FS7: Alternative to using the grip

B

bengiles

Well-known member
Yes, it's that time in my FS7 ownership when I realise that the whole Aaton verite thing was a Sony hoax and I'm ditching the grip.

I don't want to start a whole new "what rig do you use?" thread, but more of a "what alternative to the grip do you use?" discussion.

I've got a Chrosziel shoulder mount, so I'm thinking about a pair of arms coming off the rosettes like this:

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/chrosziel_403-30

Or perhaps using the 15mm rods like this:

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/vocas_0390-0003

I can see the rods option being a tad fiddly, when I'm taking the lens support on and off (or I just leave it on there, maybe.)

Any thought/suggestions?

Ben.
 
I second the titla handles. They are very adjustable. I've also been a fan of the Shape handles for the quick adjust-ability via button.

I love the grip for what it is. Of course I also felt the grip relocator was essential on the C series and have a hand carved Aaton style grip I mount on all rigged up cameras (EX1, 5D etc) before getting the FS7. Of course with my style of shooting I keep the grip pretty level with the rails and left hand on FF. If I had someone else pulling focus I'd go with a double bicycle style handle but that never happens.

When/if I end up breaking the stock grip I'll just go back to my Aaton style one but will miss the rec button and focus punch in.

Sam Morgan Moore has already disassembled his grip so to each their own. It works for some and not for others.
 
I used to have the Tilta handles but they annoyed me a bit. The 15mm rod bracket wouldn't get super tight and I got annoyed with loosening the knobs for the rosettes. I ended up splurging on some used O'Connor O-Grips. You twist them and can quickly reposition them. They are a bit heavy, though.

Honestly, I haven't had an issue with the Sony handgrip. I've actually enjoyed using it more than I thought I would. I put it on a Zacuto dual rosette mini block, so I can slide it forward on my rods a bit. The one thing I wish they would have done is given the grip a female threaded rosette. That way we could really put it anywhere we wanted without using their stock arm.

Maybe someone could make a mod for that?
 
Hmm, well I just pulled the handgrip off the arm. You could totally mount an arri rosette on here, with a little CNC'd cookie with an M6 female hole... I might have a new little side project. Definitely a labor intensive task, though.
 
There are four screws? If someone measures them and compared to the rosette grips dims - drawings On that big American parts website then you should be good to go?
 
As I was discussing with Sam on the 'phone earlier, if you could rotate the grip laterally, I'd find it much easier to live with. We both agreed that we feel like we're spraining our wrists within 10 mins or so of shooting.

Someone linked to a "clockarm" idea a while back. That looked like a good way of achieving the lateral twist I'm talking about.

I'd be happy to butcher the grip with a rosette plate - those screws aren't coming out without a fight, though.

Ben.
 
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I've always preferred mounting handles to the front of my rails over mounting them to them camera body itself - as lengthening the distance between your contact points to the camera (shoulder and arms) improves stability.
 
bengiles said:
Yes, it's that time in my FS7 ownership when I realise that the whole Aaton verite thing was a Sony hoax and I'm ditching the grip.

I don't want to start a whole new "what rig do you use?" thread, but more of a "what alternative to the grip do you use?" discussion.

I've got a Chrosziel shoulder mount, so I'm thinking about a pair of arms coming off the rosettes like this:

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/chrosziel_403-30

Or perhaps using the 15mm rods like this:

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/vocas_0390-0003

I can see the rods option being a tad fiddly, when I'm taking the lens support on and off (or I just leave it on there, maybe.)

Any thought/suggestions?

Ben.
Click to expand...

They are a fair amount of third party grips available but only one that I know of, that has logic controls that mimic the Sony grip, ie, zoom and assigns. That's a grip made by Caleb Crosby. His grip seems very ergonomic but at $2500, we're talking a third of the camera body price.
Your solution of going to handles only is a good one if you are not concerned about lens logic. But most of the handle only rigs have no stop/start, which for hand holding, I think is a deal breaker. Vocas makes a neat wooden and seemingly ergonomic grip with start/stop function for about $500. Looks pretty cool. You can search Vocas FS7 handgrip to have it come up.
Along those lines, my hand grip has been sent back to Sony because it slips off the rosette causing me to almost drop the camera. Sony was generous enough to send me a spare while mine is being looked at. They have had it going on 3 weeks and as this seems to be a growing problem, I'm wondering if they are trying to come up with a universal solution. Me thinks the slippage has to do with the rentention spring release. Probably need a stronger spring to keep the rosette gear closed more firmly, like on the Shape.
 
