Sony NEX-FS100 - Excellent Budget Handle

P

pfhastie

New member
Hi there

Like so many people I wasn't at all happy with the microphone mount/handle that was supplied with the FS100 - it is way too weak and I have also picked up mic handling noise using the microphone mount - but sadly I am unable to afford the lovely Zacuto and wooden altenatives that are widely touted on these forums. There is so much additional equipment that is needed for a decent setup that I simply cannot afford a £100 plus handle, so I have been racking my brains and scouring the internet for months trying to find a reasonably priced alternative.

I was delighted, therefore, when I decided to try an 11" magic arm that I already owned and it seems to fit the bill perfectly. As long as you tighten the base (with pliers, say) it mounts very securely and feels much, much better. These little arms can currently be purchased for less than £15 on eBay and even come with an extended shoe mount which not only acts as a secure lock, but also provides another shoe mount on the camera. I have also used a double shoe mount bracket, which I paid way too much for from Hague Camera Supports several years ago, but which can now be bought on ebay for around £5. Together they allow me to mount the supplied Sony microphone to a Rode microphone mount, leaving me two free shoe mounts and providing me, finally, with a secure handle.

I have fairly chunky hands, but it is still perfectly comfortable, and, depending on your setup, it is very easy to change the shape and direction of the handle to better suit your needs (as long as you remember to tighten the lock knob very firmly afterwards). It also leaves plenty of room for the FS100 LCD screen to be raised and/or rotated in full, which is not always the case with other designs.

I am sure the whole setup could be refined and perfected yet further - such as, say, adding an additional mounting point via one of the two threaded mounts in front of the LCD screen - but I cannot think of any other way to add to it without restricting the LCD screen or adding unneccessary bulk. If anyone has any additional ideas that may add to this design (at minimum cost, of course), then it'd be great to hear from you, as it is always good to discover low budget alternatives to a too often overpriced market.

I have provided three very basic photographs of the mount in action, and am happy to provide any further details anyone may require.

Peter

Handle 1.jpgHandle 2.jpgHandle 3.jpg
 
I wouldn't use a monitor arm over the stock handle, even on a stripped down FS100.

I really like Kraut's solution though, clever.
 
Yeah this is a bad idea. I've seen many much more expensive israeli arms break on set with much less weight. I tried this once, and you will probably just strip the friction joint in a couple days, every day you'll have to tighten harder and the joint will be looser until one day you can't lock it in place anymore. I guess its ok as long as you don't mind buying a new arm every week, but I'd say just get a real handle or use the regular handle which is flimsy but I'd trust it more since it will keep working after a week and it cant just twist right off like an arm attached only by one 1/4-20 screw at both ends can.
 
Hi again

Thanks for all the reponses. Didn't get word by email that there had been a few or I would've gotten back sooner.

I wanted to mention in my first post that this method is even strong enough to carry a whole rig. I took a photo last night of my 6kg (13+lb) rig and you can clearly see that I am holding the dead weight of the camera at an angle without any give in the magic arm. I can state for a fact that it feels significantly sturdier than the Sony plastic handle, and I have been running about with it since I fitted it and there is still no give, so, from experience, I feel sure it will last the pace.

Now, it has to be stated again that the base of the arm needs to be tightened to the camera with pliers, until you cannot turn it anymore, and if you don't have a strong grip, then you may need a pair of gloves to tighten the arm itself, but once you do this, there is no play and it feels leagues more secure than the original Sony, rickety plastic, nice-idea-that-didn't-work microphone mount cum handle. Once you fit it, there's no real need to remove it, and when you're travelling it's easy just to release the knob and the parts fall flat (it could also be raised higher to clear the microphone when using very wide lenses).

Again, I am sure the Zacuto mount or whatever would look and feel better again, but for less than £15, and no particular difficulty fitting it, I simply can't see how you could go wrong. Especially if you haven't tried it.

Kraut69, your handle modification is quite simply superb, although here in the UK I feel I would have too much difficulty locating all the parts and I would not wish to lose the full functionality of flipping the LCD screen so you would need to extend the triangular base beyond the lip of the camera to allow this (I know you're aware of this, of course). I wouldn't be surprised if you could make a few dollars and, more importantly, some cash-strapped FS100 owners very happy if you sold this handle in kit form for a competative price. Excellent stuff.

Rig.jpg
 
Definitely there are a variety of magic arms out there, I have bought good ones and bad ones, and a good one would make the difference on your setup for sure.

As for my handle mod, parts were easy to find on EBAY and at the local lumber/hardware store, plus once you get the idea, you can modify the design to fit the parts you can get. I haven't found the interference with the LCD ever to be an issue, using it on monopod, tripod, handheld, Merlin.


I have done this to two FS-100's. The only negative is that the handle isn't something you want to remove often, since it can't be removed and reinstalled quickly, and the FS-100 doesn't pack as neatly as a result.

But even the FS-700 handle prevents it from packing easily since you need a screwdriver to remove it and put it back on (and screwdrivers aren't allowed on carry on luggage).
 
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Kraut69, I checked your link again and I'm quite sure you are correct about the LCD not being an issue (and you can still lay it flat screen side up, so all good). I had also considered that you would need a spanner in your bag to remove the main bolts when necessary, but you may very well be able to find two tripod screws with large knobs to keep the design tool-free (and surely still secure with three mounting points). Remaining issue is how to keep the mic handle and mic out of the shot if you're on a wide angle lens... Nothing's perfect - if it was we'd all be sitting on a cloud. Anyway, I shall certainly earmark your design if I come to find I don't like the magic arm method in future.
 
Yes on keeping the mic out of the picture with a wide angle lens, especially with a fuzzy windscreen, but I have found that a challenge with other cameras, and mics are all different lengths and there are a lot of shock mounts that can help the situation.

I haven't had any trouble with keeping mics out of the picture as long as I am attentive, which sometimes I am not. That's one reason why I prefer an external monitor for a bigger view.

I went the do it yourself route to save money since I have to accommodate two FS-100's. Also a lot of the add on handles really stick up higher, which I do not prefer.
 
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