Pentax 39687 Battery Grip BG3 (for K200D) (Retail Packaging) by Pentax
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Digital camera reviews of Pentax 39687 Battery Grip BG3 (for K200D) (Retail Packaging)
Digital camera Review: Battery grip for K200D
Summary: 5 Stars
Great item doubles battery life. You can choose to auto switch, use camera battery first, use grip battery first, or manual choice of battery in menu screen. Has vertical shutter release for portraits and vertical AE lock button. Also makes camera feel more balanced with longer lens.Digital camera Review: Caused my K200D to Freeze Up
Summary: 1 Stars
It's a great idea to have this which is why I bought it. Looks cool too. But, it caused my camera to freeze up. I had to take the batteries completely out of the camera after removing the grip just to get it to shut off. Pentax chat customer care was very helpful and helped me determine it was the grip that was the problem and not the camera. Regardless, the lithium batteries that came with the camera are still going and I'm around 2,000 shots taken already without this grip (which I returned). They still show on full charge. Amazing!! By the way, I LOVE the K200D!! Takes awesome shots! Saving up for the 18mm - 250mm Pentax zoom 3.5 - 6.5 lens.Digital camera Review: Extra battery carriage
Summary: 3 Stars
Clumsy big but works as advertised. They could have made it a lot less bulky. It gives you room for four AA batteries and also a shutter for the portrait mode.Digital camera Review: Gilding the K200 lilly
Summary: 4 Stars
The Pentax K200 has always been an extraordinarily complete camera at a ridiculously low 'entry-level' price. The BG3 makes it even nicer to handle - especially when taking portraits (for wedding photography it is a must) and the extra grip it affords is especially useful when using larger/heavier lenses. The additional batteries effectively double the camera's battery life (hardly necessary given that a set will last for around 700 frames) and the whole thing is weatherproofed like the camera body. It is as superbly finished as the K200 and add to its already professional appearance. This combination looks and feels comparable to the Canon, Nikon or Sony models two tiers up the range, at double the price!
My only gripe is that a replicated control dial on the back would have improved functionality.
Digital camera Review: Good Basic Vertical Grip
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered this because the price was too good though I wasn't sure how much I would use it. It has been on my camera 75% of the time since I got it. I do like it and will keep using it for many reasons, but mostly because of how good it makes the camera feel in my hand.
Pro's:
Improved Ergonomics, the K200D has great ergomomics to start with, this just adds to it. I REALLY like having a place for my pinky to grip the camera it just feels more solid.
Vertical/Portrait orientation shooting is a snap and doesn't crank on my wrist.
Increased battery capability, 4 more AA's really helps.
You look WAY more professional.
Con's:
No thumb wheel, for some reason I thought it had one, all it has is a power on/off slider like on the camera, shutter release and an AE-L button.
No Card storage slot like with the BG-2 for the K10/20D.
Not much texture to the surface, and thinner ridge for finger grip than I would like.
Makes the camera quite bulky.
Summary: This grip improves handling, and battery power, but lacks thumb wheel and other control buttons. As the only grip for this camera it is sufficient but very plain and lacking advanced control buttons, it also does increase the size substantially. It is a "buy" but not a "Have to Have" accessory.