I am so excited to finally get this. Not only does it double the battery life, but it provides a much more stable grip for the camera. I have the silver OMD EM1 and I absolutely love how closely it resembles my OM4Ti with Motor Drive. Definitely has a great retro look to go with all of the new features of going digital. It does add some weight and bulk to the camera, but totally worth it!!!!!

A great addition to my OMD E1 for night shooting in the cold nights. I don't have to worry about battery running out on a long exposure at the crucial time.

I use the HLD-7 as it allows me to shoot all day and into the next on extended snowshoeing trips. It's easy to replace the battery in the holder on there rare time it's needed. An extra feature is that you can attach a external power adapter for longer shoots. Every year I take Halloween photos of graduates from an NICU (Neonatal ICU), taking 300-400 shots in an after noon. I've also used it with the external power adapter for long time lapse shoots at night in temperatures below the freezing point.

When I switched to the E-M1, from my Nikon D810, I felt the camera body was somewhat small for my hands to hold comfortably. Another issue with the camera was the battery drained too fast - again compared to what I'm used to with my other gear. The HLD7 addresses both issues. The camera now feels more balanced - especially when using the 40-150 Pro lens - and the battery capacity has been doubled. One battery goes in the body and the other battery in the HLD7 grip.

I got the HLD-7 battery grip for my E-M1 camera a couple of days ago. The grip really helps give you more control over your E-M1, especially when you have a large lens mounted, like the 40-150 mm f/2.8 Pro lens, or the ED-50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD lens. I use the GS-5 Grip Strap with the HLD-7, and the strap certainly improves the stability of the set-up. Either of those lenses should be used with a tripod, to prevent fatigue, and maintain a steady shooting platform, but by using the HLD-7 grip with the GS-5 strap, I can carry the camera/lens and a monopod to become more mobile. Also when I shoot, I change from “A” aperture mode to “S” shutter priority mode. I have not noticed any problem with battery drain yet, but I will get another battery just to be safe. Love the balance and love the looks of the E-M1 with the HLD-7.

What a great addition to a great camera. This grip makes the camera so much easier to balance, especially when using E series 4/3 lenses (which I am addicted to). The grip doesn't add much weight, but doubles the battery life (I haven't had a problem with battery drainage like some other reviewers) and is an essential accessory for this camera as far as I'm concerned.

Must for wedding work. Two function buttons on the grip are great. We set ours for focus point select, and ISO select. Must have for the spare battery when working events.

Of my few, but significant complaints about the E-M1 are battery life and ergonomics (even though vastly improved over the E-M5). When the hld-7 is attached it transforms the E-M1 into a fantast handling camera and shoot all day without concern to battery life. Cheers to Olympus for addressing these issues inherent to the M43 system. Love my E-M1 and love it more with the battery grip attached. I'm an Olypus user for life!

When I first used the HLD-7 grip, it drained the batteries quickly while it sat on the shelf. I found a few others had the same experience and we compensated by only using the grip battery and leaving out when not in use. Now, it appears that the problem has been solved. I can leave both batteries in for several days without it running the camera down to nothing. Huge relief. The grip itself is extremely useful. My pro work lives in big and fast FT glass and that grip just makes the older (but still incredible) lenses practical to use. You also gain programmable buttons for frequently used functions and a port for the AC adapter when you need to run the camera all day. Put it all together, and the E-M1 is a true transformer camera. Strip it down to just the body and standard MFT glass for when you need to travel. Bulk it up with the HLD-7 and FT glass and it looks like any other pro DSLR. My only wish (for 4 vs 5 stars) is that they had found a way to button another button at the other end. There are times when it's just easier to shoot by flipping the camera in the other vertical direction. My prior FT Oly had that on a third party grip and I really do miss that 2nd button.

I have the HLD-7 on both of my E-M1 bodies and they are great! Balances the camera and allows for shooting a complete sporting event without missing a shot. if you set the camera up using the PHB battery first then you can swap the battery out with out detaching the grip from the camera and never miss a shot. Neither of mine exhibit the battery draining issue. I leave them attached 100% of the time and have never had them drain my batteries, my cameras are always ready to go. A definite must have accessory for the E-M1.