Customer Reviews

Nikon MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D80 & D90 Digital SLR Camera (Retail Packaging)

5 star:		(87)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a very nice accessory for the D80 camera. The main deal with it is that you can either equip it with two D80 batteries, or you can use it to power your D80 with several AA batteries--a nice thing to be able to do in a pinch.

The MB-D80 is built from strong impact plastic of the same time of which the D80 is made. This makes it relatively light, which is nice. You can add this to the D80 without making your camera unduly heavy and unpleasant to carry. And having two batteries rather than one is nice when one is taking a lot of pictures in locales where it is not convenient to recharge one's batteries frequently. And I like the shape of the MB-D80--it provides a nice shape and heft that makes the D80 more nifty to hold. Portrait shooters will appreciate the extra command dials and the vertical shutter release.

The thing that I especially like about the MB-D80 is that it provides the D80 with metering for each battery; one can see precisely the status of the batteries in the D80 when using this grip.

Overall, many serious D80 photographers will enjoy and appreciate this fine accessory.

Update: I've been using the MB-D80 for about four months and recently bought the Nikkor 70-300 VR lens. I want to underscore what others have said about battery use: the D80 alone uses a lot of power, and the VR lens only increases the drain on the battery. The MB-D80 with two Nikon EN-EL3e batteries is really the only way to go if you want to be sure not to run out of juice while shooting. (Note: the MB-D80 does not come with a battery.) The unit completely runs down one battery before switching to the second, so you can pop the discharged battery out of the pack, put it in the charger if AC power is handy, and keep shooting on the second battery; the first battery will be charged in a couple of hours. If you manage to go through both Nikon batteries during a shoot you can pop in AA batteries with the extra holder included with the MB-D80.

As I mentioned in my review of the D80 itself, if you're accustomed to the pro Nikon cameras of old (F2 through F4) and are moving to digital by purchasing the D80, the new camera may seem too small and too light. Now this mostly applies to people with larger hands/longer fingers (like me); those with smaller hands will likely find the D80 just right. This logic applies to the MB-D80 as well: people with smaller hands should think twice about throwing an extra $135 into their investment (maybe put it toward a lens or filters) since the battery pack does increase the overall bulk of the body significantly---say between 25-30%.

If the above is not a concern, then the MB-D80 is well worth the money. It is well-made and conforms beautifully to the shape of the camera body. In fact, while using the camera without the battery pack I often felt that something was missing and that my right hand didn't have enough to grab onto. The MB-D80 solves this for me. Nikon replicates the shutter release and command dials on the vertical grip of the MB-D80 so that vertical shots (portrait shooters take note) are now almost as fluid as horizontal shots. It's sometimes easy to accidentally trip the second shutter release, but if this is a problem you can just switch it to the off position.

definitely a nice add-on to the d80, if you can justify the cost.
pros:
-despite being made of plastic, has a solid feel.
-adds weight, but balances out the camera, especially with a big lens.
-really helps with portrait (tall) orientation. i got this because too many of my shots were horizontal due to awkward ergonomics of changing orientation. now it feels more natural to flip the body 90 degrees and hit the grip shutter button.
-the grip is nice and grippy.
-lockable grip shutter (you need this) and AE-F/AE-L button
-command dial and sub-command dial
-runs on 2 batteries or 6 AA's. havent had a chance to check out the AA's, but two fully-charged el-e3e's means you can flash with confidence.
-works with d80's battery meter to give you accurate info on shots taken and battery strength.
-has tripod attachment plug on the bottom
-seamlessly integrates into camera body; removing the grip and taking out the AA carriage or inserting Li-ion batteries is painless.
-if you drop the camera on its bottom, it could cushion the fall. it's easier to replace a grip than a body, after all.

cons:
-increases the dslr bulk factor considerably. camera wont fit in nikon softcase with attached grip.
-cost. at still over $100, with no third-party alternative so far, it's yet another expenditure for a camera that wasnt cheap to begin with. if you don't already have an extra battery, you have to buy that too (but why wouldn't you want a backup battery?)unless you want to run it just off of AA's, which, unless you want to switch batteries every time you shoot, then means you have to spring for six ni-mh rechargeables and a charger for that, too...
- the grip shutter release button is entirely plastic and feels fragile, compared to the body's metal-reinforced shutter button. nikon should have sprung for a stronger part here. the button sits in a recessed groove, which is a nice touch, but moving it requires a hard twist. only time will tell if it holds up to field use. looks like this could be a design flaw, good thing it's covered by warranty.
-if you're not careful and remember to lock it, the grip shutter can trigger when you don't want it to. that's why there's a lock. this is more of an annoyance, really.
-the grip shutter has a highly-sensitive hair-trigger that's not as forgiving as the one on the camera and sometimes fires before you can compose the focus. another design flaw?
-the dial which locks the grip to the camera can loosen if you're not watching it
-the grippy rubber surface would be even better if it extended to the back of the grip.
-would have been better with a metal-composite body instead of TMP.

overall, probably less of a questionable purchase and more of a must-have for portrait shooters who take a lot of full-body shots, folks who use battery-draining VR lenses and/or external flashes a lot, people with big hands, and travelers who might not be able to recharge their li-ion batteries on a trip. also, it looks cool and "pro-style," but you might get tired of explaining to people it's not an autowinder.

