The use of this battery grip facilitates handling during portrait shooting. The grip features an alternative shutter button, multi-selector, and AF activation buttons for use of the camera in vertical shooting position, as well as secondary main and sub-command dials. It can be powered by the Nikon EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery or by six standard AA batteries.

With the optional BL-5 battery chamber cover, the MB-D17 grip can also be powered by the Nikon EN-EL18/EN-EL18a lithium-ion batteries, which are compatible with the top-of-the-line Nikon D4 and D5 cameras.