FS7: Found a way to attach a hand strap to FS7 handgrip? Reviving this old post by JPNola

M

Mertzwiller

Member
  • 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-

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    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:

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    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.​



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So let's talk what TYPE of strap? leather? suede with stitched in velcro? I'll make you up a custom walnut grip with strap. No worry and it will fit your FS7 via a crony.
 
The strap idea sounded fun so I closed up the shop this week with a 1 hour mock up an FS7 grip strap. Now it's time for a cold one.

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Great use of those two screw holes Caleb! That looks top official. For long days in the sun an additional breathable option would probably be a great way to go as well.

Props on making the OP's dream come true
 
70, Thanks I was kinda tickled to respond to Mertz request within the hour ;-)

For long days in the sun I'll make a bimini version from sunbrella fabric - like on my old boat!
 
I’m impressed. Is there a way to add a little padding or something to soften contact between wrist/skin and inner side of hand strap to prevent blisters? And a way to loosen it up so it has some "give" if you want to move your wrist around in it to avoid cramps, and the hand/wrist doesn't feel locked too tightly in place?

This has fantastic potential. Great work, Caleb.
 
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Good ideas Mertzwiller, I think just lining it with deerskin is about as elegant "glove" tech as it gets. I have a pair of deerskin driving gloves that I look forward to using about 10 days a year down south. Flexi would be good,. I'll tell you tho the way it is might surprise you - it's really supportive and feels great. I think cutting it in half ledft to right and adding elastic fabric for a bridge. Also I would source more pliable less thick leather. This leather is for another item that must remain undisclosed for a few more weeks.
 
Caleb, are you planning that line of Chaps for DPs?

This looks very nice but I would think that some adjustability is in order. Some people have fatter hands than others and you want it to fit like, well you want it to fit like a glove.

Also, I wouldn't be afraid of the stiffness and thickness. It'll probably wear over time like a nice leather bag or baseball mitt. In fact a little mineral oil might just do nicely.
 
HA Mitch, certain sectors of our industry are interested in all manner of discreet leather coated accessories ;-)
I'm a huge mineral oil guy for wood and steel but not leather. Mink or Neats for me. I actually just winged this together as a lark but you may well be right about the hard leather over time.
I agree it would form a sweet spot. That's what leather does! Problem is the wimpy sony grip prob does not have the chassis strength to resist the pull it would place on the attachment points. For this Sony- bendy and light is my guess.

I used a Beretta .38 holster for my spot meter for many years- every shooter needs some leather in their act yeah?
 
Funny, I have way more leather items now that I'm not behind the camera so much. Before it was only my sneakers and the custom barney Elaine Fusella made for my Aaton. My meters were in rip-stop nylon pouches. Now I have so many lovely leather satchels, notebooks, pouches, key wallets, cell phone holders and other accessories it's almost fetishistic. I used to be a shlub on set, now I carry more cow than I eat.

Anyway, back to the topic on hand, or handgrip. I agree that plastic grip might not be up for the stress. Is there room inside for a metal shaft that could lend some strength to the mounting points and remove stress from the handle? Perhaps the base of the shaft could also afford an adjustment point where it connects with the leather.
 
Yeah bang on Mitch. I was itching to open my grip up and see if I could fortify the chassis but I reminded myself, out of duty, that just because I work in my own shop and like the work is no excuse to delay a cold beverage at weeks end.

I'm hoping to just use a larger stud size and a backing nut - I'll post back late tomorrow if I find an approach.

Shlub is new to my ear, is there really a Yiddish word for lacking in leather accouterment? I also had a lovely thick black leather Aaton barney that I only had to use a few times. I used to fine tune the nose tension in my mags myself which helped amazingly with db noise. It was someone at Abel in the tech dept who first explained the process over the phone. I took notes on location in Montana - talk about the old west. No it was on the phone not morse code
 
I blame auto-correct for somehow turning "schlub" into "shlub." A schlub is a guy who looks like a loser, someone who is not dressed for success. A loser, a slob. Mothers would fret that you would never accomplish anything in life leaving the house like that. The crappy rags that were excuses for clothes were schmattas.

There are plenty of days when my wife lets me know that I'm still deep in schlub territory ("You're not going out of the house dressed like that, are you? Why no dear, this was just a practice run to see if you were paying attention."), but I do find the urbane touches of leather do lend a sophisticated air to this dapper man about town. It's my inner Cary Grant, as opposed to my outer Don Knox.

I rarely needed that barney either. It was there only for very close intimate scenes when I was inches away from talent. I knew every noise that camera could ever make, and I would often freak out my Acs by popping off a mag to rub a bit of nose grease on the gate, slap a mag or adjust a loop by just shoving it up inside the nose port bit before shoving the mag back on the camera. I'll never have that relationship with a camera again.

Anyway, the hand strap looks nice and a modest bit of adjustability should be all that's needed. To keep it sturdy you could probably just use a few holes in the leather that one could choose from, like using a belt.
 
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