Should the X-T2 Have an Integrated Battery Grip?

[9.V.III]

Edit: Well the response has been unanimous, no-one wants an X-T2 with an extra lump on the bottom. That's good to hear.

The real question is whether you can get the same functionality without adding bulk. Maybe Fuji will start thinking along the same lines someday.

________

 

I know we're well past the point of anything like this actually materialising this year, but I wanted to see some general reaction.

 

With all the "Flagship SLR" talk right now, it got me thinking about neat ideas for Fuji X bodies.

But then I read about the implementation of the battery grip for the X-T1, how it doesn't actually replace the battery compartment and needs to be taken off to change both batteries, and the grip alone increases the body weight by almost 50%. Fuji doesn't seem to actually have anything resembling a proper battery grip right now.

 

It sounds to me like the best way to implement this idea would be a body with a fully integrated battery grip. It would weigh less than the standard body with add on grip, plus it would give you acres of space for controls on the back.

And in my ideal world, the body with an integrated grip would be a little smaller in width than a regular X-T1, which would actually help make the device as a whole easier to pack around when you're using a large lens (I'm thinking the 100-400).

 

So what do people think?

Should Fuji just go all in and make a sports body with duplicated controls and extra large battery compartment?

[darknj]

Meh... I wouldn't like it, at all.

 

I really like how "small" my X-T1 is and if I really need the extra juice I can add the battery grip, but to be forced to have it on at all times, I really wouldn't like it and would simply skip that update even if all the new bells and whistles would be on it.

 

Ergonomics are more important than features for me.

[milandro]

I too think that increasing the size and weight of the camera would be an undesirable contradiction.

 

A large amount of the people who chose to prefer  using mirrorless cameras over digital single lens reflex cameras do that on account of the smaller dimensions and lighter weight.

 

So it would be counterproductive to increase, by default, both dimensions and weight for all.

 

This doesn’t mean that some, who prefer a larger camera with more “ grip” or more batteries shouldn’t be able to buy an accessory but this should certainly not please the majority of buyers. I have no need for extra batteries ( I carry 3 in the bag ) with the body and for extra grip I’ve bought a cheap L bracket with grip and arca slide system.

[zedd137]

For me that would be a bad idea. I love my X-T1 for its combination of compact size and good handling. Some may need a battery grip when using large lenses, other for longer professional shootings. But in my case one battery is usually enough. Last week it even survived more than one and a half hour shooting northern lights at -20 degrees Celsius, with still two bars capacity. Of course I always have at least on spare battery with me, but I don't need a grip for it.

[Nick05]

I can see how it would be a benefit for anyone who uses a battery grip on their X-T1 camera. Personally, I love how small the X-T1 is and haven't even considered making it larger with a grip. I don't think the market is there for a built in group right now, but maybe there will in a few years as more professionals make the change to mirrorless.

[davidmold]

I have found my pocket to provide an excellent and convenient location for additional batteries.

[Vidalgo]

My vote is for basic body (with battery of course) and optional add-on grips (with or without battery, various shapes, etc.). Like X-T1 now. 

But I would like to get several points for attaching of add-ons, not a single tripod screw. Permanent attachment via single screw isn't reliable and need be tightened from time to time, then you need to keep in pocket tools for it.

[milandro]

Maybe I am just lucky but my L bracket with grip is attached permanently en doesn’t need tightening up.

 

There are however special screws which need no tools 

 

[mpw1950]

Even though I am an ex-sportshooter (and still do occasionally) I would vote against an integrated grip. When I pick up my tiny X-T1 with a small prime lenses it brings a smile to my face. It reminds so much of small, manual focus slrs of the 70s and 80s that gave me so much pleasure to work with. My EOS cameras have never done that, too bulky, too heavy, workmanlike though.

 

I use my X-T1 with the 50-140mm without a grip , I suspect I will not need one for the 100-400mm either when I get it. I used a Canon T90 film camera with fast 300-600mm lenses, and that did not have a grip. I have a Fuji grip and have used it for about 2 hours in total. Having to remove it to change the body battery is bad design in my mind. The Canon EOS D30 (and I believe later Canon bodies) had a much better arrangement where you take the door off the body compartment and the grip connects via that compartment. Then two batteries go under a single cover in the grip, both accessible without removing the grip.

