C300 handgrip loose at DVinfo.net

Scott Stoneback · July 27th, 2016, 02:31 PM

Anyone know if these can be taken apart and reassembled? My original C300 handgrip has developed a tiny bit of slop/play at the screw-in connection to the camera body. Basically, it rotates back and forth a tiny amount, but just enough to cause movement in any handheld shot. Really annoying.

I did pull the screws at the mounting point of the grip... and got into the first layer of the connection. But didn't notice anything obvious. There are two small screws on the grip housing that I removed but that didn't allow me to dissasemble. It feels like the plastic body is snapped together... and I don't know how to undo that without breaking the plastic apart.

Also annoying, is the plastic casing creaks (makes noise) when handholding. It is bad enough that if I cannot get the unit opened to fix the rotation slop problem, I might just run a bead of superglue over any of the joints I see. I can hear the problem on the camera mic... so it has to get addressed.

I know I can buy a new grip for around $400. Don't want that route at this time. And yes, I have tightened all visible screws and mounting point, but that did not solve problem.

Mathew Williams · July 28th, 2016, 01:24 PM

Hi Scott - I had the same problem - look at this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-ci...apped-off.html

I found a solution - just tightening up the small screws in both the camera side and hand grip side.

Matt

Scott Stoneback · July 28th, 2016, 07:31 PM

Unfortunately, my issue wasn't loose screws. I gave everything a tightening, but all screws were solid already.

Fortunately, I have found one issue that greatly helps. There was a small plastic "notch" that broke off... but I found it sitting inside the grip.

After unscrewing the grip from the body... look inside the grip, there are four screws that hold the notched base together. Unscrew those four small screws. The base is under spring tension... so hold it together. Remove the screw-on base and you will see a large spring and more plastic.

On the revealed plastic bits... there was a tiny, tiny plastic notch that sticks up and holds a small piece of the metal base in line. The little plastic notch was loose under the base. We are talking a piece that was the size of the head of a pin... not much more that 1millimeter by 1 millimeter. I took a drop of superglue and reseated the notch, reassembled the screw base... and success.

I figured out the majority of the play/movement was due to that tiny plastic which broke. I am guessing that this will break again, but for now it is good. Hopefully this holds for a little while!

Mathew Williams · July 28th, 2016, 08:33 PM

I'd advise a bit of caution - I also found that the play in this plastic ring was making the hand grip loose and also applied a bit of superglue. This did appear to fix the problem, but shortly afterwards when I took the hand grip off I found the plastic ring had snapped, I continued to use it and this was when the whole hand grip just sheared off (fortunately the cam was on a monopod so didn't go crashing to the floor). I think the superglue had removed the play in the ring, but I now think some small play in the plastic is necessary or the plastic snaps, which can lead to the catastrophic failure I had. Unfortunately, this tiny amount of superglue I used invalidated my warranty so I had to buy a new hand grip - I was very annoyed considering the cam was only 2 months old and it is a truly awful design that such a failure can occur, but just had to accept it.

Something else slightly annoying (as someone now on my third hand grip) - the record button on the hand grip needs to be pressed far too hard - many times I press it and it's only after a while I realise it isn't recording because I haven't applied enough pressure to the button. This is the same on all the hand grips I've had.

I think the hand grip could do with a bit of re-design work!

Matt

Scott Stoneback · July 28th, 2016, 08:53 PM

I hear you on the superglue... but my issue is with a 4 year old grip and the superglue I've applied isn't trying to hold the grip to the camera... it is just used to reattached the little nub that broke off.

Now, I might use it more on the outside seams to keep it from making creaking noises while handling. That is another issue that I am trying to solve.

As for the functions of the buttons and dials... everything on both the C300 and the C300 MII are working just great. I've used lots of other C300 bodies and the grip's control surfaces were never an issue.

