NIKON D810 BATTERY GRIP

[T O Shooter]

737374[/ATTACH]
Iphone photo under tungsen house light



STUDIOMARCOPIANA, post: 54166013, member: 1313576"]
Nope, tried with another grip (Nikon original) and it has the same problem.

Nikon operator told me that they aware of this issue.

Could you please post an image of your d810 with the grip?

Thank you

Here's what I can get right now. That is not a gap you are seeing. That's where the edge of the plastic comes up over the D810 body. I held the body and grip up to a light and turned it to cover all the angles and the only place any light comes through is looking through the wheel area. NO LIGHT is coming through. Obviously I have the same notch under FX and if you look into that notch about an 1/8" inch, you'll see that the D810 body fills the gap, just that you have that small 1/8" to 1/4" deep indentation at the front. If you look at the grip from the back of the camera, it does not fit quite as tight on the left side as it does on the other side. But it is exactly the same on the D800e. Nothing looks any different except for that small "none issue" indentation under the FX symbol.

If you've been told correctly, Nikon is still not keeping themselves out of trouble. ( D600 oil / D800 left AF ) I cannot image how they can tell us D810 owners that we need to buy a new $400 or $500 grip after telling us that it was compatible with the original MB-D12. Not sure how that's going to fly.



--
A Canon G5 and a bit of Nikon gear.

 

[STUDIOMARCOPIANA]

The crazy thing is that when I called Nikon and spoke to the representative, he called the supervisor. When he tested the grip with the d810 I heard in background that he said "ohhhhhh", quite funny to say the least. And then he said "it actually does not fit quite well". Then he said that they were going to send feedback to their engineers. But the strange thing is that later they said they were of this topic.

And the beauty of the MB-d12 is that it looks like one body (and the grip it's much better especially for people like me who started with those beautiful wooden hand grips of the 67).

I had nikons since the F4 but lately they are messy, I had a d800e with autofocus on perennial bipolar behavior, now the d810 that doesn't fit the grip they said was going to fit (grip that cost a leg and an arm).

Until the last minute I was in between buying the 645z or get a d810 and let clients rent Phase1. We'll see.

 

[iwannabesedated]

I held the body and grip up to a light and turned it to cover all the angles and the only place any light comes through is looking through the wheel area. NO LIGHT is coming through.

Ditto. The MB-D12 I bought for my D800 fits my D810 snugly with zero wobble or play. If, as the OP claims, this is a problem with the D810, then it certainly is not universal. Regards. -iwbs

 

[T O Shooter]

I had a d800e with autofocus on perennial bipolar behavior

I knew there was a better description for it than what I was using! :-D Had the same issue, just didn't have the right terminology.

 

[iwannabesedated]

Question for the OP. There is a small peel-off rubber cover on the bottom of the D810 that protects the camera's electrical contacts. You are remembering to remove this cover before attempting to attach the grip, right? I'll bet you are, but it doesn't hurt to double check, given that you're encountering issues which apparently most others aren't. Regards. -iwbs

 

[Ivanlim]

Checked mine. No light goes thru and securely attached to the body.

However I do noticed the edge at the front below the "FX" is not flushed with the body as indicated by a fellow forum member in his pic. This may indicate the design is not "perfect" for D810 as compared to D800/800e.... Btw mine is original grip from Nikon and purchased together with the body...

 

[mremonen]

MB-D12 works & fits 100%. And it is very hard for me to believe that Nikon would be working with a new grip for D810 because MB-D12 is designed for D810 (or vice-versa). If they'd introduce a replacement grip, they would be forced to replace all existing grips for D810 owners.

And... MB-D12 is mentioned also in D810 firmware (battery order).

 

[Michael Harvey]

While the battery grip does, indeed, perform as it should (despite the fact that it doesn't look as nice as with the D800)...a "light-leak" test on mine shows that the seal between the mb-d12 and the base of the 810 is NOT perfect.

This may not have a practical downside, but it does seem to indicate that the 'system' is not truly weather-sealed.

