How to See the Charge Status of Batteries in a Battery Grip on a Nikon D850, D810, or D800

If you’re using a battery grip on the Nikon D850, D810, or D800, here’s how to see the charge status of both batteries.

Vello BG-N7 Battery Grip for Nikon D810 Camera Settings
Text & Photos By David Coleman
Filed Under: DSLRs, Power

I MAY get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

If you’re using a battery grip on the Nikon D810 or D800, like the Nikon’s MB-D12 or a cheaper alternative, you will have noticed that the standard battery charge indicator on the top screen or through the viewfinder only shows the charge of one battery source–either the internal battery or the grip battery.

But there’s a simple way you can see the charge status of both batteries.

First, make sure that the back screen isn’t being used. So turn off live view, playback, or the menu.

Then press the “i” button to the right of the main screen. A bunch of settings will appear on the screen. And at the far right is the charge status for each of the batteries.

Like this:

Vello BG-N7 Battery Grip for Nikon D810 Camera Settings

There are also a couple of other settings on the camera where you can control how it interacts with the battery grip. I have more details in my review of the Vello BG-N7 battery grip.

Profile photo of David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel | Washington DC-based Professional Photographer

Text & Photos by David Coleman

I'm a professional photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. I've been shooting for 30+ years, and my my photos and time-lapse videos have appeared in a bunch of different publications from major newspapers to magazines and books, billboards, TV shows, professional sports stadiums, museums, and even massive architectural scrims covering world-famous buildings while they're being renovated. You can see some of my travel photography here and here.

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