The El Cheapo Bob-Grip for RD-1

[Roverbovver]

I won't enter the discussion pro/contra grips but suffice to say I needed one in a hurry. Take an Olympus OM Winder, it doesn't matter either 1 or 2 will do and they're abundant. Remove the bottom half, most of the screws are pretty obvious. Two in the head just under your index finger are a little more hidden. Lift the head and cut the wires. Remove the battery box and seperate the lower half. A couple more screws and wires to cut and then you can remove the guts and motor.
There is a rubber buffer on the rear side of the handle. Lift this up or dig it out. There is a cross-headed screw behind it holding the raised collar for the rubber. File it if all else fails to get the grip to sit flat against the front of the camera.
There is also a pin that locates into a hole in the Olympus OM base plates. If you are feeling brave you can drill the RD-1 base plate to accept this. Please remove the base plate first, we don't want to go drilling into your Epson's circuits. If you choose this route the pin must me shortened. I didn't, I just ground it off flat, I was in a hurry.
The Epson base plate has four nipples, these lead your new grip to sit unevenly, use tape to balance this out. There is not enough thread on the screw to allow any generous padding between your grip and the base plate.
Look at the pics, make your decisions. A wrist strap from Luigi will provide peace of mind.
I have a problem uploading pictures, I'll get it sorted shortly.

for pics scroll down

[ksporry]

Sounds interesting. Would love to see the result...

[Roverbovver]

I'd love to see the result here too. This forum will not accept photo uploads from me despite all parameters being adhered too. Mail to the administrator asking for help to solve the problem remain unanswered.
The grip ain't pretty and it turns your RD-1 into a Canon 5D but it fits and works well. Can send you pics directly if you give me an email. Bob

[Roverbovver]

Same old problem. Error message: Quota exceeded. Despite having no attachments at all, anywhere, anytime. So no pics unless you guys want to email me. Or does someone have some ideas ? Forums survive on contributions.

[Jack Conrad]

This is good information for those who need to get a grip.:D

[Roverbovver]

Groan. Humour much appreciated, gotta lighten things up here. Thinking about this job further: it would take very little to make it neat, by a adding a plate in alu or plastic card, cut to fit the underside. Maybe even a tripod thread as well. The Olympus OM Winder I weighs 85g after modification.

[hans voralberg]

Can you not upload it to imageshack.us then link the image over here with the little image tag?

[Roverbovver]

thanks Hans but that makes too many hoops to jump through ! One boring day perhaps, I'm short. This forum's software and admin should be able to sort the problem directly surely ?

[Roverbovver]

Upload problem with " quota exceeded" error message still present. Cheers and congradulations read in other threads about the problem seem not yet called for. Very dissappointing.

[froyd]

pretty easy to upload to Flickr and link to your post. Non much more complicated than re sizing an image specifically for RFF.

[bellyface]

You can install Dropbox and drop your images in the public folder. Control-click on the image and copy the public link. Pm your email and I'll send you a referral link.

[Roverbovver]

Gentlemen, thankyou for all the input on how to 'band-aid' the upload problems of RFF. I don't mean to lecture anybody but there is a danger of going off-topic here. This was about a cheap and effective grip. The 'work' has already been put in by me. The effort and time involved was little longer than it takes me to type this. If you feel the need for a grip, and admittedly under most circumstances when I use this camera I don't, then get a duff OM winder off craig's/gumtree/ebay for 10 USD/Euros/Squids or 5000 Drachma. Hacking the winder was definitely more fun than viewing the pictures.

[Roverbovver]

Well done gentlemen, the uploads now work, no more contradictory messages. Thankyou.
As for the rest of you, you can now see what I mean, not exactly the last word in elegance, but effective. Now what function could we give to that superfluous switch ? :)

[huntjump]

how do you access the battery compartment, does the grip have to be removed?

[ferider]

Would love to see the underside.

These three solutions will work, too, BTW: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115920

[bellyface]

This is pretty crafty! Maybe make some room for an extra battery and extra memory cards? ;) expect these to go up in price now... