FS7: FS7 Handgrip MOD to ARRI Standard - now available

Sorry, did two grips today and it took awhile. I'm meeting with FS7 buddy tomorrow for some photos - maybe we can shoot a couple phone videos with a Clockarm.

I 'll try to have it posted here after fedex deadline late tomorrow.
Man I'm tired! Pernicious Sony, just flat out pernicious.
 
plasticam said:
Thanks Ben. You pioneered this, I was just contacted and asked to join in the fun. It;s absolutley pernicious the way Sony has locked in these screws. I've done 3 now and good god the screws are not red or blue locktite, the threads are white and I suspect it's epoxy. Ben if you got that off with a screwdriver - well that's amazing. So far I have extracted only one screw with a driver. Not one grip, one screw. The entire battle is removal - once you release the bad smoke, it's all good. I just dont understand the thinking behind epoxing screws at such a critical attachment point. I could sound like Bush 1 and say 'critical juncture' ;-)
Click to expand...

Yes, it did occur to me that what you're charging is very reasonable, based on the risk you're taking, trying to get those screws out of the original grip plate.

I used a brand new Philips size 0 screwdriver, held the grip solidly and did a quick but firm turn to break the threadlock - but I could have just been very lucky.

I considered offering a similar service for UK buyers, as I now have a local engineering firm with the drawings to create replacement rosette plates quickly, having gone through the expense of creating the original 2 plates - but the business of getting those screws out is what put me off. If they break, that's a hell of job you've got on your hands.
 
Ben, my colleague from afar! You certainly hit the "screw" on the head. It does take some work. The trick is work holding. Making Cinegrips I learned ways to get them where I need and fashioned a couple great jigs to hold them so tools can be applied with control- basically to a wonky pretzel. Like most things, it's not brilliance but more time over target that counts.

And there is a humorous element in that I'm the one fixing Sony's grips. Enough said.
 
Is there a way to mount the grip directly to the body like an FS5? if so i'll send my handle in tomorrow haha been waiting forever for something like this to happen.
 
Yes Joey, after it's retrofit - you're free to choose - the options abound. Right now I'm jailbreaking and shipping with a rosette/ M6 threaded socket - so if you want to plant it on the camera body rosette - just buy a male M6 stud gizmo from me or who ever has a flavor you like. I'll have a build in stud option prob Mon/Tues. It's simple enough but I have a wk end shoot so will show what I come up with in a few days.
 
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I promised some photos ON CAM. First is
a jailbroken grip
attached via 3 things I make
1. an FS7 special spacer plate
2. a modifoed 15mm Stub clamp
3. a special Clock Arm

IMG_0804.jpg


IMG_0811.jpg

IMG_0813.jpg

IMG_0814.jpg

heres a special request that shipped today . shows that once it's retro fit, you can do anything you want.
This DP coined the term the Brewski Twist for what he was after. We just emailed Monday and he will already have this part delivered tomorrow morning.

IMG_0821.jpg

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Englanders,

Very welcome to send, I've shipped cross pond a fair bit - FedEx shows 1 pound at $34.61
for 5-10 day. I'm working off phone from set - so you'll need to confirm,

SNIP
i had to edit this post. I checked fedex's site directly
And got mid $70 usd. USPS has gone up 40% to $66.

Maybe get together and get a few grips in one box and split the cost!
 
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Bern Caughey said:
Fantastic!

Hate to lose the functionality of the Shape Arm, but very tired of the wrist strain, so most likely sending you my grip soon.
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My sentiments exactly which is why I'm having Caleb machine a rossett onto the Sony original arm (bracket) so his adapter will retro onto the Shape, thus still having the functionality of the long, adjustable north/south Sony/Shape combo but with the ability to have a slight twist for the wrist.
I call it the "Brewski Twist" because like drinking a brew, you twist the wrist maybe 10 degrees while lifting the can/bottle.
After hours of handheld work, you want to adjust the wrist from time to time.
 
cinematographer_dop said:
Hi Do you do this for your UK cousins and whjat will be the shipping cost

Jeff
Click to expand...

