Equipment That Works

This is the battery grip for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR. It will house two Lithium-Ion batteries or a pack of six AA batteries. This makes it nice if I am ever out where I can not charge the Lithiums and can pick up some AA's. If you are unfamiliar with a battery grip it not only allows you to hold the camera in a portrait orientation, there are shutter speed, AF/AE lock and focus point election right on the grip. Your thumb can still reach the aperture dial albeit just a little further than in the landscape orientation.

Honestly I have never shot with a camera with a battery grip and I found it a bit awkward this past weekend on two different shoots. I can definitely see the advantages of having the grip though. First there is the battery part of two batteries for twice the duration of shooting. The inherent problem is that there is now twice the battery cost. The other benefit is that of stability. Holding the camera as you would in a normal landscape mode allows a better grip on the camera. This is most handy when I shoot Joe McNally style. And what is that you ask... It has to do with focusing with your left or right eye. In my case I am able to use either eye without any problem. Here is the YouTube video if your are interested.

Of course what is a camera without a means to mount it to a tri-pod. As I have the Really Right Stuff BH-40 LR II ball head mounted to an Enduro carbon fiber tri-pod I needed to pick up an L-bracket for the 5D2. The head an bracket are shown below.

The really cool thing about a ball head and quick release mount with an L-bracket is that changing orientation is just one motion away. Open the clamp, flip the camera, and close the clamp and its done. Sweet! The downer news its this stuff is a bit pricey when you think of what it is made out of. Not saying its not strong and well built, but it is aluminum after all. I consider it one of those areas where you pay for it once and you will have it for a long time.

I have had this set-up on my 40D and it is outstanding so I am looking forward to using this set-up on the 5D2.

I gotta get going so have a great day... Doug