 

[T O Shooter]

While the battery grip does, indeed, perform as it should (despite the fact that it doesn't look as nice as with the D800)...a "light-leak" test on mine shows that the seal between the mb-d12 and the base of the 810 is NOT perfect.

This may not have a practical downside, but it does seem to indicate that the 'system' is not truly weather-sealed.

 

[Michael Harvey]

While the battery grip does, indeed, perform as it should (despite the fact that it doesn't look as nice as with the D800)...a "light-leak" test on mine shows that the seal between the mb-d12 and the base of the 810 is NOT perfect.

This may not have a practical downside, but it does seem to indicate that the 'system' is not truly weather-sealed.

 

[iwannabesedated]

I did the light test on mine ( noted a few posts up ) and absolutely NO LIGHT came through.

As I noted previously: ditto. -iwbs

 

[larrywilson]

As I stated earlier mine fits snug, no light between grip and camera with the exception of underneath the tighting dial. Is this grip water sealed, I don't think so. Best for my personally to take precautions and use rain cover of some type when in a rain storm.

Larry

 

[mremonen]

While the battery grip does, indeed, perform as it should (despite the fact that it doesn't look as nice as with the D800)...a "light-leak" test on mine shows that the seal between the mb-d12 and the base of the 810 is NOT perfect.

But still the MB-D12 is the official grip for D810. Or why it says in the settings "d12: MB-D12 battery type"? Or in several other locations in the settings?

This may not have a practical downside, but it does seem to indicate that the 'system' is not truly weather-sealed.

As noted here earlier the only weather sealing is and must & should be around the electrical contact. No other weather sealing is required. It is like using gaffer tape to attach two bottles side-by-side: the joint surface may or may not be tight but it won't change the fact that both bottles are watertight.

And since I do not have the D800E anymore in my dosposal I cannot confirm the looks of the combo. To me it looks OK enough. If I would like to have a grip which sits more perfectly, I should've gotten D4.

 

[Michael Harvey]

<<<As noted here earlier the only weather sealing is and must & should be around the electrical contact. No other weather sealing is required. It is like using gaffer tape to attach two bottles side-by-side: the joint surface may or may not be tight but it won't change the fact that both bottles are watertight.

And since I do not have the D800E anymore in my dosposal I cannot confirm the looks of the combo. To me it looks OK enough. If I would like to have a grip which sits more perfectly, I should've gotten D4.>>>

REALLY? Please forward your enlightening comment to Nikon and maybe they will no longer designate the mb-d12 as THE battery grip for the D810.

I know this sounds a bit 'snarky' but I already said I can accept that it doesn't fit as nice and neatly as it did on my D800.

As for weather-sealing...yes, I'm well aware that the electrical contacts are the consideration here. But I'm also aware that the 'gap' between the base of the camera and the top of the mb-d12 is right next to the electrical contacts. (I stated earlier that the gap is about 1" to the LEFT of the attachment know...I should have said it was 1" to the RIGHT, as you look at the back of the camera).

I also know that the electrical contacts are slightly recessed in the mounting hardware so there should be a perfect seal. But, what if there is not?

I've tried dozens of times to re-mount the camera on the grip, hoping that something will, suddenly, "slip into place". It does not. Nor does any amount of pressure applied to either the camera or the grip close the gap or even make it smaller. It just doesn't fit flush - period!

--

Mike Harvey

 

[iwannabesedated]

I've tried dozens of times to re-mount the camera on the grip, hoping that something will, suddenly, "slip into place". It does not. Nor does any amount of pressure applied to either the camera or the grip close the gap or even make it smaller. It just doesn't fit flush - period!

Sounds like either your grip or your D810 is defective. Contact Nikon and maybe they will offer you a replacement. Good luck and let us know what happens. -iwbs

 

[SushiEater]

There is a gap between grip and the body on D800e. But the electrical socket has rubber casket around it and battery compartment of the genuine grip has one too.

