( 57 reviews )
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Posted: Jul 13 2009
Other then the forearm workout from the added weight, it really does the job. The battery life is amazing :)
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Posted: Jun 17 2009
Simply put, this is permanently attached to my D90. Is it perfect? No. The build quality could be a bit better. But it's still perfectly acceptable. The grip just makes life easier. And it's the best option out there for the D80/D90. That's why I gave it 5 stars.
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Posted: May 26 2009
While I admire much of what Canon offers in their SLR system, one of the key reasons I chose Nikon over them is the larger grips that D80/90 cameras have compared to the Rebels. That being said, the grip that comes built in with these cameras is a bit lacking when it comes to portrait mode shots, and that's where this comes in! The MB-D80 makes the D90 easier for me to hold in both portrait and landscape orientations, and enhances the balance when using larger lenses. The grip not only provides a place to grab the camera, but also replicates the controls that are available on the built-in grip: two control wheels, AE lock, and a shutter. I've used 3rd party grips for my D70s, which only have the shutter, and I really missed the wheels and AE lock. You can turn these off if you'd like (dial around shutter release). The D90 also lets you define what function the AE lock button on the grip performs (separate from the one on the body). All in all, its a huge plus! The grip also lets you use two batteries (only one required), which could be a big plus if you use live view or video much, and the D90 shows you the battery life of each individually. You can also use AA batteries, which spec out as lasting longer than the two EN-EL3e if you use NiMH batteries (assuming they're freshly charged and its not oddly cold out). This can be handy, as one can travel with a bunch of AAs for the camera and a flash and not have to take a charger/batteries for the camera. You can also pick up disposable AA batteries anywhere. I do wish that the latch mechanism for the battery door on the grip were better designed, however. **July 2009 Update** I still love the grip for it's added size and controls, but I've noticed that operation with either one or two EN-EL3e batteries is less than ideal. The grip if mounted tightly (which I see as the only way to mount it), can have a poor connection with the internal power terminals, notably the extra pin used by the EN-EL3e for remaining power. This causes the camera to intermittantly shut down when using these batteries. Using AA batteries hasn't lead to any such problems. This is a known issue, and there are workarounds (a $1000 camera/grip purchase should never require these), but for now I'm sticking with using 6 of Sanyo Eneloop 8 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries. Because of this issue, I'd give this a 4 star rating if I could change things.