 

What I would really like is the shutter release moved forward onto the top of a (slightly longer) hand grip like most dslrs (and my much loved T90). And give me a bottom strap attachment so I can use a hand strap as I always have with my dslrs. Then I will be very happy.

[Warwick]

An integrated battery grip would turn the x-t1 into something else. The point of the camera is that it's like an old film SLR - small, light, directly controllable via physical dials and traditional in styling. Building a bulky grip on one side would AKS it bigger, heavier and less 'pure' in its design philosophy. More like any other camera brand, in fact.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Adam Woodhouse]

To answer the original posters question .... no.

[cug]

Actually, the answer should be "Hell, no!". For those who want it, there is the option to add a battery grip, but most people never need or want this. 

 

If Fuji wants to bring out a body with a massive battery area for people who'd otherwise use a battery gripped DSLR or a D4 or D1 sized camera, sure, go ahead, be my guest and sell about 5 of them worldwide. But don't f up the X-T2 with something like this.

[9.V.III]

Ok, no one wants a large X series body, which is easy to understand, I don't want that either.

And in my ideal world, the body with an integrated grip would be a little smaller in width than a regular X-T1

What about a mini version?

 

What if we had something the width of the X-A1, except square, with two batteries and the viewfinder off the X-T1, and duplicated controls for shooting in either orientation?

 

Ideally I want something as small as possible, with no compromise in controls or functionality.

 

A square sensor that can switch orientations internally would probably work just as well, but that sounds even more unrealistic than the idea of a miniaturised sports body with integrated battery grip.

[darknj]

Ok, no one wants a large X series body, which is easy to understand, I don't want that either.

What about a mini version?

 

What if we had something the width of the X-A1, except square, with two batteries and the viewfinder off the X-T1, and duplicated controls for shooting in either orientation?

 

Ideally I want something as small as possible, with no compromise in controls or functionality.

 

A square sensor that can switch orientations internally would probably work just as well, but that sounds even more unrealistic than the idea of a miniaturised sports body with integrated battery grip.

 

All this while keeping the APS-C sensor won't be possible, there is a physical limitation of what can be put inside of a box that small and still make it usable, just have a look at some internal video of the X-Pro1, that thing barely has any left over room for anything and it has already an hybrid view finder, all the controls are also there and still need to put inside a battery to power everything.

 

Also, please don't take it as some form of bashing but I am a believer of consistency, if you don't like the idea of a large X series body, why still chase around that integrated battery grip body ? I mean the bodies are small enough and light enough to not be that annoying to shoot vertically. If you truly wish for something chunkier to hold on, witch I can perfectly understand from an ergonomic point of view, maybe taking a mirrorless camera isn't the best system for you ?

 

My father in-law who has been a protog for over 40 years now has such large hands that anything smaller than a D3S is too small form him, if I pass him over my X-T1 he holds it like he is going to break by looking at it too hard, while I wonder how he is able to juggle all that weight single handed while being 30 years my senior.

So yes, not everyone can use a DSLR nor can every use mirrorless equally well.

[9.V.III]

All this while keeping the APS-C sensor won't be possible, there is a physical limitation of what can be put inside of a box that small and still make it usable, just have a look at some internal video of the X-Pro1, that thing barely has any left over room for anything and it has already an hybrid view finder, all the controls are also there and still need to put inside a battery to power everything.

 

Also, please don't take it as some form of bashing but I am a believer of consistency, if you don't like the idea of a large X series body, why still chase around that integrated battery grip body ? I mean the bodies are small enough and light enough to not be that annoying to shoot vertically. If you truly wish for something chunkier to hold on, witch I can perfectly understand from an ergonomic point of view, maybe taking a mirrorless camera isn't the best system for you ?

 

My father in-law who has been a protog for over 40 years now has such large hands that anything smaller than a D3S is too small form him, if I pass him over my X-T1 he holds it like he is going to break by looking at it too hard, while I wonder how he is able to juggle all that weight single handed while being 30 years my senior.

So yes, not everyone can use a DSLR nor can every use mirrorless equally well.

