Nikon MB-10: Multi-Power Vertical Grip for N90s
As said in my original review of N90s: I couldn't justify the $150 price for this
grip. When I saw a second-hand for $85, I thought it is time to give it a try.
For N90s, MB-10 provides a vertical hand grip, a secondary fully functional
shutter release (with a lock), a different but quicker way for battery loading, and the
possibility to use CR123 type lithium batteries (with optional battery tray MS-11).
Beside the somewhat flimsy battery tray (MS-10, which comes with MB-10, spares
can also be purchased), this is an impressively hefty and solid piece of plastic. It
weighs 7.4 oz (210g) without batteries.
The MB-10 is connected to the camera physically via the tripod socket, and
electronically via the contacts surrounding the camera's battery chamber, which
include: 3 contacts for shutter release button, 2 contacts for power source, and a
hidden power switch.
The MB-10 uses the battery chamber of the camera body (just to reach the
electrical contacts, I guess), and provides its own battery chamber. Loading batteries
into the MB-10 is simple and quick: at a press of a button, the battery holder is
ejected. After loading, or, replacing with a back-up battery tray, pushing the tray back
in and you are ready to go. No fiddling with the small screw or emptying all your
pockets to find a penny.
I found that with MB-10 attached, my confidence in hand-holding shots is
substantially boosted. I shot an intercollegiate fashion show lately. The lighting is not
very bright, I used SB-26 and my favorite Nikkor 80-200/2.8 zoom, the shutter was
at 1/30 second (the lowest normal sync speed of my customized N90s) at f/2.8. (This
gives about 1-stop underexposure if shot with ambient-light only.) I wanted to use
the slow shutter speed to capture slight motion blur of models. In 10 rolls I shot,
using focal length mostly in 80-125mm range but occasionally (10%) stretched to
200mm, I found I have less than 3% of shots have perceivably camera shake. (This
percentage is much smaller than those out-of-focus shots as I used the autofocus of
the camera.) Without MB-10, I wouldn't dared to use such low shutter speed for
handhold shooting.
However, handling of the MB-10 is not as pleasant as I expected. The
vertical grip is too slim even for my relatively small hand. Expect hand (fingers)
cramps for a long shooting session. Furthermore, it is not convenient at all if you use
manual exposure often, since the command dial that is used to adjust the shutter
speed is quite a distance away from the thumb when holding the camera at MB-10.
But, for auto-exposure only, MB-10 could ease your hand (wrist) a little bit.
On the other hand, I have two pleasant surprises. One is that, I found that,
with MB-10 attached, the horizontal handling of the camera becomes very pleasant,
as MB-10 extends the handgrip of the camera a little it. With the added weight, the
camera is noticeably steadier for handholding shots.
The other surprise is that the build quality of MB-10 is better than I
expected. Although I haven't used the camera + MB-10 on a tripod yet, but I believe
it will provide a better camera support on a tripod, despite the added weight. MB-10
hugs a camera snugly throughout the entire base of the camera, and base of MB-10
provides a lager area of contact for the tripod.
Conclusion? Well those are just my "first impressions". I'll wait and see.
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Last updated: November 25, 1997.