Fix for the cable clamp at DVinfo.net

Chris Harding · March 13th, 2013, 02:03 AM

Hi All

I have done a simple but effective mod on the mic cable clamp on the EA-50. What happens is the soft plastic edges simply bend outwards when you push the cable in and it falls out. I unscrewed the plastic clip with a tiny phillips screwdriver and then drilled a 2.5mm hole in each side of the clip. Then the clip is screwed back into the body and the cables pushed back in and you then push a cable tie thru the holes which when tightened, pulls the edges up straight and forms a barrier as well for the cable so it doesn't jump out.

Works perfectly!!

Chris

Noa Put · March 13th, 2013, 03:11 AM

You are now the official Sony mod man here :) The only issue I might see with this is if you have to take of the microphone during a shoot that you need to cut the cable tie. I have only set up the microphone and my swit battery once and then the cables didn"t come loose but I didn't shoot with it like that, it was just to make photo's from that setup. Does it come out that easily? I already asked it in the viewfinder 'stopper' thread you posted but can I use this photo as well to publish in the "mod" section of my blog?

James Manford · March 13th, 2013, 03:11 AM

Sweet mod.

What's that additional cable running along with the XLR mic's cable if you don't mind me asking?

Noa Put · March 13th, 2013, 03:12 AM

My guess would be for the power supply for his light.

Chris Harding · March 13th, 2013, 04:39 AM

Quite correct guys!!

It was Noa's idea actually and I copied it!! All credit to Noa...it balances the camera a lot better with the battery right at the end.

and Noa ...use any photo you wish for your blog. There actually should be 3 cables there but my receiver cable on that camera is a little short so it goes direct to the XLR ..it was made to fit the Panasonic.

Chris

James Manford · March 13th, 2013, 05:31 AM

What light and power supply are you using?

Chris Harding · March 13th, 2013, 07:49 AM

Hi James

I use eBay PowerLED lights that have either 6 x 3W LEDS or 8 x 3W LED's and run off Sony F550 batteries which clip on the back of the light and the whole thing sits on your coldshoe.

If you search for "5010A videolight" or "5080 videolight" on ebay you will find them!!

They also have a DC input so I removed the battery and stripped a spare charger and use that and the battery as a power supply running from the back of the camera simply to distribute the weight better.

When I saw Noa's light done the same way I just HAD to copy it!!

Chris

James Manford · March 13th, 2013, 11:07 PM

I actually own the 5080 too! and just use the same batteries off my EA50 to run them!

How did you guys make the power supply? can you elaborate more. I want to do this as well :)

Noa Put · March 14th, 2013, 01:10 AM

Here you can find my setup: Adding a wireless receiver | Sony nex ea50 user blog

Chris Harding · March 14th, 2013, 03:30 AM

Hey Noa

That's an awesome blog!! It should be mandatory reading for anyone with the camera!! Nice job!!

Chris

Noa Put · March 14th, 2013, 01:13 PM

Although this forum is a great resource, it suffers the same problem as any other forum, great info gets lost in all those thousands post, there have been many times where I knew I read something about a certain problem somewhere but I am not able to find it back, even with the search function, often you get so many posts on a topic and I don't want to or don't have the time to go through all these post to find it back.

In that way a blog can be much more valuable for structuring data but also to filter out only the important parts. At first I thought it would take a long time to fill it up but there is more and more great info posted about the camera so I could go on for a while :)

It is also the first time ever I really used twitter, for my current business I don't see the advantage but for the blog I do, I often will be updating posts with additional info if it's on the same subject (instead of making a new post each time) but since updated posts don't appear on top like new posts then twitter has become a valuable tool to inform about this and link directly to the concerning post.

We"ll see how it turns out.

March 13th, 2013, 02:03 AM	#1
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Fix for the cable clamp Hi All I have done a simple but effective mod on the mic cable clamp on the EA-50. What happens is the soft plastic edges simply bend outwards when you push the cable in and it falls out. I unscrewed the plastic clip with a tiny phillips screwdriver and then drilled a 2.5mm hole in each side of the clip. Then the clip is screwed back into the body and the cables pushed back in and you then push a cable tie thru the holes which when tightened, pulls the edges up straight and forms a barrier as well for the cable so it doesn't jump out. Works perfectly!! Chris Attached Thumbnails

March 13th, 2013, 03:11 AM	#2
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Fix for the cable clamp You are now the official Sony mod man here :) The only issue I might see with this is if you have to take of the microphone during a shoot that you need to cut the cable tie. I have only set up the microphone and my swit battery once and then the cables didn"t come loose but I didn't shoot with it like that, it was just to make photo's from that setup. Does it come out that easily? I already asked it in the viewfinder 'stopper' thread you posted but can I use this photo as well to publish in the "mod" section of my blog?

March 13th, 2013, 03:11 AM	#3
James Manford Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,393	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Sweet mod. What's that additional cable running along with the XLR mic's cable if you don't mind me asking?

March 13th, 2013, 03:12 AM	#4
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Fix for the cable clamp My guess would be for the power supply for his light.

March 13th, 2013, 04:39 AM	#5
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Quite correct guys!! It was Noa's idea actually and I copied it!! All credit to Noa...it balances the camera a lot better with the battery right at the end. and Noa ...use any photo you wish for your blog. There actually should be 3 cables there but my receiver cable on that camera is a little short so it goes direct to the XLR ..it was made to fit the Panasonic. Chris

March 13th, 2013, 05:31 AM	#6
James Manford Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,393	Re: Fix for the cable clamp What light and power supply are you using?

March 13th, 2013, 07:49 AM	#7
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Hi James I use eBay PowerLED lights that have either 6 x 3W LEDS or 8 x 3W LED's and run off Sony F550 batteries which clip on the back of the light and the whole thing sits on your coldshoe. If you search for "5010A videolight" or "5080 videolight" on ebay you will find them!! They also have a DC input so I removed the battery and stripped a spare charger and use that and the battery as a power supply running from the back of the camera simply to distribute the weight better. When I saw Noa's light done the same way I just HAD to copy it!! Chris

March 13th, 2013, 11:07 PM	#8
James Manford Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,393	Re: Fix for the cable clamp I actually own the 5080 too! and just use the same batteries off my EA50 to run them! How did you guys make the power supply? can you elaborate more. I want to do this as well :)

March 14th, 2013, 01:10 AM	#9
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Here you can find my setup: Adding a wireless receiver \| Sony nex ea50 user blog

March 14th, 2013, 03:30 AM	#10
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Hey Noa That's an awesome blog!! It should be mandatory reading for anyone with the camera!! Nice job!! Chris

March 14th, 2013, 01:13 PM	#11
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Fix for the cable clamp Although this forum is a great resource, it suffers the same problem as any other forum, great info gets lost in all those thousands post, there have been many times where I knew I read something about a certain problem somewhere but I am not able to find it back, even with the search function, often you get so many posts on a topic and I don't want to or don't have the time to go through all these post to find it back. In that way a blog can be much more valuable for structuring data but also to filter out only the important parts. At first I thought it would take a long time to fill it up but there is more and more great info posted about the camera so I could go on for a while :) It is also the first time ever I really used twitter, for my current business I don't see the advantage but for the blog I do, I often will be updating posts with additional info if it's on the same subject (instead of making a new post each time) but since updated posts don't appear on top like new posts then twitter has become a valuable tool to inform about this and link directly to the concerning post. We"ll see how it turns out.