Just had it done but be aware that losing the long arm is problematic. Too close to the camera and human body. But with just one more adaptation to the Sony arm by way of a rossett on the end of the arm, one can still use original mounting but with the addition of a bit more flexibility for the wrist.
Now I am specifically talking about the FS7. I see the FS5 has more of a rod thingy going on but the principle is the same.
 
People are emailing with some questions I thought I'd share with everybody.
1. What are the options for converting your grip?

Well first is simply a rosette with an M6 threaded socket. That's $150 with free priority return mail.
Or add fries and a drink. I can retrofit a 15mm Stub clamp via a custom spacer. These two parts are an additional $95. Both parts are custom
machined for the Sony grip. And lastly I'm making a rosette with an M6 MALE stud. A Stub clamp acts as a housing so the stud can rotate and mesh with standard rosettes. Price will probably be $55 for this stud and rosette combo.

Will finailize this in the next few days and post pics. Lastly if you want a specific application you've thought up - I enjoy that and can help out. Someone here emailed Tuesday asking for a very specialized solution (lateral twist) which I finished and delivered on Friday- he calls it the Brewski Twist because it supplies the same twist as drinking a brew (Gotta love this guy). So once a grip is liberated I can really do anything you want- really as fast and affordable as possible.

People ask "can I just buu the parts and insatall myself"? the simple answer is no, don'y even think abot it. BUT sure, I'll sell the raw parts if you want. The screws are virtually impossible to remove with a screw driver- you will probably strip them because Sony did not use loctite- the residue on the threads is white, maybe epoxy or something meant to deny access. Heating with a soldering iron doesn't work. My first customer stripped 3 of the 4 screws and he is good with tools and had the benefit of Ben Giles advise. It took me 5 hours to get that one apart w/o damage. I did not charge him because we are all learning as we go, but I can't keep doing that free. So IF you strip the screws - it's not the end of the world but it's going to add expense. As a DIY part The M6 rosette with screws is $65. The other prices above stay the same as DIY.

Here is close up of the Brewski Twist showing what's possible once the Sony arm is removed.


IMG_5142.jpg
 
Hey Allen, I wasn't going to "Out" you -but what a classic! Love it.

I just assume people are not intending to mount converted grips to the camera rosette. I've already sold two Clockarms for these conversions which is what the Sony arm should have been. Instantly adjustable with the ability to turn the palm up. But whatever arms people have in mind - all I'm doing is liberating the grip- not suggesting it be placed on camera rosette. That said my first customer I believe is using it there. He prefers shooting Hasselblad style - which I do at times as well- so - like I say. I'm just the key that unlocks the door- it's up to y'all whats on the other side.

Brewski Twist. Still smiling.
 
For people like Bern who are interested in attaching the grip directly to a bridge clamp or something similar on their 15mm rods... this is what I am going to try to work with. It's the Movcam Offset Rosette Adapter and allows for slight adjustments of a grip to move it out of the way of other kit. I one on either side of my ergocine bridge clamp, with spheres attached to each one and it is a pretty great solution. (The movcam part comes with two removable male studs, I removed one because the sphere has it's own.)

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The only issue I may have is the length of the m6 stud that comes with the movcam part. Here you can see both studs attached to the adapter, but the one that would screw into the modified grip may be too long. Will test when I get the grip back from Caleb and report back.

stud.jpg
 
Allen says "After hours of handheld work, you want to adjust the wrist from time to time."

I'm glad someone finally said this beside me. This was my whole concept with the Cinegrip/Clockarm combo. I've worked several TV series (week in week out) where long handheld days could get excruciating- and I've never even done Reality. Wrist, elbow, whole arm go numb from lack of blood flow. I dealt with it by adjusting my hold on cam - I had all kinds of strange holds that helped and could change them in shot. Producers would look at me and say "are you ready?!" because I would not be braced at all the way they are used to seeing a camerman hold the cam- and I'd say "yeah rolling". I found out , as I know alot of us have, that you have to adjust not only your grip but also the elbow and shoulder, whatever gets stuck.

