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

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!

Product Description
Opteka is one of the world’s leading producer 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 BP-D40 holds 6 AA or or 2 EN-EL3 batteries. This provides a extremely extended shooting time. Compatible with the Nikon D40, D40x, D60, & D5000 digital SLR only.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, & D5000 Digital SLR

Review of Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, & D5000 Digital SLR with 2 extended EN-EL9 Batteries (2400mAh Total)

I must say that I am quite happy with this item. It fits well onto my D40, the finish is excellent, and it gives the camera a whole new “personality”. I have the Sigma 18-200mm lens, which is much bigger and heavier than the 18-55mm kit lens. This makes the camera more awkward as the center of gravity is now different. This causes my wrist to tilt forward instead of keeping the camera balanced. I have an ongoing issue with my wrist, due to a prior injury, and noticed that with the heavier lens the camera had to be gripped in a way that was a bit painful to me. With this battery grip I am able to grip the camera much better! The weight of the batteries in the bottom of the grip plus the change in the center of gravity makes it much easier for me to hold the camera properly.

I do not like the vertical shutter function at all, but I blame this on the D40 itself and not the grip. Hey, at least Opteka tried, it just doesn’t work well for me. I had issues with getting the shutter to release, but I have had the same issue with the wireless remote so I don’t blame the grip for this.

The option of using AA batteries with this grip was important to me as well, as I like the flexibility of having multiple power options.

Here are my rankings (1-10):

Appearance: (8)- Certainly gives the D40 a much different, more pleasing and professional look.

Fit and finish: (8)- The “crackle” finish is perfect, and even in bright sunlight looks exactly like the finish on the D40. The color is slightly off; it’s slightly lighter in color than the D40. It is not a HUGE difference, but it is detectable. My grip fit slightly crooked, with the right side a few millimeters lower than the left side. Again, this was very minor but detectable.

Ease of installation: (9)- Very simple, the hardest part was taking off the battery door (I didn’t want to break it) but this is a D40 issue, not the battery grip issue. The grip fit into the battery compartment and attached to the tripod mount perfectly. I would have preferred some better markings on the cartridge that holds the two batteries, but they fit well and the cartridge slid into the grip with ease.

Ease of use: (9)- The vertical shutter button is not an easy feature to use, but this is more the fault of the D40 than the battery grip. Once the grip is in place it feel like a natural extension of the camera.

Comfort: (7)- The grip feels good in my hand, although I can feel the vertical shutter button on my palm, which is minor annoyance to me.

Value: (7)- For a $100 item I would like to have seen a charger included for charging both batteries at once. I feel that a lot of the cost was for the vertical shutter option, which I won’t use often, if at all.

Overall: (8)- Overall this is a very good item and I would recommend it for someone who wants longer life between battery charges as well as the flexibility to use AA batteries. I would also highly recommend this product for users who have a heavy lens on the D40 as it makes the camera much easier to hold properly. I would not suggest this item exclusively for the vertical shutter feature as it doesn’t work very well, although this is a D40 issue and not an issue of the battery grip.

Product Description
Opteka is one of the world’s leading producer 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 BP-D40 holds 6 AA or or 2 EN-EL9 batteries. This provides a extremely extended shooting time. Compatible with the Nikon D60, D5000, D40 & D40x digital SLR only. This package includes 2 extended EL-EL9 1200mah 7.4v Batteries

Click Here to see more reviews about: Opteka Battery Pack Grip / Vertical Shutter Release for Nikon D40x, D40, D60, & D5000 Digital SLR with 2 extended EN-EL9 Batteries (2400mAh Total)