - wait to see if you're constantly running into grip issues and running out of battery life. If you DO buy, rather consider buying an extra battery, and always buy OEM rather than third-party if you can afford the premium (the quality is just at a different level usually).
 
Thanks for the response, makes a lot of sense. Are there any other accessories I should consider? I have a friend in the US coming down soon, so have the opportunity to order online with free shipping and he will bring with him.
 
You haven't said you have a tripod, so a decent Manfrotto tripod with a quick-release head is a great investment for night and slow-motion photography (you can just start off with the Compact series for R1 000 at Dion Wired).

Another of the best (and cheapest) investments you'll make in photography is a simple UV filter for all of your lenses - really this is just to protect them from scratches, and it will greatly prolong the life of your kit.

If you only have one of the entry-level flashes, maybe go for a decent Canon 430 EX II flash (expensive but so worth it when you can bounce light off white ceilings)?

For the rest of it don't worry ... kit only gets you so far, the rest is pure practice and getting inspired by other photographers' work.
 
I've always been partial to grips, especially on the smaller bodies, for the added comfort.

Having 2x batteries is always nice as is the ability to use AA's in a pinch. If you shoot in portrait orientation then justifying one becomes very easy. :)
 
Thanks for the great advice, I will certainly look into these options.
 
maccaman said:
Thanks for the response, makes a lot of sense. Are there any other accessories I should consider? I have a friend in the US coming down soon, so have the opportunity to order online with free shipping and he will bring with him.
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Do you have lens hoods for all of your lenses? Unlike UV filters they actually improve your image quality and, as a bonus, protect the front element. Win-Win.
 
bwana said:
Do you have lens hoods for all of your lenses? Unlike UV filters they actually improve your image quality and, as a bonus, protect the front element. Win-Win.
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I have hoods for some lenses, will put that on the shopping list for the other lenses.
 
maccaman said:
I have hoods for some lenses, will put that on the shopping list for the other lenses.
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Get the hoods - then you can use the UV filters as coasters - nobody likes rings on their furniture. :)
 
bwana said:
Get the hoods - then you can use the UV filters as coasters - nobody likes rings on their furniture. :)
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LOL. Speaking of filters, would you recommend ND filters? I've only read a little about them, but never tried them. Would these "graduate" beyond a use as coasters? :)
 
maccaman said:
LOL. Speaking of filters, would you recommend ND filters? I've only read a little about them, but never tried them. Would these "graduate" beyond a use as coasters? :)
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ND filters serve a genuine purpose as do CPLs. Do you have any of them yet?
 
I've found my hand gets quite sore holding a medium sized body with a heavish lens and less so when using the grip. On a lighter lens there's no need.
 
maccaman said:
No, I don't. What you recommend as a starting option? Any specific types/brands?
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CPLs can be a good choice - depending on what sort of photography you're into. They're also one of those filters you simply cannot accurately replicate in Photoshop.
 
bwana said:
CPLs can be a good choice - depending on what sort of photography you're into. They're also one of those filters you simply cannot accurately replicate in Photoshop.
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Also going on the shopping list, thanks for all the advice!
 
If you're using a lens hood, you just have to be careful about shooting wide-angle with flash ... you're most likely going to see some decidedly unattractive flash shadow areas resulting from the hood.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
If you're using a lens hood, you just have to be careful about shooting wide-angle with flash ... you're most likely going to see some decidedly unattractive flash shadow areas resulting from the hood.
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Thanks for all the great advice!
 
maccaman said:
Thanks for all the great advice!
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Lol, 'advice' that like is normally quickly forgotten and remembered sadly only after you review a couple of your priceless photos and see that they're ruined with the sort of flash shadows no amount of editing will ever get to look natural again. You tend to steer away from hoods after that.

I think for me the real thing against using hoods was just the camera can't fit into a small camera bag easily with a hood, whereas if you've just got a filter on the front there's no space limitations. Having to physically clip on a hood before getting into the action is just something that used to frustrate me, because back as a journalist I wouldn't want to be distracted by a check-list of things to prep my gear. I just wanted it to *work*.

Shoot a lot outdoors with telephotos though, and your mileage will vary ... that's where hoods are crucial.
 
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Foxhound5366 said:
Lol, 'advice' that like is normally quickly forgotten and remembered sadly only after you review a couple of your priceless photos and see that they're ruined with the sort of flash shadows no amount of editing will ever get to look natural again. You tend to steer away from hoods after that.

I think for me the real thing against using hoods was just the camera can't fit into a small camera bag easily with a hood, whereas if you've just got a filter on the front there's no space limitations. Having to physically clip on a hood before getting into the action is just something that used to frustrate me, because back as a journalist I wouldn't want to be distracted by a check-list of things to prep my gear. I just wanted it to *work*.

Shoot a lot outdoors with telephotos though, and your mileage will vary ... that's where hoods are crucial.
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Perhaps a stupid question, but are the different shaped hoods used for different types of lenses/purposes? Is there any significance to the shape?
 
maccaman said:
Perhaps a stupid question, but are the different shaped hoods used for different types of lenses/purposes? Is there any significance to the shape?
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I think all telephoto lenses come with hoods as standard, and most quality shorter lenses as well. If you're going for aftermarket hoods the hood design is specified by the angle of view that specific lens produces (i.e. you wouldn't want to end up actually seeing the hood through the lens).

Something I've found plenty effective is just using my hand to block out the sun if I spot some lens flare from a specific angle I need ... you get more flexibility over positioning (your hand can be further away from the lens than a hood will be = more relative coverage), and it's cheap ;)
 
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