Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, D3000 & D5000 Digital SLR

by Opteka

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000YGIPR0
• Item model number: OPT-BP-D50
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 7, 2007

Product Description

Opteka is one of the world's leading producers of high-performance batteries and accessories. Opteka believes there is no limit to the potential of portable power and as a company they will always strive to find innovative and efficient ways to power your life in the future!

The Opteka BG-ALPHA holds 12 AA batteries. This provides a extremely extended shooting time. The dual vertical shutter release also makes shooting with the camera in a vertical position just as comfortable as shooting horizontally.

Compatible with the Sony Alpha A100 / A100K.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Well Made!, May 29, 2008

By 

Pat Martini "patmartini" (Sedona AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, D3000 & D5000 Digital SLR (Electronics)

Having just received this grip, it was time to bolt it on and see just how 'bad' the fit actually is. I for one, take negative reviews lightly, especially those authored by amateurs (non-pros), many of whom seem to have problems with everything.

As it turns out, the Opteka D40/D40X/D60 Grip is very well made indeed! A full 1/4" thick hard plastic molding - practically indestructible. The machined casting is made to very close-fit tolerances, requiring exact alignment (it can take a bit of patience). Once positioned correctly (there is a tight-fitting dowel hole to mate to the body), the grip fits snug and flat. It looks very well mated to the contour of the D40/60 series body.

I popped in 2 1800 mAh Li-ion batteries (3600 mAh total) and it was a somewhat different camera! Moving the single battery from the battery chamber down into the grip, along with another, adds additional weight, and also lowers the center of gravity of the entire assembly. Now my Nikkor 18-70 & 70-300 (heavy) lenses feel much more at home hung on this more-stout little DSLR!

The included pop-out infrared diode works well with the camera receiver. Contrary to others who cry about 'what a pain..menu settings..', it is quick, simple, and efficient. Simply press the fn button on the front of the camera body, next to the lens mount, when taking a vertical shot, and pop out the infrared sender in the grip. On the D40, D40X, and D60 cameras, the fn button defaults to infrared/2 second delay (no menu needed!!). Thus, when the vertical button on the grip is pressed, the camera will set aperture and shutter, auto-focus, (depending on your other settings), and click the shutter. It returns the fn button back to off (default) after exposure. What could be easier than that?

All in all, a great addition for those who are looking for more body bulk (I'm talking about the camera!), lower center of gravity, better heavy lens balance, more serious pro-like looks, easier vertical shot triggering, and several times the power available, this is a really great add-on. I recommend it highly - do it, you'll like it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fits D60 great and looks good, August 12, 2008

By 

George D. Cobb Jr. "photobycobb" (Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, D3000 & D5000 Digital SLR (Electronics)

I like my Nikon D60 but it always felt small in my big hands. I bought this battery pack to extend the grip and it worked perfectly. The battery grip fits the camera like a glove, looks like it belongs and makes the camera very "beefy". When I add my 55-200mm lens the entire outfit is well balanced and feels just right in my hands. Make no mistake the entire outfit is also heavy in today's camera world but it feels nice and looks really professional. It vastly improves the portrait grip of the camera and the vertical shutter is nice but a bit awkward to use. I would recommend this item if you are looking for more "grip".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comfortable Grip for Amateurs or Hobbyists, October 14, 2009

By 

Matthew Becker (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, D3000 & D5000 Digital SLR (Electronics)

Quality: The grip seems well built - hard plastic that feels solid in the hand. I have no doubt that this thing could take a beating before any serious damage happens. The grip sits snugly onto the bottom of the camera and doesn't rock at all.

Appearance: Don't expect the grip to look like a seamless addition to the camera and make it look like a D3 or D3X - it will look like an addition. Saying that, the addition matches really well. The color and texture matches my D60 really well.

Comfort: The added weight of the battery grip changes the feel of the camera entirely. When holding the camera regularly, the center of mass is lower, and the grip continues from the camera to the battery grip very smoothly. Holding it vertically feels natural.

Value: For the relatively little amount I spent on this grip, it was certainly worth the purchase. I don't find myself wishing I bought something else or that I spent too much.

Some Things to Note:
-The vertical shutter button is a single action trigger and can not be pushed halfway down to focus. I don't use the vertical shutter button as much as I thought I would so it doesn't bother me much.
-The vertical shutter button works like a wireless remote for the camera. You first switch the camera to the remote mode by using either the menu or Fn button on the side. Make sure to set it to instant rather than a 2 or 10 second delay. The next thing to do is slide a lock that allows a spring loaded sensor to pop up on the horizontal grip part.
-For some reason, whenever I use the vertical shutter button, the camera always takes two pictures, even though its on single shot mode. I'm not sure what is causing this - perhaps an overzealous sensor?
-When loading the batteries into the grip, make sure they are in the right orientation with the contacts facing away from the battery tray. If they are upside down, they will not fit into the grip and trying to force them in will damage them. If they are in the correct orientation, the battery tray should glide right in.
-To attach the grip, you will need to remove the battery door on your camera first. To do this, just angle the door at about 45 degrees from closed and pull firmly. It should pop right out. Make sure to store this in a safe place - you don't want to lose it.

Overall I'm very happy with this grip and would recommend it for amateur or hobbyist photographers. There are better grips out there that feature battery duration monitors, exposure timers, and extra storage capacity for more professional photographers or just someone that is willing to pay significantly more.