Camera makers are well-known for making slight changes to gear and components from camera to camera. It’s a good move on their part because it means you have to buy different accessories for each camera. I’ll give Nikon credit for making the grip on the D300 and D700 the same, but other than that, they all get a failing grade.
What this means for we the photographers is that we have a jumble of batteries, chargers, grips, cables and whatever else. Finding the right battery that goes with the right grip that goes with the right charger that goes with the right body…..
Here’s a simple trick to help keep gear straight. Nail polish. Yes, you read that right. A couple dabs of nail polish on the various pieces of kit will help you keep things straight. Use a different colour for each body/battery/grip/charger combination. Sort of like Garanimals for photographers. Guys, if it would be too big an insult to your manhood to walk into a store and buy nail polish get your wife or girlfriend to do it. Single with no wife or girlfriend? Suck it up buttercup.
Use fairly bright colours that will show up well against the black of the gear and vary the colours sufficiently so they don’t get mixed up. Simple and effective. Below is a quick snap of two of my bodies with the different colours.
