No measurements. They never tell me much anyway, feel always tells me a bit more.

I got my HLD-6 last week. Visually I barely notice the increase in size, apart from the increased depth of the right side, with just the landscape grip. It adds a little bit of weight but the camera just feels solider to me as a result and I've carried it in my hand on a 1 hour or so long walk around and been more comfortable with it and my hand has had an easier job than doing the same length walk without the grip.

The portrait grip really does make a noticeable difference to the size. Looking at the camera with both grips mounted, you've basically got a square body with the hump on top. Definitely a bit more weight but once again it feels good in the hand, and holding the camera in portrait orientation using the portrait grip also feels good. I did a 45 minute walk with it in the hand the whole time yesterday. Once again it was a more comfortable, easier experience for me than doing the same thing with the camera without the grip. I actually think I may prefer the camera with the full package of both grips attached.

I'm comfortable with using the E-M5 without the grip. I do find carrying it in the hand without the grip uncomfortable. I have to maintain grip pressure and my fingers don't curl around the camera's own grip enough to allow the camera just to hang from my hand without me having to maintain grip pressure. With the grip I can do that, and that keeps my hand more relaxed. I think the benefit of the grip while actually using the camera comes down to a better hand position and a shift in the centre of gravity of the camera/lens combination back towards you because of the added mass of the grip. I like what the grip does for me while the camera is in use, but for me the biggest benefit in the 4 days I've been using it is the greater ease of carrying it in the hand and the fact that my hand doesn't get anywhere near as tired as a result. Some may find it odd that I'm saying that it's easier to carry a heavier object but it most certainly is if you're no longer having to maintain a certain degree of grip pressure to hold the camera and instead can just curl your fingers under the grip and simply let the camera hang instead. While you are carrying a heavier load, you aren't working your hand's gripping muscles anywhere near as hard to do so.

I used to work in health and safety before I retired and dealt with ergonomic issues a fair bit. We all have different hands and the same thing won't work the same for everyone. There's a personal element involved with things like grips and the HLD-6 is very good for me. I think many others would also find it good, but I also expect that there will be those who prefer the camera without it. The only way you'll know is to actually try the camera with the grip mounted, and don't only try it in shooting position. Also try just holding the camera by your side as you would while walking around if you use a wrist strap on your camera. You'll know whether or not you want to use it.

If you need the L plate to do panoramas I'd understand paying that much money. Your points are slightly biased towards RRS, probably due to good experiences with their stuff. An Arca-Swiss plate doesn't have to cost that much, $20 is usually enough for a plain one.

They're obviously tools for pros, and I'm not one, it just doesn't provide enough value for me.

I haven't used their stuff and from the outside it seems quite expensive, the finger grip isn't rubberized (which helps on the HLD-6 to carry the camera with a wrist strap). For those who get the grip for large lenses and would use the portrait part as well the battery door access isn't an issue as you can obviously move the battery to the grip.

HLD-6 is also useful if you use the camera in a studio setup, as it has the AC adapter interface.

Same experience here. I would have definitely like to buy just the horizontal grip.

I've found while using the portrait grip in horizontal mode, especially with smaller lenses it's very easy to rest the bottom left corner of the grip on your palm with your fingers reaching the lens for a light grip of the lens from below.

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GX1 - OM-D E-M5 - Lumix G 7-14 | 12-35 | 20 | 35-100 | 45-175 - m.ZD 12-50 | 45 - Samyang 7.5 - 500px

No bias to RRS, they were just an example as they are the only manufacturer that is making custom plates for the E-M5. I was simply providing a counterpoint to a statement by nuences_snapper. I will admit that I do prefer to buy from companies that design and produce quality products in the US, even if they are more expensive. I have also bought from Kirk and others.

The range of prices I quoted was for fitted plates and fitted l-plates, not the generic ones. Sure you can buy a generic one for $20. I have never like the way those worked, particularly if you flop things over 90 degrees in the bullhead to do a vertical and the torque on the system loosens things up.

The point of an l-plate is not only for panoramas, but are also useful for being able to rotate from horizontal to vertical without having to flop the camera over in the ballhead. With an L-Plate, that is quick and requires a minimum of adjustment of the bullhead and tripod. I like to try both horizontal and vertical compositions, so this is handy.

It's my go-to lens for the E-M5. It does miss focus every now and then, and the AF is definitely slow, but it makes up for it by the image quality and versatility.

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-Dragos
Panasonic GH1 + various lenses

BEAST!

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GEAR: Olympus OM-D EM-5 | Olympus PEN E-PL1 | Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 | Olympus M.Zuiko 14-150mm f/4-5.6 | Olympus M.Zuiko 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 | Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 | Olympus FL-LM2 Electronic Flash

Yes. I had another go with the 12-60 today and it certainly is sharp. But on the long end at least, it does misfocus fairly frequently. It's not usually obvious from the EVF either. Hmm...

DH

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E-M5 | E-PM2 | mZD 12-50 | ZD 12-60 | P 14-42 X | mZD 40-150 R | PL 25 | mZD 45

Hi CPWarner,

Did you ever get a chance to order the RRS grip? Would love to see some pictures.

I'm debating about the milich grip vs hlb-6 or RRS. I'm leaning towards the RRS due to looks and the battery door access. Don't like the price though.

Thanks,
Tony

The OM-D is a great camera but ergonomically is not particularly well designed. The HLD-6 makes a huge difference in my opinion. Its most important feature is that it moves the shutter release button and wheel forward at least an inch on the landscape half of the grip - the third party grips obvious do not.

This simply makes the OMD handle better with all lenses.

The grip also lowers the shutter release button by almost 1cm which is also helpful.

There is a very good reason that a US$300 battery grip for a camera is proving so popular. Noone really needs the extra battery pack or the extra size. It is, however, something of a necessity to make the camera handle well.

HLD-6 was a must have for me, shooting with the 100-300mm without the grip was hurting my hands and the grip made it much more comfortable

No, I ended up canceling my order as I found that I liked the full HLD-6 grip. So I got a generic l- plate that works with the full grip.