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An Extended Battery in a Waterproof Housing for the GoPro HERO7, HERO6, and HERO5 Black

If you're after an extended battery for the GoPro HERO7, HERO6, or HERO5 Black that's waterproof, the new Oumers Side Power is one of the few options available.

Oumers Side Power

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 3 months ago // Categories: Batteries & Charging
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018), GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black

Get $150 OFF GoPro HERO9 Black ($349.98)

GoPro is running a deal on the HERO9 Black. You get the HERO9 Black and a 1-year subscription to GoPro (which gets you unlimited cloud storage, up to 50% off accessories, and discounted camera replacement). They're also throwing in a free 32GB SD card, and the HERO9 Black comes with a case. It's all for $349.98.

Battery life is one of those things I’m always battling with GoPros. I’ve written before about a couple of different extended battery options that work with the GoPro HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018). One is an extended battery that clips onto the side and back of the camera and is held in place with a frame housing. The other was a battery stick. Both suffered from the same disadvantage of not being waterproof.1

A number of the older models of GoPros had a connection port on the back of the camera that could be used to attach a battery, and GoPro had their own extended battery solution called the BacPac that did just that. But the newer cameras don’t have that port, so they’re not compatible with the BacPac accessories.

Instead, the extended battery solutions have to plug into the USB-C port on the side of the camera. GoPro hasn’t released its own extended battery for these models so far, but aftermarket brands have started to.

Wasabi Power was first out of the gate. Their simply titled Extended Battery added a little extra width but pushed most of the design to behind the camera, blocking the camera’s back screen. And they couldn’t get a waterproof housing ready in time, so for now it’s only available with a non-waterproof frame housing.

Oumers Side Power (FLW501)

There’s a new option now available under the Oumers brand (not one I’ve heard of before) called the Side Power (model FLW501).

Oumers Housing Diving Case for GoPro Hero7 Black/Hero(2018)/ Hero5 Black/...
Oumers Housing Diving Case for GoPro Hero7 Black/Hero(2018)/ Hero5 Black/...
  • Side power bank is easy to install, which can make your gopro camera using time increased than 2 hours or...
  • Type-C charging cable, this gopro hero side power can not only supply power to GoPro Hero5,6 black motion...
Check Price on Amazon

It too plugs into the USB-C port on the side of the camera, but instead of wrapping around the back of the camera, it sits to the side. So you can still see the screen. And its distinctive feature is that it comes with a waterproof housing from the get-go.

It’s compatible with these models:

  • HERO7 Black
  • HERO6 Black
  • HERO5 Black
  • HERO (2018)

It’s not compatible with the HERO8 Black. That camera has a new design, and the USB-C port is in a different position. And the new camera body design won’t fit in the Side Power’s housing.

Design and Build

It’s not a particularly pretty solution, and there are definite downsides in this implementation. The result is quite wide and turns it into about the size of a standard compact camera. So you do lose the benefit of GoPros’ small size. That can be more than an issue of convenience, especially if you’re filming in tight or windy conditions.

The back door of the housing is solid plastic, so while you can see the back screen, you can’t use it with touch control (and voice control doesn’t work well with it).

Oumers Side Power

And the extra battery adds extra heat in an enclosed space, which can be a problem in humid or damp conditions with fogging. A couple of sets of anti-fog inserts are included, but you’ll probably want to pick up some more.

Battery Cells

The battery is rated for 2300mAh, which is almost double the capacity of the standard GoPro battery (1220mAh). And it’s used in addition to the standard battery, meaning you get the battery life of both added together (although it’s technically possible to use without the internal battery installed).

Oumers Side Power

On the right is a USB-C socket for plugging in the charging cable. The four blue LEDs on top are charge status indicators. In this shot, the USB-C plug that goes in to the side of the camera is at bottom covered in a protective black plastic cover that it’s shipped with.

