Nikon MB-D200 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the D200 Digital Camera (Retail Packaging) by Nikon
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Our Price: $204.67 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Nikon MB-D200 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the D200 Digital Camera (Retail Packaging)
Digital camera Review: A little pricey, but worth it
Summary: 5 Stars
An awesome extension for the D200. It doubles the operating time, and adds extra grip options for the camera.Digital camera Review: A winner for all Nikonians
Summary: 5 Stars
I got my MB-D200 last fall and after more than 6 months of using it I should say that Nikon has created a winner yet again!!!
THE GOOD:
1. The ability to have 2 fully charged batteries while going out to the field gives you that extra peace of mind.
2. In addition Nikon has added a menu that will give the shooter a very good indication of the battery power remaining. I have been able to get more than 200 shots in a day starting out with 2 fully charged batteries in the MB-D200.
3. The weight increase is very minimal and in fact the meager increase in weight enables the shooter to balance the camera better.
4. It was very thoughtful of Nikon to add the shutter release buttons for taking portrait shots and the main and sub command dials, to the MB-D200. I find myself using these controls quite frequently. If the user had to revert to the controls on the camera it would have been quite frustrating IMHO.
5. If you are a nature/landscape/wildlife photographer, you can carry additional AA batteries with you in the field and rest assured that you won't miss out on the "Kodak moment" due to a drained battery.
Some suggestions for improvement:
1. The first thing I noticed was the latch on the battery compartment. It feels quite flimsy and I wish Nikon had done a better job on this. A latch along the lines of the one found on the camera to release the door for the compact flash card would have been solid IMHO.
2. Though I mentioned that you can use AA batteries (you will need 6 of them), they can drain out amazingly fast, depending on the type of lens (with or without VR), depending on whether you are using the in-built or external flash and other variables. So you will need quite a few AA batteries if you ever have to rely on them in the field. To overcome this problem I am thinking about purchasing 2 more EN-EL3e batteries as I have found that they have impressive battery life once fully charged.
Hope that this review was useful to you! Thanks for reading!
Update as of 12/29/07: For those users who are thinking that this can be used with the new model, Nikon D300, please note that the MB-D200 *will not* work with the D300. The D300 comes with its own MB-D10 which is different in construction from the D200. This is just a note of caution in case you are planning/contemplating purchasing this for the D300.
Thanks!
Digital camera Review: Aaah... makes shooting verticals MUCH easier
Summary: 4 Stars
I've always hated how cumbersome it is to shoot verticals with 35mm and digital: having to contort one's arm over the head, twist the wrist, etc. This pretty much solves that problem. Granted, it is difficult to reach the thumb pad on the camera, but at least you can use the AF-On button and the front wheel to change focus areas. Build quality? I figure Nikon went with plastic to minimize weight and cost. I wish the latch on the battery door were a bit more robust, however.
It changes the balance of the camera, making it feel much more 'centered', especially with my goto lens, the 18-200mm VR. It also is much better balanced with my SB-600 flash attached.
Overall, I'd say this is a 'must have', probably the second accessory you should get after a flash unit. Oh yes, it also tends to command R-E-S-P-E-C-T from people, be that good or bad...
Digital camera Review: Battery Pack
Summary: 5 Stars
This accessory is great. You have the advantage of using the battery pack or 6 AA batteries. It holds two battery packs and switches from one to the other as needed. If you are out and about and can't charge the packs, you can use AA batteries!Digital camera Review: Battery Pack Grip Wiggle Fix-MB-D200
Summary: 4 Stars
Carl wrote about the stability of the MB-200, and I must agree. It has pushed me to the point of creating a fix for mine. What we cannot see is that very little of the two pieces are actually touching each other when mated. Only the soft rubber tri-mount pad and the edge lips on the pack create the bond...and not well either. Just enough to fool the eye. No wonder it wiggles! Yes on terrible engineering. Forget that it's inexpensive...it can still be plastic and firm if the pieces mate properly. That's what got to me.
Here's what I did....quick, simple, and eliminated almost all wobble. I cut an oversized template of the MB-D200 pack out of one layer of a zip-loc bag, cut away the shape of the insertion post so the template would slide over it, notched an area for the screw to access the camera and a tiny one for the alignment pin. I then fired up the hot glue gun and made sure I had everything ready to go...as hot glue does not give one too long in soft state. I then applied a reasonable amount of glue around the perimeter of the edge lip and filled in the open flat areas of hard plastic beside the rubber mount. As soon as you've applied enough glue, slide the plastic template down onto the base, making sure the screw post sticks through, then firmly screw it onto the camera. Allow it to cool thoroughly (I did 20 mins) and separate the two. The plastic bag film pulls right off and you've created the part the engineers left out. Too little glue...you can add more, too much glue...you can cut it away. Hot glue hardens to a rather hard plastic and certainly has improved my issue with the grip. The process took me about the same time as this review. Aside from the cooling time of course.
NOTE-Test your hot glue elsewhere to make sure it is firm when cold. There are different types, so make sure before going to the effort. Most are very firm when cured yet not completely rigid. That's what mine was like.
Why Nikon did not make a mated heat mold for these two will always befuddle me, but so will the D200 repair time of 48 days for a B1 low level fix. (Not related to my engineering feat here of course. Keep your D200 away from any heaters or hot cars.) My F5 could have survived 100 times what these Digis do. Be careful with the new Nikon digital Stuff!!!
Happy shooting!