FS7: Mounting FS7 Smartgrip directly to body without extension arm?

EidolonFilms said:
Researching an FS7 purchase, and wondering if any FS7 users have mounted the included grip directly (or much more closely) to the body? Sort of like how the FS5 comes. I'm not interested in using the extension arm (or even a third party one), as I don't plan on using the FS7 on the shoulder, and want to keep the rigging minimal while still being able to use the grip. Any ideas or advice welcome, thanks!
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i did at first but hated it as it interfered with my rails and it was a pain to make subtle lever adjustment with that winged screw.
The Shape Extension Arm is great. It gets the area an inch or so away from the body and with the push spring loaded Arri Rosette, it's so easy to adjective and its positive.
An ancillary is that you can easily rotate the hand grip for tripod use and...you don't need to use the Shape shoulder mount, though I also recommend that.
 
EidolonFilms said:
Researching an FS7 purchase, and wondering if any FS7 users have mounted the included grip directly (or much more closely) to the body? Sort of like how the FS5 comes. I'm not interested in using the extension arm (or even a third party one), as I don't plan on using the FS7 on the shoulder, and want to keep the rigging minimal while still being able to use the grip. Any ideas or advice welcome, thanks!
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See this thread:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?336318-Alternative-to-using-the-grip

dvxuser bengiles was able to perform some modifications to allow mounting the Sony grip on a standard rosette. But it wasn't easy. Ben's system, as it was then, used a rod with a rosette on the end. Seems it would make much more sense to simply use a rosette crossover / bridge like the one that Kinogrip uses to mount their grips on the camera lens support rails.

Like many others, I just ditched the handle and grip altogether. I use a Kinogrip wooden handle mounted on a rosette crossover, positioned up next to the lens. I have to reposition it periodically so that my 12mm Roki doesn't see the grip or my hand. A drawback is losing the focus mag positioner that might be of use if and when the software upgrade allowing for focus mag positioning comes out. My system works best with manual iris lenses. With electronic iris glass ( Canon EF ) it is impossible once the control grip is jettisoned to focus and ride the iris at the same time since electronic focus is achieved via the wheel on the side of the camera. Your left hand has to focus and ride iris. Possible on a lens with an iris ring but not possible using electronic iris control.

Advantages of my setup are:

* I can place the camera on the ground upright. Flat on the shoulder plate. ( that is also achievable if you position the Sony arm and grip horizontally. )

* no control grip cabling to worry about, or safeguard.

* the entire camera package is that much more lightweight.

* camera fits into my camera case more easily than with control arm & grip. Generally fits better everywhere. There were many times when the Sony arm restricted shots or simply restricted where the camera could be placed.

* wooden handle looks cool in old-school way. There is something nice about a wooden grip. The organic texture, its ability to absorb oil from hands and sweat. The way it wears over time and further conforms to your hand.
 
JPNola said:
See this thread:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?336318-Alternative-to-using-the-grip

dvxuser bengiles was able to perform some modifications to allow mounting the Sony grip on a standard rosette. But it wasn't easy. Ben's system, as it was then, used a rod with a rosette on the end. Seems it would make much more sense to simply use a rosette crossover / bridge like the one that Kinogrip uses to mount their grips on the camera lens support rails.

Like many others, I just ditched the handle and grip altogether. I use a Kinogrip wooden handle mounted on a rosette crossover, positioned up next to the lens. I have to reposition it periodically so that my 12mm Roki doesn't see the grip or my hand. A drawback is losing the focus mag positioner that might be of use if and when the software upgrade allowing for focus mag positioning comes out. My system works best with manual iris lenses. With electronic iris glass ( Canon EF ) it is impossible once the control grip is jettisoned to focus and ride the iris at the same time since electronic focus is achieved via the wheel on the side of the camera. Your left hand has to focus and ride iris. Possible on a lens with an iris ring but not possible using electronic iris control.

Advantages of my setup are:

* I can place the camera on the ground upright. Flat on the shoulder plate. ( that is also achievable if you position the Sony arm and grip horizontally. )

* no control grip cabling to worry about, or safeguard.

* the entire camera package is that much more lightweight.

* camera fits into my camera case more easily than with control arm & grip. Generally fits better everywhere. There were many times when the Sony arm restricted shots or simply restricted where the camera could be placed.

* wooden handle looks cool in old-school way. There is something nice about a wooden grip. The organic texture, its ability to absorb oil from hands and sweat. The way it wears over time and further conforms to your hand.
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Interesting, have any pics of your set up you can share with us?
 
I use velcro to add the fs7 remote control to the rosette. Saves me 599 for a piece of carved wood with buttons.:happy:
 
I can't believe that no one has made an adapter to allow the FS7 grip to be mounted directly next to the camera. The FS7 grip is great. It gives you a tremendous amount of control. But you can't carry the weight of the camera from out at the end of the extension arm. How about an arm like the Shape arm, but that allows you to fold the grip back over the rosette? This is heavier than I wish, but it might be a good stop-gap.

Ideally, we should be able to mount the grip (with it's button release rotation) on a pillar connected directly to the rosette... with the pillar just long enough to allow the grip to clear the audio inputs.

Has anyone seen a mounting modification like this that actually uses the original grip?
 
Scott B said:
I can't believe that no one has made an adapter to allow the FS7 grip to be mounted directly next to the camera. The FS7 grip is great. It gives you a tremendous amount of control. But you can't carry the weight of the camera from out at the end of the extension arm. How about an arm like the Shape arm, but that allows you to fold the grip back over the rosette? This is heavier than I wish, but it might be a good stop-gap.