The amount of time that will give you is going to vary based on various factors including the shooting mode you’re using and even the outside temperature (lithium batteries perform poorly in very cold temperatures). But in general you reasonably expect to roughly triple your shooting time, give or take.

Oumers Side Power

The charging socket at right. The powering plug at left.

Waterproof Housing

It comes standard with a waterproof housing that’s rated down to around 150 feet (45 meters). Aside from being unusually wide, it’s basically the same as the waterproof housing in older models of GoPros, with the same kind of clamp clip on top and buttons.

Oumers Side Power

Installing

To attach the battery you’ll need to clip off the side door. It’s very easy to clip on an off. It’s also very easy to lose–if you need new ones you can buy them as spare parts.

Oumers Side Power

To attach it to the camera, you remove the side door from the camera and slot the USB-C plug in.

The camera+battery combination then simply slips into the housing just like normal. There’s no special attachment or finicky finger gymnastics that some other extended batteries require.

Compatibility

It works with the HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black. It won’t work with other models, including older models or any of the Session models.

If you ran into GoPro’s nasty little surprise in its firmware a while back that prevented third-party batteries from working in their cameras, it’s natural to wonder whether they might do that again. I don’t have a definitive answer, and it’s impossible to rule out, of course, but there’s some degree of confidence of it not happening with this battery because it connects via the external USB-C port. The ones GoPro blocked previously with their firmware update were internal batteries.

What’s in the Box?

It comes with:

  • the battery
  • the waterproof housing
  • a USB-C cable (for charging)
  • a standard GoPro-style clip
  • a couple of packets of anti-fog inserts
  • a small lens cloth

In Use

It works. As expected, the amount of extra time I get varies according to the usual factors, but I’ve been getting roughly triple the usual times before both batteries are flat.

The housing seems solid and doesn’t seem to have any obvious weak points, although I haven’t taken it to depth to test how it does under water pressure. In snow and rain it has worked just fine.

The unit I bought was new in a box, but the housing was still a bit scuffed–the kind of non-premium finish you often get from some of these after-market suppliers. It hasn’t affected the performance, and the lens port itself is clean and clear, with the lens port and back panel both coming protected by a peel-off protector.

When shooting in the high-end video modes, the HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black cameras get hot just by themselves. Enclosing them into a sealed housing that limits their ability to air cool makes that worse. While I haven’t had the camera shut down from overheating when using the housing, there is definitely a higher risk of it doing so in some conditions. There’s also a good chance of lens fogging if you’re using it in humid or damp conditions or underwater, so using anti-fog inserts is a useful precaution.

Find Them At

I bought mine at Amazon.

Oumers Housing Diving Case for GoPro Hero7 Black/Hero(2018)/ Hero5 Black/...
Oumers Housing Diving Case for GoPro Hero7 Black/Hero(2018)/ Hero5 Black/...
  • Side power bank is easy to install, which can make your gopro camera using time increased than 2 hours or...
  • Type-C charging cable, this gopro hero side power can not only supply power to GoPro Hero5,6 black motion...
Check Price on Amazon

  1. At the time I originally posted this, the Blue Nook website said that they were working on a waterproof housing for the Wasabi Power Extended Battery. But that project appears to have been abandoned. ↩

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2021-04-17 at 22:52. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

More GoPro Tips & Tricks:

  • GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black
    GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black: Photo Modes
  • Extended Batteries for GoPro HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black
    Best Extended Batteries for GoPro HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018)
  • GoPro HERO6 Black Video Modes
    GoPro HERO6 Black Video Modes
  • DigiPower ReFuel ActionPack External Battery for GoPro
    DigiPower Refuel ActionPack Extended Battery for GoPro HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, & HERO (2018)
  • GoPro HERO5 Batteries and Chargers
    Batteries and Chargers for the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018)
  • GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black
    GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black
By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 4, 2021

Categories: Batteries & Charging
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018), GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black, GoPro HERO7 Black

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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