Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip for D7000

Comments about Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip for D7000:

Gives the D7000 extra staying power! fantastic to go with the twin sd cards...slots Also helps the feel of the camera on it! Makes it feel like a Pro

Comments about Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip for D7000:

The first battery grip I bought was for my Nikon D5000. The main reason being that I was using a GPS accessory which takes a lot of extra battery power and having more batteries on board seemed like a good idea. In practice I found the battery drain from the GPS was not too bad but also found the grip made the camera a lot easier to use so soon after buying the D7000 I decided that a grip was a must have purchase.

The D5000 grip was a Chinese knock off and although it worked OK I always felt that I needed to be careful not to break it so when I bought a D7000 I looked at the genuine Nikon version. Pricey but I thought I had just spent a grand on a camera so why spoil it and screw on some Chinese plastic. The genuine grip is, like the camera, magnesium alloy.

The grip fitting on the D7000 is totally different to the D5000. Instead of fitting into the camera's battery compartment (with the door removed) the D7000 grip just bolts on the camera base. A multi pin socket in the camera base connects power as well as connecting to the dedicated controls on the grip.

This design change is a bit of a mixed blessing. it does mean that a battery can be left in the camera so it is not necessary to waste time replacing the camera's battery door and fitting a battery if the grip is removed. The downside is that the grip only takes one battery so that although there are still two batteries available it is necessary to remove the grip every time the one in the camera needs charging.

As noted on another review the grip does come with an AA battery insert which I have used with rechargeable batteries and it is also possible to get a dedicated high capacity battery that fits the grip. Although the AA holder is useful for disposable batteries in an emergency, to rely on either rechargeable AAs or the high capacity battery means carting extra chargers around. I have found the best way of working is to try to only use the grip battery and recharge before it becomes exhausted and just keep the battery in the camera as a "just in case" backup.

Overall I am very happy with my purchase and highly recommend it to anyone, who like me, has gorilla sized hands.

Comments about Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip for D7000:

This grip is supremely comfortable if you are like me and you have big hands. It adds very little weight to the camera unless you put in a battery. The description about this product does not say it includes an AA battery holder, and it does!. This is great because if you need extra power you can buy AA batteries all around the world and you can keep shooting, it also includes a holder for the standard EL15 battery. It improves the overall handling and even my wife with small hands likes the extra grip and controls for portrait shooting, but if you have big hands buy it now!