Ideally, we should be able to mount the grip (with it's button release rotation) on a pillar connected directly to the rosette... with the pillar just long enough to allow the grip to clear the audio inputs.

Has anyone seen a mounting modification like this that actually uses the original grip?
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I have a setup similar (without the actual shape arm). I use a short 6" rosette dogbone to allow me to fold the arm back to the body and sit much like the C series handgrip does for gut shot angles or on tripod. I got the idea from watching a review of the FS7 wheret he was going over what he added to the cam for ergos. I'll see if I can find it.
 
chappelldigital said:
Any pics of the 'dogbone' setup on the FS7?
Thanks!
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Quick cell pic uploaded to my twitter here. https://twitter.com/ad_rath/status/692559497064255491
The wide angle iphone lens really distorts the handle.

I realised I need my shape baseplate on the camera to get the handle unity out enough to clear the XLR bump. I wonder if they make a rosette spacer that could work with body only.

Its not perfect but when I require the gut shot angle or to get it out of the way for tripod shoots. If I were to change a few things I would probably get a longer rosette dogbone so I can face it to the rear having the handle come forward to the middle position (does this make sense?)
 
Scott B said:
Your dog-bone idea looks interesting. I'm looking for ways to reduce weight at the same time however.

It may be that using Ben Giles' grip mounting solution (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?336318-Alternative-to-using-the-grip/page4) and rosette spacer to extend the grip out past the body of the camera will do it for me.
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I'm a few months down the line with this and still rate it. The biggest advantage, for me, is the lateral twist it allows, making it so much more comfortable than the standard dogbone adapters. The only thing to be wary of is making adjustments while it's on your shoulder, as the rod will spin easily when loosened, destabilising things.

Make small adjustments off the shoulder and you should find a position to suit your body. My grip remains above the bottom line of the camera, so the whole thing fits on the floor comfortably. It's like a permanent but adjustable ENG grip, if that's what you like (I do.)
 
Thought I'd post an interesting potential new option from Wooden.

Haven't tried it myself, but looks like it could work attached directly to the FS7 rosette. It also has a cleverly designed optional trigger box. Price is very reasonable as well! I'd be interested if anyone ends up trying this (or even seeing if you can get it modded with the longer spacer if the stock version doesn't work..
 
EidolonFilms said:
Am I correct that the grip cannot be removed completely from the extension arm? I don't currently have a Sony FS7 so I can't verify for myself. If that's the case, it seems the only options are to use a third party arm (meaning can't have the grip directly attached to the body), or don't use the grip at all/use a third party grip that doesn't have all the functions?
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Be VERY careful about jail breaking your handgrip from the Sony extension arm. Once you do that you can't really go back to factory. And you notice there is really no way of attaching the grip directly to the body unless you come up with some sort of rosette interface which will stick out to far.
The grip is screwed into the extension arm and once you force that off you are left with a Sony rosette that does NOT match any other rosette. Read that last sentence again please.
I am speaking from experience. I had a third party attempt to do just that and while it seemed like s good idea at the time, it was a failure. I had to send my grip back to Teaneck and pay good money for restoration.
Think long and hard before you go down that road.
You may be better served getting a third party grip and keep the Sony, Sony!
 
Donlt be afraid to modify your camera people! change the grip! Improve it, Jailbreak it and don't stay trapped in factory mode- It's too restrictive. It's terrible. Camera guys n gals have a long history of doing s*%t their own way. I’ve almost never seen two Aatons exactly the same. Have you ever seen a steadicam guys rig? All full of holes, mods and cheese graters! The more you shoot the more you start to decide what you want- what you NEED, and refusing to accommodate and conform to what you are given. You say “hey this is stupid” and “they didn’t spend much time to figure this out” or my favorite “WHAT THE HELL, this actually hurts my dang arm!”

Manufacturers give us what they can- they rest is up to us. Manufactures simply cannot account for user preference, and user preference is what it’s all about. MODIFY, don’t accept. If you suspect there is a better way- there is.


Modify!


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I second that, Caleb.

4 screws - just use a good quality Philips size 0 screwdriver. Hold the grip very securely and unscrew.

Ben.
 
Finally got the Wooden handle, and it works great. I was worried it wouldn't fit with the close clearance to the FS7 body, but it works very nicely as a directly attached handle. In the process of purchasing the Wooden handle, I also discovered that SmallRig makes both a copy of the handle (for half the price) and an adapter that will make the stock FS7 handle work with the rosette. Hope this helps others looking for the same thing.

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I like Caleb's solution but didn't hear about it until late in the piece. What I have been using is SmallRig's FS7 Handle rosette adapter. Not perfect but does get the handle straight onto the body. The mod is totally reversible but a word of warning. The Allen screws that hold FS7 grip to the original handle are held in with something like Loctite. To ensure you can get them out without ripping the heads out of them use a real high quality close fitting Allen key. Preferably a good strong 'T' handle one. Once you have the screws out it is a simple job of fitting the SmallRig rosette adapter. Just wish it was even closer to the body but I guess yer cain't have everythin' now can ye!

http://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-handgrip-rosette-adapter-for-sony-fs7-fs7ii-1887.html

Grip A.jpg

Grip B.jpg

Chris Young
 
I bought this smallrig adapter too, now it is collecting dust with the grip and the arm. Anyone interested in this combination?
 
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