OK, or those who'd like to try and angle the grip more kindly, here's some info on the mounting point:

© Matobo 2015 FS7 grip 02 with mm.jpg© Matobo 2015 FS7 grip 01.jpg

The red and blue measurements are from centre to centre for the threads and the locking "roll pins." The green is the diameter of the metal mount, beyond which you'd foul against the surrounding plastic.

I used a Stanley 65-206 PH 0 x 75 screwdriver, which fitted perfectly and took the screws out with no issues. However, the rosette on the Sony arm was more of a fighter and managed to snap the head of the screwdriver on screw number 2 - so you may need more than one screwdriver...

I'm thinking if, amongst us, we can find an Arri-compatible rosette plate that will fit the above specs, one could use a couple of the following (or similar) with a 15mm rod to create a "clockarm" with the adjustment we need:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1100236-REG/lanparte_arl_01t_s_single_rod_clamp_with.html

Gentlemen start your engines...
 
I've ordered one of these:

http://www.berger-tools.co.uk/series.asp?CategoryID=23&SeriesID=1042&PartID=43823

Thanks, Sam, for the link. The idea is to to get it drilled to fit the 4 screws/2 roll pins on the Sony grip and tapped to take a rod clamp.

Next, I need a couple of rod clamps with M6 male threads. I can see various female ones - any idea where I might find a clamp that will screw onto an Arri rosette with a clamping lever? (ie not a female thread rod clamp.)

Cheers,

Ben.
 
Others are likely tired of hearing me whine about this but I don't get why it is that no one makes any type of grip with a strap that goes over the back of the hand. Ergocine doesn't offer one, Kinogrip doesn't offer one, and while there are scores of grips available from numerous accessory providers NO ONE offers any type of rosette-grip with a hand strap. Even though it was standard on shoulder mounted tv cameras for decades. The strap allows you to relax your hand muscles. You are less gripping with your hand and simply having your hand inserted between grip and strap.

Look at how the op's hand is relaxed with a setup that uses a hand-strap-

29887d1369569632-fs-700-handle-extention-700kit1.jpg

The operator isn't having to clench any handle or sphere.

Please, someone out there, produce an after market grip along the lines of this:

z-fs7gr-3.jpg

I'd be happy with it even if it didn't feature any controls at all and was simply a wooden grip with a hand-strap, a product that attaches to 15mm rods.
 
Those side handles are one of those things that have a small physiological effect on me (as did the Kinder Egg plastic of the Sony grip) - the side effect? - a deep desire to hurl the camera into a bush. Something ive not done since the days of the Nikon FM2 and its motor drive that always crapped out at the critical moment.

It seems that if the camera is in any form balanced you wont need it.,. and if a 4kg package is not balanced you are in trouble.
 
Handgrip ideas

Handgrip ideas

At first I thought the FS7 handgrip was pretty cool but I soon discovered that it made my hand muscles cramp after awhile. My solution is to rotate the handgrip to the rear and leave it there, wIMG_4125.jpgIMG_4122.jpgIMG_4123.jpghich if you are on stix it is very handy. I added a very nice old handgrip from my Frezzolini FR16 camera. It is in the right place so my elbow is resting against my side. I have the camera perfectly balanced using an older Tilta shoulder brace which I had to do a bit machining to accommodate the FS7. The red on/off switch does not work on my handle but could be made to. The Zoe DVX1 by Bebob lanc is small and can be mounted next too the hand grip for on and off. However I find using my left hand for the on/off switch on the camera body is easy. I also don't miss any of the controls on the handgrip. I almost always shoot in Cine EI mode and prefer not to use any automatic functions so my left hand is always resting on the lens.
 
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