July 27th, 2016, 02:31 PM	#1
Scott Stoneback Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 161	C300 handgrip loose Anyone know if these can be taken apart and reassembled? My original C300 handgrip has developed a tiny bit of slop/play at the screw-in connection to the camera body. Basically, it rotates back and forth a tiny amount, but just enough to cause movement in any handheld shot. Really annoying. I did pull the screws at the mounting point of the grip... and got into the first layer of the connection. But didn't notice anything obvious. There are two small screws on the grip housing that I removed but that didn't allow me to dissasemble. It feels like the plastic body is snapped together... and I don't know how to undo that without breaking the plastic apart. Also annoying, is the plastic casing creaks (makes noise) when handholding. It is bad enough that if I cannot get the unit opened to fix the rotation slop problem, I might just run a bead of superglue over any of the joints I see. I can hear the problem on the camera mic... so it has to get addressed. I know I can buy a new grip for around $400. Don't want that route at this time. And yes, I have tightened all visible screws and mounting point, but that did not solve problem.

July 28th, 2016, 01:24 PM	#2
Mathew Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: London UK Posts: 50	Re: C300 handgrip loose Hi Scott - I had the same problem - look at this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-ci...apped-off.html I found a solution - just tightening up the small screws in both the camera side and hand grip side. Matt

July 28th, 2016, 07:31 PM	#3
Scott Stoneback Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 161	Re: C300 handgrip loose Unfortunately, my issue wasn't loose screws. I gave everything a tightening, but all screws were solid already. Fortunately, I have found one issue that greatly helps. There was a small plastic "notch" that broke off... but I found it sitting inside the grip. After unscrewing the grip from the body... look inside the grip, there are four screws that hold the notched base together. Unscrew those four small screws. The base is under spring tension... so hold it together. Remove the screw-on base and you will see a large spring and more plastic. On the revealed plastic bits... there was a tiny, tiny plastic notch that sticks up and holds a small piece of the metal base in line. The little plastic notch was loose under the base. We are talking a piece that was the size of the head of a pin... not much more that 1millimeter by 1 millimeter. I took a drop of superglue and reseated the notch, reassembled the screw base... and success. I figured out the majority of the play/movement was due to that tiny plastic which broke. I am guessing that this will break again, but for now it is good. Hopefully this holds for a little while!

July 28th, 2016, 08:33 PM	#4
Mathew Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: London UK Posts: 50	Re: C300 handgrip loose I'd advise a bit of caution - I also found that the play in this plastic ring was making the hand grip loose and also applied a bit of superglue. This did appear to fix the problem, but shortly afterwards when I took the hand grip off I found the plastic ring had snapped, I continued to use it and this was when the whole hand grip just sheared off (fortunately the cam was on a monopod so didn't go crashing to the floor). I think the superglue had removed the play in the ring, but I now think some small play in the plastic is necessary or the plastic snaps, which can lead to the catastrophic failure I had. Unfortunately, this tiny amount of superglue I used invalidated my warranty so I had to buy a new hand grip - I was very annoyed considering the cam was only 2 months old and it is a truly awful design that such a failure can occur, but just had to accept it. Something else slightly annoying (as someone now on my third hand grip) - the record button on the hand grip needs to be pressed far too hard - many times I press it and it's only after a while I realise it isn't recording because I haven't applied enough pressure to the button. This is the same on all the hand grips I've had. I think the hand grip could do with a bit of re-design work! Matt

July 28th, 2016, 08:53 PM	#5
Scott Stoneback Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 161	Re: C300 handgrip loose I hear you on the superglue... but my issue is with a 4 year old grip and the superglue I've applied isn't trying to hold the grip to the camera... it is just used to reattached the little nub that broke off. Now, I might use it more on the outside seams to keep it from making creaking noises while handling. That is another issue that I am trying to solve. As for the functions of the buttons and dials... everything on both the C300 and the C300 MII are working just great. I've used lots of other C300 bodies and the grip's control surfaces were never an issue.