Product Description

HLD-4 POWER BATTERY HOLDER E-3

Product Details

• Color: Black
• Brand: Olympus
• Model: 260253
• Dimensions: 4.30" h x 2.70" w x 5.50" l, 1.15 pounds

Features

• Compatible with Olympus E-3
• Power for extended use
• Ideal for portrait shooting
• Dust & splash proof
• Holds 2x BLM-1

Customer Reviews

Essentially a necessity for a fast E3
The E3's fast focus, rapid cycle time, SWD focus system all consume power - the HLD-4 like its previous battery holders allows you to parallel two BLM-1's Olympus BLM-01 Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery for C7070, C8080, E1, E300 & E500 Digital Cameras for twice the shooting time, exposures, or simply a longer timeout so your camera is always ready. You can also charge one battery while still using the camera on the other one if you charge before they both go dead. As before, you get the portrait shutter button which I do use when holding 90 degree rotation. One difference is this can use 6 AA's which is a first for me personally. Olympus's glossy sheet quotes that this will improve focus times - this is generally due to the paralleling of the two batteries and thus the higher voltage when charging flash, running focus motor, logic, etc. 6AA's @ 1.2 V (assuming NIMH) is 7.2V in line with the lithium, or 9V using 1.5V alkaline. There is always a debate here because alkaline cells quickly develop internal impedance and thus don't give you 9V through the life of the cell, while NiMH cells do run 1.2 V or higher for the useful life of the cell. Some experimentation is needed to compare actual voltage delivered to the camera with 2 li-ion vs 6 NIMH cells in the HLD-4. The higher the voltage under load, the faster the camera will operate. In either case, I'm sure the power flexibility it adds will please all E3 shooters. At 199, I'm a bit shocked (no pun intended) at the price as I just paid 84 bucks for my last HLD-3 for the E300 back I picked up off ebay for $170. Getting 2 additional megapixels is not cheap if you want to run the bleading edge; all E3 owners will still find Olympus hardware a great value compared to Canon equivalent backs & lenses as they always have.

A Must For E-3 Owners!
I have been using the Olympus HLD-4 battery holder for about a week and I couldn't be more pleased. I have used a similar type of power pack on my Nikon 35mm cameras in the past, however this one is far superior to the ones I used in the past.

I really appreciate the comfortable feel. Even though it adds more weight, everything is well balanced. The addition of the optional AS-GS3 strap gives much added support and comfort.

The additional buttons on the battery holder really come in handy and they are very well placed for comfort and convenience. I use the extra shutter button often since I shoot a lot of portraits.

My power pack is still using the original batteries that I loaded last week. Although I shoot over 200 photos daily, I still have plenty of power in the unit. I shoot in the 5 fps mode often, and the camera is never slowed down by lack of power.

I believe that anyone with an Olympus E-3 should give the HLD-4 a try. Once you get used to the added weight, the extra power and comfort are well worth the price.

Good news for E-30 owners
The good news is that this grip is fully compatible with the E-30. The dials and buttons fully replicate the functions of the buttons on the body. Battery life is terrific; I shot over 1,000 frames at an athletic event and the charge indicator didn't budge from "full." Be aware that zooming your lens can create a lot of torque and might cause the electrical contacts to lose connection. This will cause the camera to freeze, but this is quickly and easily fixed by removing and reconnecting the grip. Overall, this is a very useful accessory for those who do a lot of vertical shooting.