Author Topic: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape  (Read 482 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline hopeless

  • Can't shut me up
  • ****
  • Posts: 734
  • Gender: Male
  • Jamie Lawrence
    • View Profile
    • http://jamie.ideasasylum.com
Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« on: February 15, 2010, 04:45:32 PM »
I find the a200 lacking in many ergonomic details compared to my old Minolta 5D... but I recently came across a new putty-like material which dries as a solid plastic-like material -- perfect for "hacking" things. I've written a blog post describing it in detail but suffice to say my camera now looks like this:



I also "enhanced" the AF/MF button which I found too hard to operate on cold dark nights and may further enhance the grip if it needs it.
Sony a200 & KM 5D | Tamron f/2.8 17-50 | Minolta f/1.7 50mm | Sony 70-300 G | Sigma f/2.8 105mm Macro
http://hopeless.smugmug.com (gallery)
Hot off the memory card (photoblog)
Shutter Scouts (photographer's notebook and forecasting service)

Offline Stef.

  • Board Moderator
  • Can't shut me up
  • *****
  • Posts: 8272
    • View Profile
    • Stef's photographs
Re: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2010, 05:09:03 PM »
That's actually very interesting. Good to know- thanks!
Stef.
Stef.'s photographs
flickr

"Dream as if you'll live forever- live as if you'll die today"

Offline jesseclarke

  • Just Getting Going
  • *
  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Male
  • Alpha 300/Battery Grip/Tamron 70-300/
    • View Profile
Re: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2010, 01:25:18 AM »
eeeerrrrr it may be the mother of all grips, but it looks ridiculous, can't you paint it black or something, looks like it crashed into the fruit bowl mate! Still, as long as you like it.

Offline Clive

  • Board Moderator
  • Can't shut me up
  • *****
  • Posts: 6633
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • My home pages
Re: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2010, 03:44:44 AM »
Whoa! I think that is cool. Probably no one will steal it.

What is that cool stuff ?

Thanks,

Clive
Home page ... 
http://www.members.shaw.ca/clives/main2002.htm
============================================
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts. Albert Einstein

Offline hopeless

  • Can't shut me up
  • ****
  • Posts: 734
  • Gender: Male
  • Jamie Lawrence
    • View Profile
    • http://jamie.ideasasylum.com
Re: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2010, 08:01:31 AM »
eeeerrrrr it may be the mother of all grips, but it looks ridiculous, can't you paint it black or something, looks like it crashed into the fruit bowl mate! Still, as long as you like it.

I have no interest in what a camera looks like (never understand people who talk about good-looking or ugly cameras) so it doesn't bother me. In fact, I could have used black-coloured sugru but I wanted to create something that would start a conversation on photowalks etc.

Whoa! I think that is cool. Probably no one will steal it.
What is that cool stuff ?

Yeah, no worries about it being stolen! And since it's only an a200 is wasn't going to be worth much 2nd-hand... I'll possibly convert it to IR when I finally get that a700-replacement.

The stuff is "Sugru", an air-drying silicone putty which dries to a solid, plastic-like surface. Pretty handy stuff: http://www.sugru.com/
Sony a200 & KM 5D | Tamron f/2.8 17-50 | Minolta f/1.7 50mm | Sony 70-300 G | Sigma f/2.8 105mm Macro
http://hopeless.smugmug.com (gallery)
Hot off the memory card (photoblog)
Shutter Scouts (photographer's notebook and forecasting service)

Offline winjeel

  • Board Moderator
  • Can't shut me up
  • *****
  • Posts: 5091
  • Gender: Male
  • Gelight
    • View Profile
    • JapanesePhotos.Asia
Re: Hacking the a200 grip into an ergonomic shape
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2010, 11:12:39 PM »
I reckon that you should consider expanding that idea, and make a few removable hand grips and see how they do on eBay. However, my only concern is about being able to get my thumb to reach up to the aperture adjusting button (I use Manual a lot).
JapanesePhotos.Asia; Some basic photographic how to's.
Sony the200, Minolta 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 70-300mm Gregarious, 100mm 2.8 macro.