Nikon vs Canon: The Grip

When you tighten your fingers around the camera's grip, how does it feel? Nikon and Canon each take a little different approach to how the grip should be shaped, and it can have a big impact on how comfortable the camera is to hold. More than that, it makes a difference in terms of how easy the camera is to hold.

Nikon grips are well thought-out. This struck me almost immediately upon pulling the new D300 out of the box, but I quickly remembered the same experience with my old F100 film camera and even Sherree's old N65 film camera.

The front of the grip--where your fingers wrap around--use a semi-soft rubber which is almost "sticky." Many Nikon DSLRs have a bright red triangle at the top of the front of the grip, and this is a differently textured rubber. Additionally, the back of the camera--where your thumb rests--is formed with a ridge. The result is a very ergonomic grip that fits your hand. The shape and varying texture of the grip results in an excellent experience because I don't need to hold onto the camera tightly. In fact, just he opposite: I keep a loose and relaxed hold on the camera because it's comfortable yet secure. Often when carrying the camera, my fingertips and thumb are the only thing actually touching the camera.

My experience with Canon--primarily the 20D, but also the Rebel XT and XTi--is far less stellar. The shape of the grip is much more boxy, and the body uses a single kind of rubber for the grip. The rubber used is also harder and less "sticky." The result is a grip that is less ergonomic and requires more force to hold. The weight of the camera isn't so severe that you need to squeeze tightly to keep from dropping it, but a little more force is required to hold the camera securely than is required for a Nikon DSLR.

The shape and comfort of the grip may seem like a minor thing, but consider how much you'll be using that one element of the camera--it's very significant! I previously wrote about how important selecting the right camera body is, and I remember my first SLR purchase: a Nikon N70. I had whittled my options down to an N70 or Canon Elan II. Simply, I didn't like the Canon because the shape of the grip was uncomfortable in my hand. I'm sure I made the right choice.