How about a consistent battery grip design?
It seems that a battery grip is specifically designed to fit only one camera body.
It may fit one or two, or maybe a subsequent body (Like the grip on the Pentax K10d fit on the Pentax K20 . . . I think. LOL.)
But . . . what if the body design was made so that the battery grip would last a long series of body designs? And it could accept modules?
Batteries and in this case specifically a battery grip , come up often enogh and for a good reason.
As a consumer it does annoy me that for example I have two types of batteries that are identical in size except for the contact location.
However there are some good reasons why generally batteries are not of a standard size.
+1
Yes.
Since we are getting away from non-chargeable batteries to rechargeable batteries, manufacturers are not locked into designing around a standard battery size / shape.
I guess in the old days, with the film cameras, we'd go to the camera store and really appreciate having our cameras use a standard size battery so that chances are, we could get a replacement from the camera store whenever we needed it.
Maybe like the CR2 batteries. I think those are the ones that were used in the Pentax autofocus cameras.
Although, I think Pentax had a battery grip that plugged into the Pentax cameras to let you use standard AA batteries?
I just looked it up and it was called the Pentax AA-Battery Pack FG and could be used on at least 3 different Pentax autofocus bodies.
So, a way to use even more standardized batteries.
And I had a Kodak DC4800, which used a battery that was supposed to be standardize. At least, when I received the camera and I read up about it, that battery was supposed to be used in different cameras from different manufacturers.
I guess it was an attempt to standardize battery shape / size?
But, ultimately no go.
With Nikon, I know there was a switch in battery design from the Nikon D90 to the D7000. But since then, it's been stable. The same shape / size battery from the D7000 can be used in the D7100 and D7200 and I think the D7500. I share the battery from my D7000 with my D750. And I'm thinking it's the same battery in the D800/D810?
And the reason for the battery change from D90 to the D7000 was the added ridges on the contacts to keep the batteries from shorting out when not in the camera? I think I remember reading it was a regulatory change required in the Japanese market or something like that. So a bunch of batteries got changed around that time?
Let's start with the grip.
Very simply : size and cosmetic.
The grip that is the right size and look good now, it will not in a few years time.
Camera design typically starts like this :
...
That is a 1:1 mock up. So it is the exact size/shape/look of the final product.
Now the various design teams get to work to provide the bits that will fit inside it to make it work.
Many parts will be existing stuff, like shutters , others will be custom made. The more custom made parts the higher the cost.
Some space needs to be left for the battery compartment, however the other parts will pretty much dictate what size battery will fit in there.
Another version is a camera like this :
...
that is a generic product that happens to be sold with the Minolta brand on it.
Some will recognise a Nikon version, here is another one :
...
because these cameras are sold, with minor detail changes, by various brands, the battery has to be the same or very similar in size.
This (re-branding) is a lot more common than most brand fans would expect.
BTW, sad to see the Minolta brand going that way....
I guess, with batteries, I see a few things.
1. It is nice when a company reuses (perhaps with an upgrade) the same battery shape / size for a certain range of cameras. Like the battery with the Nikon D7000, or the batteries I use with my Fujifilm waterproof camera. The battery that I used in my Fujifilm XP10, became the back-up battery with my Fujifilm XP50, and those batteries are being used in my Fujifilm XP80 now.
2. Ultimately, batteries wear out, so as I keep upgrading cameras, if I happy to get a camera that uses a different battery design, I am not losing out completely, as I would eventually have to replace the batteries anyway.
3. As more cameras let you charge the battery through the USB port, then the actual size / shape of the battery becomes less relevant if you are not physically taking the battery out of the camera to charge it anyway? Bonus if you could charge the camera (or run it) by plugging in a generic external battery. Something like I keep around for my cellphone anyway?
Just some random thoughts. . .
Take care & Happy Shooting!
