Steve Perry Article on the New D7500

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Steve Perry said:
The next omission will be of greater concern – it appears there is no option for a vertical grip.
Ouch!!!

I'd already read rumors to this effect but I'm considering this confirmation. That Nikon would fail to support such a popular accessory boggles my mind.
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pforsell

Senior Member
I've yet to encounter a vertical grip that felt right. They make the camera too heavy and bulky and the ergonomics of the gripped camera is wrong. A gripped D800 for example feels like a pregnant cow when compared to the agility of the greyhound-like D4 body.

Because the grip is a bolted-on piggyback the weak joint has too much give on tripod with a heavy lens like 14-24/2.8. With long lenses this doesn't matter because the lens is on the gimbal, not the camera.

I rather carry the extra battery in my pants pocket than in the grip. This way I don't have to carry the grip at all.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I've yet to encounter a vertical grip that felt right. They make the camera too heavy and bulky and the ergonomics of the gripped camera is wrong. A gripped D800 for example feels like a pregnant cow when compared to the agility of the greyhound-like D4 body.

Because the grip is a bolted-on piggyback the weak joint has too much give on tripod with a heavy lens like 14-24/2.8. With long lenses this doesn't matter because the lens is on the gimbal, not the camera.

I rather carry the extra battery in my pants pocket than in the grip. This way I don't have to carry the grip at all.
The main thing with grip is the vertical grip. For someone who does a lot of portrait work or fashion, the vertical grip is essential.
The other advantage it gives any camera is a bit more stability (because of increased inertia) that makes it possible to use slower shutter speeds with LESS chance of camera movement induced blur. I feel I got sharper shots with my D810 with the grip, specially when I use my older Ais lenses or other lenses that don't have the VR.
 

pforsell

Senior Member
The main thing with grip is the vertical grip. For someone who does a lot of portrait work or fashion, the vertical grip is essential.
The other advantage it gives any camera is a bit more stability (because of increased inertia) that makes it possible to use slower shutter speeds with LESS chance of camera movement induced blur. I feel I got sharper shots with my D810 with the grip, specially when I use my older Ais lenses or other lenses that don't have the VR.

I know the benefits of a vertical grip and I agree. If the grip is integrated. The vertical shutter is the reason why I prefer a full size body over a half size. But it is the bolt-on grips that I don't like at all. Well, the slimline MB-21 grip for the F4 was okayish, but not the fat MB-23 which was the predecessor to the current grips. And yes, that was F4 not D4. :)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I know the benefits of a vertical grip and I agree. If the grip is integrated. The vertical shutter is the reason why I prefer a full size body over a half size. But it is the bolt-on grips that I don't like at all. Well, the slimline MB-21 grip for the F4 was okayish, but not the fat MB-23 which was the predecessor to the current grips. And yes, that was F4 not D4. :)
Congratulations on having shot an F4 like so many of us. And regardless of how you feel about "bolt on" battery-grips personally, the fact remains those battery-grips are a hugely popular accessory Nikon has decided to remove from the equation. In short, the tail should not attempt to wag the dog.
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jay_dean

Senior Member
I've yet to encounter a vertical grip that felt right. They make the camera too heavy and bulky and the ergonomics of the gripped camera is wrong. A gripped D800 for example feels like a pregnant cow when compared to the agility of the greyhound-like D4 body.

Because the grip is a bolted-on piggyback the weak joint has too much give on tripod with a heavy lens like 14-24/2.8. With long lenses this doesn't matter because the lens is on the gimbal, not the camera.

I rather carry the extra battery in my pants pocket than in the grip. This way I don't have to carry the grip at all.
I sit in the other camp. I think grips make all cameras feel balanced, whether they're bolted on or integral. A camera without a grip is like a car without wheels imo;)
 

pforsell

Senior Member
Congratulations on having shot an F4 like so many of us. And regardless of how you feel about "bolt on" battery-grips personally, the fact remains those battery-grips are a hugely popular accessory Nikon has decided to remove from the equation. In short, the tail should not attempt to wag the dog.
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Perhaps the grips haven't been so hugely succesful after all? I doubt that in current financial turmoil Nikon would leave $300-500 a pop on the table voluntarily. Do you have actual sales numbers to demonstrate the 'huge success'?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Perhaps the grips haven't been so hugely succesful after all? I doubt that in current financial turmoil Nikon would leave $300-500 a pop on the table voluntarily. Do you have actual sales numbers to demonstrate the 'huge success'?
It appears self-evident having worked as the department manager of a rather large visual arts department of a college for almost 20 years where I've worked with hundreds of full-time professionals and semi-professionals as well as thousands of student photographers of varying levels of skill. So yeah, based on those two decades of exposure I feel confident in calling battery grips a hugely popular accessory.

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Samo

Senior Member
For about two years now I have been helping out at the local photography school and I have seen exactly one gripped camera out of maybe 200 to 300 - one of the instructor's cameras. It makes me wonder if the D7500 is not going to be the new entry level offering.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Sales numbers would surely be more neutral than anecdotal evidence prone to confirmation bias?
I don't think it's an extraordinary claim to begin with.

But in further evidence in support of my theory I could point to how much Nikon charges for a battery grip. Do you really think they could move a single battery grip for $400 if they WEREN'T hugely popular? Price reflects what the market will bear and all that. Not too mention third-party support for cameras that have an OEM grip option but even more so for those bodies that don't, such as the 5xxx series bodies. You can't get a Nikon grip for those bodies, but you can from companies like Pixel Vertax who have to build those grips, essentially, from scratch. Companies don't do that if there's not support for the product.
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pforsell

Senior Member
I don't think it's an extraordinary claim to begin with...
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Since you don't have any sales numbers, all this is conjecture based on personal opinion. Just for fun I looked at the used D7100 on sale in ebay.co.uk, ebay.de, benl.ebay.be, ebay.fr and ebay.es There are 116 used D7100 on sale in Europe and three of those have the grip. Yes, the sample is limited both in size and temporal scope and proves nothing, but makes the "huge success" sound a little hollow.
 

Leif

Senior Member
I don't think it's an extraordinary claim to begin with.

But in further evidence in support of my theory I could point to how much Nikon charges for a battery grip. Do you really think they could move a single battery grip for $400 if they WEREN'T hugely popular?
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I have absolutely no idea how many Nikon sells, but many Nikon accessories are VERY expensive for what they are, and sell in low quantities, such as the optical right angle finder (now largely obsolete), the close up lenses, the ES1 copy attachment and so on. I suspect third party grips massively outsell Nikon ones, but I have zero evidence for that opinion.
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Quote from Steve Perry article, "However, if your action work tends to happen on a more casual basis, the D7200 could be the better choice – and it’s $250 cheaper." Thank you Steve. That is exactly what I have been saying.
 

Ironwood

Senior Member
Isn't that picey for entry level?


Thanks, I thought maybe I was out of touch.
No, I think you are right. This camera is way too expensive for an entry level camera, not many first time DSLR owners will stump up the dollars, they will go to Canon. Nikon would be crazy to try it.
If the current 3000 & 5000 cameras are to be the last in their lines, Nikon better bring out a mirrorless dslr to fill the gap at an entry level price point before they lose more market share.
 
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