Ok, i cant be happier with this grip. I just bought my D90 one month ago, i got the body only + 18-200mm VR2 and of course this grip.

The main advantages of this grip are:

1. You get a better hold of the camera, it helps you stabilize it when a tele, like my 18-200, if fully extended. It actually improves the handling and grip of the camera to a whole new level, you just put for hand palm below the lens and your wrist will function as a support below the grip... shakeless pictures of up to 1 second, wonderfull.
2. Shutter button feels more pro, it is very very different than the cameras button, it acts quicker and is way more responsive and sensitive.
3. Main and subdial comands... you now have them in the camera body and in the grip
4. One extra AE-L button... same as above, and this is great because now you can more freely costumize the in body AE-L button... wonderfull
5. Lock switcht to avoid accidental shutter trigger
6. Top quility product... never hesitate in getting OEM!!!
7. Full compatibility with my D90... battery meters work beatifull and precise, for both of them
8. What more convenient than beeing able to put in 6 AA batteries??? The tray for them comes with the grip
9. Last but not least... double shooting capacity, pretty!

Disadvantages

1. Increases camera weight considerably... but this is relative, now i like my D90 more because its more balanced with my 18-200. Since this is a review i wanted to point this out because it can get very heavy for girls or people with weak hands. My girlfriend didnt like the added weight and some friends of her too... and this can result in shaky pictures, trust me!!!
2. Size... and by size i mean portability and storage. I had a hard time findding a bag that would fit my D90 + grip without having to look at backpacks or slings.

All in all this is a must have for any D90 owner, it will increase the grip surface of the camera, will allow you to take portraits more easy, gives you the freedom of using 6 x AA, extra buttons, etc etc. I had the chance to play with other brand grips and trust me... the extra bucks are really worth up to the last penny!!!

If you are wondering about bags that will accomodate your griped D90:

a. NIkons: Nikon Digital & Film SLR System Case Gadget Bag for D3, D3x, D700, D300, D200, D90, D80, D60, D5000, D40x, D40, D3000 & D300s Cameras
b. Tamrac: Tamrac 5627 Pro 7 Digital Zoom Camera Bag (Black)
c. Tamrac: Tamrac 5630 Pro Digital Zoom 10 Case (Black)
d. Domke: Domke F-3X Super Compact Domke Ruggedwear Bag
e. Crumpler

The tamrac 5627 has the perfect size for this combo, D90+grip, take this as a reference and you will be ok with any similar or bigger bag.

I hope this review helped, if you want some pics just let me know and i can send you some including measurements.

This is a must have item if you dont want to worry about powering down in the middle of a shoot. The options the battery pack offers you are incrediable. If you use the two rechargeabel batteries you will not run out of power for at least 2000 shots or 3 to 4 weeks. If you do you can then use the battery crib that comes with it to replace the rechargables and you continue to shoot. I would give this item 10 stars if possible!

Well, it's useful. But it's certainly not up to Nikon standards.

First off, it feels cheap compared to the D80 body.

Second, the shutter release button is missing any sort of tactile indication at the pre-focus level.

Third, the "lock" switch is opposite in functionality to the on-off switch... counterclockwise to enable grip controls, whereas the on-off is clockwise to turn on camera.

It does, however handle two batteries, and provide a vertical grip. It's just too bad Nikon couldn't keep it at the same standards level as the actual camera it's paired with.

I recently upgraded from a D70 to D80, and one of my reasons for doing so was the availability of a battery grip for the D80. Though the grip does increase the bulkiness of the camera, it also improves the balance when using heavier lenses.

I also shoot a fair amount in portrait orientation, and the shutter button and command dials on the grip are perfect for this. One thing I've noticed is that a half press of the shutter on the new grip is doable, but feels very different from a half press of the main shutter release. This is something I quickly got used to, but the inconsistency is odd.

The only other thing that I've found awkward when using the grip is changing the current focus point while shooting in portrait orientation. When using a strap, the selector control is out of reach and hidden under the strap. But this is something I can live with.

Overall, the grip is a great addition to the camera, and makes the D80 a very stable platform to shoot with. If you're looking for some added stability, and don't mind the extra bulk, this grip is highly recommended.

I started my Digital Photography with a Nikon D100 with a Vertical Grip, or Multi Power Battery Pack. Never again will I be able to have a camera without a grip, the size, the ease of use, the feel, I need it. I only ever put one battery in it, otherwise it gets unnecessarily heavy. 1 battery works long enough, and I can keep the other in my pocket without any problem.

This battery pack does not fit to the bottom as tight as my MB-D100 to my D100, but I would not go back to my D100 ever again. I love the D80 and the grip too much to go back. Definitely recommend it, but lost a star because the screw says loose no matter how you tighten it, and it isn't as snug as I would like. Works perfectly, and I LOVE IT!

this is a must have if you are a Nikon D80 owner OR thinking of becoming one!

it's a lot easier to take vertical photos with this vertical grip.
it eliminates your elbow from sticking out to the side and you get more stability by having your arm close to your body.
not only that, you can use it with either one or two Nikon EL-EN3a AND it even comes with a 4 AA batteries holder!

try it! you have a return period anyways!

i'm not returning mine! also, if you're an advanced novice photographer like me, having this with the D80 make you look like a PRO! :)

..cause I've had no problems with using the AF. This is a great product. Adds just enough weight to the body to make it fell more comfortable, at least for my big hands. Great battery life. Love this thing.