My two cents: I have the Nikon D40 with a grip and I also have the 35mm 1.8. I personally prefer having the grip, the double battery life means a lot longer between charges (of course, when I DO charge, I have to charge 2 batteries). Also, you have the option of using AAs in an emergency. I had to do this once, I had simply not charged my batteries and got asked at the last minute to photograph an event for a friend, and I ran out of juice. I was able to throw in the AAs and finish the gig. More importantly, the grip helps if you use a big lens. I have a Sigma 18mm-200mm, and it's a heavy lens on the D40 body; the grip makes it much easier to hold the camera comfortably. As for the 35mm 1.8, I love this lens! Great colors, sharp focus, and excellent low-light functionality. I think you'll enjoy using that lens. I use Hoya UV filters on both of my lenses, only to avoid any scratches from cleaning. I do a lot of outdoor projects and sometimes the lenses get dusty, I'd rather risk scratching the filter instead of the lens, but this is a personal preference. I'm not happy with my ProMaster flash, I should have gotten the SB-600. However, I do have the SB-400, and I use it often. I've read that you should always stick with Nikon flashes for Nikon cameras, and I agree with that; the ProMaster works great most of the time, but every once in awhile it stops "talking" to the camera and won't function properly, and I have to take it off and put it back on to clear it. The SB-400 works every time, all the time, but does not have a lot of power.