E-620 and the HLD-5 Battery Grip

<p>I don't have the Olympus HLD-5 [double battery] Grip to look at...yet. <br /> I was concerned as to the removal of the existing battery compartment door on the bottom of the camera; which must be removed to facilitate the installation of the double battery grip.</p>

<p>On page 127 of the camera manual it states the removal process is to push the battery door past it's full open position. Never wanting to force things, I had to look at this for awhile.<br /> Then, I gently gave the [normally], hinge-breaking push. Whew...it worked. The door popped out of the hinge pin keepers, and then pushes back into the keepers to re-install.</p>

<p>For others out there with maybe this same dilemma, no worries. Just make sure you find a good safe place to store the battery door so you can find it again for when you don't use the HLD Grip.<br /> Also, it is probably a good idea to use two BLS-1 batteries of the same make in the double battery grip; two Olympus, or two by the same third party.</p>

<p>FYI</p>

<p>My only comment is whether a person would need it or not. I have found these batteries stay charged longer than any camera I have ever had. I have made it through probably 500 pictures minimum with one battery charge.</p>

The bigger advantage of the grip is the vertical release, not added battery life, especially if you own the bigger lenses, like the 50-200 f2.8-3.5 SWD.

<p>Marc, regarding where the cameras' door goes when you mount the grip, the stem part of the grip that goes into the cameras' battery compartment to power things has a slot where you store the door, so if you put it where Olympus intends it be stored, you'll never lose it.</p>

<p>There's also no real need to use two batteries in the grip. There's no "extra" power benefit in using two other than the extra number of frames you can take over the life of the two batteries...nothing operates any faster, and it works just fine with one or two batteries.</p>

<p>Thanks Greg, great info in your posts.</p>

<p>Extra battery life was not my only reason in wanting the "grip." I have found the camera difficult (abnormal) for me to handle due to it's small size, (or I'm just all thumbs). My other cameras are medium format film, (6X7 and TLR) so handling this small body poses a new challenge for me.<br /> First camera I have used with a neck strap since 35mm days, well...almost.</p>

<p>I hope that I'm not reported to the authorities for "tripod neglect"!</p>

<p>"Tripod" is not in my vocabulary either, so that makes at least two of us.</p>

<p>Yes, the grip does give an extra bit of stability when using lenses like the 50-200. I have seen that comment more than once in the Olympus DSLR forum at DPReview. The small on-camera grip is fine when the camera is used with the kit lenses, but start going bigger and the balance can get off.</p>

<p>I'll add to those that have said the grip is useful form more than just holding an extra battery. In fact, the availability of the grip is one of the reasons I got an E-600. I've got pretty big hands, and was worried about the handling of such a small camera. The battery grip really helps with that, so now I have the option to use that or if I want to carry the minimum in bulk I can go without. I was recently shooting wildlife with the E-600 + vertical grip and my old Tokina 100-300 F4, Minolta MF mount (if you aren't familiar with that lens, it's a big boy), and found that the combo felt really good in my hands. And as Greg pointed out, the grip has a really nice storage spot for the door so you can't lose it if you use it as intended.</p>

<p>A camera doesn't "feel" like a camera without a vertical grip on the body. I cut my teeth shooting a Nikon F2as with motor drive, talk about a handful. Anyway, when I'm out shooting, I find it beneficial to have both BLM-1s fully charged and in place in the HLD-5. Took a while to get used to the 620 because of it's small size, but once I really started using it, it naturally became an extension of my eye. It's not an E-1, but I don't think there will ever be a camera body as ergonomically well designed as the E-1. I regularly shoot the Sigma 135-400 hand held with the 620, something that wouldn't be practical without the HLD-5 to help balance out the lens. </p>

<p>90% of my photos are taken using the view-finder (Olympus user since late 1960s). For portraits and low-angle shots,however, I often flip open the viewing screen and look down as with a large format camera. If you've never used one it's amazing how this allows you to 'see' the composition. The battery grip and especially the release button and wheel (As Greg Chappell mentioned above) make this so much easier.</p>