Custom Mod: Thumb grip with fas "pass through" for x100 and x10. The CV special!

[CarlosV]

Custom Mod: Thumb grip with fas "pass through" for x100 and x10. The CV special!

Having recently acquired both the x10 and x100 cameras and being a fan of off-camera lighting, the capability of insanely fast sync speeds while clumsily holding the camera with one hand led to an idea. Why not a thumb grip device with a hot shoe? Internet and forum reading led me to Match Technical's EP-5S "Thumbs Up" device (works on both the x10 and x100) and modification guru Michael Bass provided the magic.

The end result is a wonderful custom thumb grip with a "pass through" hot shoe. The locking ring attaches the device securely to the camera's hot shoe, and the wiring provides complete flash sync (full TTL with Fuji flash units as the Canon contact layout of the pass through works with the Fuji layout) while providing the user with a firm one handed grip on the camera. As can be seen in the photos linked at the end of this post, one can use TTL extension cables, radio remotes, flash units, and it has an "old school" pc connection for studio strobes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21769142@N03/7753542874/

Not a cheap solution, but until now, a non-existant possibility!

Many thanks to Michael for understanding the vision and taking on the project. If you are interested, check him out http://michaelbass.blogspot.com/ and tell him Carlos sent you.

Thanks as well to the good folks at http://www.popflash.com/ for supplying the "Thumbs Up" EP-5S's, one of which was left un-cannibalized and sits on my x100 (although the new Bass mod works equally well on the x100 as it does on the x10).

It arrived today and has been successfully tested on both the x10 and x100 with a perfect fit and perfect results!

Here are some additional photos for you all to enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21769142@N03/sets/72157631006223624/with/7753542874/

 

[Sparrow]

If I were looking for advertisements I'd look at one of Murdoch's TV channels ... perhaps you should post it there?

 

[CarlosV]

@Sparrow Apologies for the perceived "advertisement" I guess I'm excited to have this "work around" being that it is the first of it's type I've seen. I'm just being transparent about my sources and the team that helped create the solution. Carlos

 

[PrecisionCamera]

That is a nice little device, but definitely a blatant advertisement. Even the flickr account only contains pictures of the product. (Which is also against the TOS...)

Don't mean to rip you brother as a fellow seller, but there are sponsorships available for just this sort of thing or the classified ads.

 

[CarlosV]

Sorry folks, just a working photographer with no financial interest in a second one of these ever being produced. Just happy to have a concept go from an idea to an actual working tool. Shot these images this morning in my studio after it arrived in the mail. These are my first uploads to Flickr, and if that arouses suspicion, I apologize. Nothing to sell, just sharing my excitement. Any rules that have been broken have been done so unintentionally. Carlos http://www.cvphoto.net

 

[gwg]

Well done Carlos! I've been waiting for Match Technical to release a model with a hotshoe for my Leica for a while. Absolutely love their grip (and customer service!) but having to remove it every time I use a flash is a bit cumbersome.

On the ad argument: I think one should be allowed to post custom mods-especially if they are helpful to others, otherwise wouldn't we be prohibited from reporting on how much we love a particular lens, camera etc. either?

 

[StaaleS]

Ad or no ad, that is a clever device. Not beautful at all, but clever. Thumbs Up and its ilk are useful, but it is a shame that they do block the flash mount.