Camera gear - Top handle grip for camera cage, NATO rail mounts & screw fixed type

thingiverse

Camera top handle grips are particularly useful for carrying cameras or for handheld video shooting, especially at low angles. However, a general DSLR or digital mirrorless camera is a design that considers shooting at a general eye level, and it is a little inconvenient to mount a top handle because it is compact and simplified for portability and ease of use. It is often mounted on the top hot shoe, but the hot shoe itself seems to be insufficient to fully bear the weight of the camera and lens. I was dissatisfied with the fact that when the top handle was mounted using the cage, the weight of the top handle was added to the weight of the cage, so it became too heavy. Perhaps the cause is that cages and top handles are mainly made of metal for durability. In order to overcome the dilemma of being heavier due to the device for convenience of shooting, the cage preferred the half cage, but considering the field monitor and various additional accessories, I wanted to reduce the burdensome weight of the top handle. The material itself of 3D printing is light and the weight and strength of the printout can be controlled by adjusting the proportion of internal filling, so we challenged to make a top handle with 3D modeling and printing. It was designed to attach not only the handle but also external accessories such as field monitors, and although it was a little cumbersome, the handle part and the fixing device were separated and designed, and the two devices were combined with screws. Although it is simple to design to print at once, I wanted to avoid the fact that the overall degree of completion and design freedom were reduced. As for the mounting method of the top handle, a 1/4' screw fixing method and a standard NATO rail fixing method that is easy to attach and detach are commonly used. The NATO rail clamp part uses an off-the-shelf metal clamp unit for mounting stability and durability. (Since the location of the screws differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, I will attach a link to the product I used below) Test testimonials are light and light. And it is quite stable than I thought, so I am satisfied. I can't bet right now that there will be no deformation after a long period of use. And it is not suitable for camera equipment that is too heavy, and a general digital mirrorless camera lens and a field monitor can be used together. (Please pay attention to the internal charging rate when printing 3D)