FS100 Hand Grip Extension

[Ben Myrick]

I always thought Sony should have included a way to move the hand grip forward so that it could be used in the proper ENG style (just to the right of the lens). There's enough wire for it so you could still use the record trigger. I have a shoulder mount for my FS100 and holding it with the hand grip in the default position would require a 2nd elbow on my right arm. So, I'm making this:





The item pictured is just a prototype. The final will be anodized black and will come with a 1/4" thumb screw. The goal is to keep it simple and inexpensive.
I'm posting here to gauge interest. If enough people are interested, I'll whip up a batch. Let me know.
-Ben

[Derran Rootring]

Very nicely made Ben!
Does this also make the side grip stronger? I mean, when you directly connect the side handle to the FS100, it always has a bit of play / movement (due to the plastic I think). I was always hoping someone would make a new side handle or connection for the FS100 that is a lot stronger.
The new FS700 has a new way of attaching the side handle which looks a lot sturdier.

For me personally the handle doesn't have to be placed more forward, but I'm interested in whether this makes a stronger connection between side handle and camera. Perhaps you could also create a new in-between connection?

[Lee Mullen]

Originally Posted by Ben Myrick

I always thought Sony should have included a way to move the hand grip forward so that it could be used in the proper ENG style (just to the right of the lens). There's enough wire for it so you could still use the record trigger. I have a shoulder mount for my FS100 and holding it with the hand grip in the default position would require a 2nd elbow on my right arm. So, I'm making this:





The item pictured is just a prototype. The final will be anodized black and will come with a 1/4" thumb screw. The goal is to keep it simple and inexpensive.
I'm posting here to gauge interest. If enough people are interested, I'll whip up a batch. Let me know.
-Ben

Very nice.How much will they cost Ben?

[Matt Davis]

Egad, this may even make me dig out the grip from the bottom of my 'cupboard of doom'.

[Dan Asseff]

I'm interested in one.
Dan

[Ben Myrick]

Originally Posted by Derran Rootring

Very nicely made Ben!
Does this also make the side grip stronger? I mean, when you directly connect the side handle to the FS100, it always has a bit of play / movement (due to the plastic I think). I was always hoping someone would make a new side handle or connection for the FS100 that is a lot stronger.
The new FS700 has a new way of attaching the side handle which looks a lot sturdier.

For me personally the handle doesn't have to be placed more forward, but I'm interested in whether this makes a stronger connection between side handle and camera. Perhaps you could also create a new in-between connection?

Thanks. Next week, I will test a new version that includes tighter tolerances than what Sony used, which will take up all the looseness possible. That said, the hand grip itself has some inherent play inside the rotating part, which can't be remedied with any kind of external attachment. In other words, because of the cheap design of the hand grip itself it will never feel 100% solid, but this bracket should feel slightly more solid than stock.

The FS100 uses the Arri rosette mount, which has been used on larger film cameras for decades because of its inherent sturdiness. Why Sony didn't start with that design is beyond me.

[Ben Myrick]

Originally Posted by Jalan Salur

Very nice.How much will they cost Ben?

I can't comment on that until I know what it will cost to make a batch. Right now I'm just gauging interest to see if I could sell enough to justify the cost of running a whole batch of these. And the more interest I get from people on the forums, the larger the batch I will run, which translates to lower production costs, supply and demand, blah blah blah, etc.

[Bruce S. Yarock]

I'm interested.
Bruce Yarock
Yarock Productions

[Junior Pascual]

Ben,
I'm also interested.

Jr. Pascual
49 Productions

[Jakob Gross]

will buy one!

[Timo Lawrence]

I might actually use my handgrip if I had one of these. If the price was reasonable I'd certainly buy one.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Any news on this?

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

Interested too!

[Cynthia Webster]

I Hope you makes these, I want one too please!

[David McClean]

I'm also interested!