I had a 5D Mark II with the grip, functionally it was a joy to use, but strap it to your body and go hiking for a day and it's incredibly annoying to carry around.

I stopped using it in favour of my old Rebel, and got rid of it for the prospect of something smaller. Maybe the correct answer is a 760D, but I've always dreamed of having a camera with full manual controls and a tiny body.

Fuji has all their ducks in a row, they just need to march a few inches to the left and it'll be perfect.

[milandro]

There will never be the camera custom made to fit every need. Some things will please certain people and displease others.

 

One will always have to face a choice. You can have some of all the things that you want but you can’t have it all. 

 

One of the main Fuji selling points is size and weight , change that and you have another camera, a Canon or a Nikon for example, they will cater for those people.

 

X cameras, don’t.

[9.V.III]

One of the main Fuji selling points is size and weight

And integrated grip doesn't have to change the size overall. I'm confident 90% of people would love to have a second shutter button on a compact camera, but this thread wasn't specifically about that concept. It's good to see the user base here is united on the subject of body size,

[milandro]

Any addition to the cameras as they are can only ever be causing an increase of both size and weight. You can’t have more batteries and an extra shutter button without doing precisely that. 

Next to my X-T1 , I’ve just bought a X-E2 and the compactness of the camera brought me back to why I ever decided to buy my first X camera, the X-E1.

[Tom]

One of the strengths of Fuji is the wide offer of different cameras to use the brilliant glases. The Pro and E line for the street and reportage. The T line for action, sport and nature. I use my T-1 mostly with grip in order for a better handling. I would surely buy a 'T - 2XL' as a supplement.

[milandro]

I don’t understand what the problem is with the grip already on the market?

 

That adds more grip and more battery power. You cannot have those without increasing the size of the camera which is for most people and undesirable feature as a standard.

 

For those who want more battery and camera grip to hold on to when using large lenses the provided grip should offer all of that. That is an addition, an accessory, but rightly not a standard feature of a camera which ( together with other cameras) revolutionized the marketplace by making mirrorless cameras smaller of the cameras already present on the marketplace.

 

You can’t save bulk and weight everywhere else and then add it on as a standard feature for those who want it. It is counterintuitive. Mirrorless = small.

 

I understood that the original question was how to have all of that without adding an external grip, but that, unless one resorts to sorcery, looks like it is impossible to realize. You cannot add things within the shape of the camera we have now, it is just too small ( which is what the camera designer set out to do in the first place, if they had had another briefing they would have produced a camera like the many others already on the market, but they were told to make a small camera with advanced features and dials and buttons instead of on screen menus).

 

This is a bit like those who ask for a Fuji without buttons. That camera is called Leica, or Sony but not Fuji.

[Tom]

I use FW 4.2. I learned to hate the grip. Stupid design. Sorry Fuji.

[milandro]

life is tough.

 

Not only, I have bad news, nobody would or could ever design a camera to please all.

[Tom]

You don't even try to understand.

 

I wrote it's Fujis strength to offer different cameras to please different needs.

[milandro]

True, despite my sincere trying, I am having a tough time to understand your posts, perhaps some concepts are lost in translation both ways.

 

Of course you may have different needs, we all have different needs from each other, but unfortunately there aren't bespoke Fuji cameras that I am aware of, only Fuji serial made ones.

 

Anything made in large numbers will always only ever fulfill the needs of a more or less large number of people but cannot possibly fill the needs of all. It comes dow to choices. Fuji chose to produce small cameras made, serially, for a large public.

 

The entire philosophy of the Fuji mirrorless camera is built around compactness and lightweight.

 

Producing a camera wit a standard larger grip is like producing a spider limousine, a contradiction in terms and , as such, is not going to happen, despite a minority wanting or even needing this.

 

You may very well wish for a different accessory grip, and they may very well fulfill that wish, but , another larger X-T2 camera comprising an integrated grip as a standard body ain’t going to happen. Nor they are making a “ special” model for such a limited market.

 

But wish as much as you want, who am I to stop you doing that!

[Tom]

You are a very strange guy.

 

Anyway - I just answered to the thread title with 'yes'.

 

And I learned the ignore-function of the forum software. Beautiful feature.