 

[Art Jacks]

Mine on a D800e will collect a small amount of water along its top if I am out unprotected in heavy rain but with no problems, I think the camera and grip are weather resistant individually but to expect the joint of a screw on attachment to be weather resistant is possibly unrealistic. My solution on returning home is to remove the grip dry off the surfaces and leave to ' air ' before reassembling, I have used a D100, D200, D700, D800 and my present D800e all with grips in all sorts of UK weather over the past 12 + years with no issues.

 

[john49brown]

As I said earlier in this thread, the MD12 battery holder that fitted my 800 is a very poor fit on the 810 I have recently purchased. It is not so much whether it seals or doesn't seal for me the case works loose in very little time and stops functioning. Along with other users there is a very clear gap between the camera base and the MD12 you can actually look through from back to front in my case.

I do not attempt to use it anymore and when I get the chance I will pop into the Nikon service centre here in Singapore for an opinion from the OEM.

 

[mremonen]

REALLY? Please forward your enlightening comment to Nikon and maybe they will no longer designate the mb-d12 as THE battery grip for the D810.

Er... which comments? The comments where I state that to me it looks a perfect fit: no play, no gaps. Why should Nikon take any action on that? To change it worse?

I know this sounds a bit 'snarky' but I already said I can accept that it doesn't fit as nice and neatly as it did on my D800.

Mebbe, cannot confirm since I sold my D800E already.

As for weather-sealing...yes, I'm well aware that the electrical contacts are the consideration here. But I'm also aware that the 'gap' between the base of the camera and the top of the mb-d12 is right next to the electrical contacts. (I stated earlier that the gap is about 1" to the LEFT of the attachment know...I should have said it was 1" to the RIGHT, as you look at the back of the camera).

I just went to a enclosed space (toilet, if you insist), installed MB-D12 to my D810 body, turned off the lights and shone the joint between body and grip with my Maglite mini which has 140 lumen led as the light source. The only light that shone through was either through the screw-installation or a teeny-weeny bit just above it (approx 1" right from the left side of body, when looking from behind). There is zero electrical connections in that area. Nothing else.

I also know that the electrical contacts are slightly recessed in the mounting hardware so there should be a perfect seal. But, what if there is not?

You cannot really tell, except by submerging your unit into a bucket of water. But then again: how do you know that it was sealed in D800?

I've tried dozens of times to re-mount the camera on the grip, hoping that something will, suddenly, "slip into place". It does not. Nor does any amount of pressure applied to either the camera or the grip close the gap or even make it smaller. It just doesn't fit flush - period!

Then you have a defective unit. Or I have, because it sits perfectly as designed.

The D800E + MB-D12 -combo was not very rigid either. When I had e.g. 80-400/4.5-5.6G mounted and used bottom mounted sling-strap, there was noticeable play between the grip and body. I always supported the combo with my hand in fear of breaking something.

 

[Michael Harvey]

REALLY? Please forward your enlightening comment to Nikon and maybe they will no longer designate the mb-d12 as THE battery grip for the D810.

Er... which comments? The comments where I state that to me it looks a perfect fit: no play, no gaps. Why should Nikon take any action on that? To change it worse?

No, actually - it was your suggestion that, if one wanted a good fit, perhaps one should have gotten a D4 instead.

To me it looks OK enough. If I would like to have a grip which sits more perfectly, I should've gotten D4.

This is a good example of how confusing these posts can get. It really can be a lousy way to communicate!

Based on what I'm reading here, I can only assume that my D810 base...or the top of the Nikon grip...was not molded precisely. Since there have been others who reported a similar 'gap', there apparently IS a "problem" with some units.

Whether this is a real issue that might cause problems in a wet environment or just a cosmetic defect; none of us can say for certain.

I will take it up with Nikon and see what their tech support says. But, if the report that another member posted here is accurate - that...'Nikon is aware of the problem' and is 'working on a fix' (I hope I got the wording right)...it would indicate that Nikon itself thinks something should be done.

I'll let you know what further info I receive from them.

Mike Harvey