Canon's patented universal battery handle could be compatible with multiple bodies

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• Canon's patented universal battery handle could be compatible with multiple bodies

Any photographer who has had to carry extra batteries for an all day shoot or to take on a trip knows the importance of a battery grip. Unfortunately, you have to make sure that the grip you buy is compatible with the camera model you're using. However, there might be an easier solution on the horizon with photo publication Northern Lights discovering a Canon patent for a universal battery grip. It's such a simple idea, it's amazing it hasn't been done yet. The patent, available to view on the United States Patent Office website, now describes a battery handle that appears to be the one already available, except that the battery, if released, will be compatible with multiple agencies that they use different adapters. This could be a cheaper alternative to buying a complete grip set for those who regularly use multiple cameras or anyone looking to switch to another shooter. Whether or not the grip is compatible with other brands' systems is anyone's guess, but given the intense industry competition, Canon can only let it interface with its own cameras.

(Image credit: Canon (via Northern Lights)) That said, there seems to be some clever ideas here that could make this battery grip quite interesting. Although it has the usual tripod mount, the patent talks about a movable mount, with small gears that could reposition the tripod mount to better balance different camera bodies. What is not clear is how the battery handle will accommodate different types of batteries. Although the Canon LP-E6N can power a host of cameras, including the EOS 6D Mark II and EOS 5D Mark IV DSLRs, and the current flagship EOS R full-frame mirrorless, there are other batteries that Canon cameras use. Perhaps it will become clear if and when the battery grip is actually made, after all, not all patent ideas come to fruition.