So I made the Clockarm as the central adjustment for the Cinegrip. It lets your elbow in and out - your wrist go into palm up and swing your arm like a Clock.
In just about 5 secs you can get big relief. Keep the flow going- stay comfy. Keep your head in the game. To me it's not about any single 'perfect position' - I like alot of positions
one after the other.

Sound like I need to join a certain 12 step program ;-)
 
Hey Ryan,

I got a couple surprises in ahead of yours, but should go back to you mid week.
I make a custom threaded socket anyway - so if you care to send that in - I can make sure it fits.
 
Fs7 handgrip to arri rosette modification

Fs7 handgrip to arri rosette modification

After reading Ben Giles' description of taking the FS7 handgrip off the Sony arm, I contacted Caleb about helping me modify a rosette to work with it. He was game. I tried to remove the screws myself and failed. (I too, have no idea how you managed it, Ben.) Anyway, I took a leap of faith on Caleb (he promised to replace the entire handgrip if he wasn't able to take the screws out and finish the mod without damaging the grip!). I sent him the grip with the arm still attached. This first modification took a bit more work than he anticipated I think, but Caleb was good to his word and sent the fully modified grip back to me last week.

It's solid. The rotation works and the grip locks on the rosette as originally designed with the arm. Thank you, Caleb!

Here's my current setup:
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Mounting the grip on the rod as close as possible to the camera. I replaced the ratcheting lever with a bolt to lock the rosette adapter onto the 15mm rod. (I don't use the ability to have the grip rotate to the side on the lateral axis.)


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Rotate the handgrip with a touch of the button and the camera rests evenly on a flat surface. Cool, right?

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I'm a little different than most FS7 users; I am not a shoulder-mount operator. I'm 6'3." With a camera on my shoulder I have to be in a crouch most of the time in order to have a proper angle on people. Thus, I like holding the camera down in front of me. This has made the FS7 grip position literally a real pain for me. The weight of the camera way out on the end of the arm is untenable for hand-holding; it creates tremendous "moment." I want to hold the camera from a grip as close to the Center of Gravity as I can get it.

Caleb is developing what looks like a promising solution that will enable the grip to mount directly off of the camera's rosette. This is close the camera's nominal CG. This simple design should be a strong and lightweight solution for most situations.
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I am investigating another option that will allow the handle to be shifted fore and aft on a NATO rail. This would enable the grip position to move with the CG as I use different lenses (from a little Loxia prime to a 70-200mm zoom off a speedbooster).

Mount the NATO rail to the camera body rosette using this (with an M6 bolt):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ue&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_2&smid=A2QCV0YH07CCLS

Then modify this Vocas NATO Clamp Horizontal Rosette and mount it on the grip:
http://www.vocas.com/accessories/nato-clamp-horizontal-rosette
...assuming that there is enough structure to the Vocas clamp to allow an M6 bolt/screw to be countersunk.

We'll see how it turns out...

Scott B
 
The Shooting Machine ClockArm is the best solution I found for giving maximum flexibility of grip placement. It allows you to keep the grip close under the camera and just looks rock solid. In fact, it's why I contacted Caleb in the first place. What he's designed is far better than what I was set to cobble together on my own. I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Scott B
 
****, thats sweet Scott. Cool seeing what you ended up with! I'm really glad it helped, and thanks for the posting the results.
Love the way you bolted it on there! Is that like hardware store DIY?
 
If I had a good ratcheting-knob M6 bolt of the right length it would probably lock it down just fine. I cannibalized a rosette-to-15mm-rod fitting that had a longer screw. Rather than cut off the bolt and mess with the end threads, I just picked up a knurled-head allen bolt. I thought it would be easy enough to let the rod itself rotate if desired. However, once I had this option I found that the palm-up configuration didn't really make it more comfortable. And the way I use the camera—sometimes down on the floor, sometimes overhead—having the grip twisted this way really made it pretty awkward. So, for now, keeping the grip vertical seems best anyway.
 
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