Feedback on Nikon MB-D12 grip

[Paul2660]

I spent sometime today at my local dealer, and got to look/feel the Nikon MB-D12 grip.  Strange design IMO coming from Canon. 
If I have missed something here, please let me know as I love the feel of the grip, just not sure about the design and fact that you
can't use (2) EN-EL15's installed at the same time (well you can but it's a pain)

Pro:

Well made, good feel.  When added to the camera it gives you a very nice addition in both balance and weight.  However:

Cons:

1.  You can only add (1) EN-EL15 within the grip.  This struck me as a bit strange as the conventional design of most vertical grips is that you remove the battery from the camera body, and then double them up in the grip.  (At least the Canon grips I have used in the past).  Here you can leave one battery in the camera body, and then have your 2nd battery in the grip.  Which means of course each time you need to charge the battery in the camera body, off comes the grip.  :mad:

2.  Even if you don't mind taking it off, I use an L bracket.  Currently RRS is not shipping the L bracket for the D800 and has no pics gets on their site, however I am hoping that it will allow you to slide out the tray that holds the batteries.  I am using an older RRS generic L bracket and the only way it mounts is to block the battery tray from opening.  Long term not where I want to go.

3.  If the RRS L bracket does allow for the battery tray to slide out, that only will help if you run batteries in the grip.  If you want to have a battery in the camera, then you still will have to take the L bracket and grip off each time you have to charge.  Not really user friendly.

4.  The other solution would be to purchase the EN-EL18 which will give a much longer life.  This is the standard cell apparently for the D4.  Price is about $169.00 for the battery, which is OK, but to charge it, you have to purchase the $350.00 charger.  I looked on Nikon's site and can't find any reference to a single charger.  I guess they don't sell the D4 charger separately.  Long term I like the idea of the EN-EL18, but that's all told about $600.00. 

To me a much more simple design would have been to allow (2) up loading of the EN-EL15. 

Great look and feel on the grip, and if have big hands, like me it's pretty much a needed accessory. 

Does anyone know if you can purchase the charger for the D4?  Or does Nikon ship the same 2 port charger with the D4?

Thanks
Paul

[Colorado David]

The vertical grip for the D300s and the D7000 worked the same way; one battery in the camera and one battery in the grip.  The Vert. grip for the D200 allowed for two batteries in the grip.  The dedicated L-bracket for the MB-D12 will allow for the battery tray to slide out just like the D300s and the D7000.  There is no need to remove the bracket to change the battery in the camera.  The bracket remains attached to the vertical grip and you just remove the grip and L-bracket as a single unit.  I would prefer for both batteries to be in the grip unit, but the D200 grip was a bit thick because of its design.  I guess I can see both sides of the issue and can live with the grip as designed.  I wish that I could just maintain a stock of a couple of different Nikon batteries, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.  I'm up to four different batteries.  With several of each, it get expensive pretty quickly.

[Paul2660]

Thanks I didn't think that through.  You are right you don't have to remove the l bracket to get to the battery in the camera.  Good catch.

Paul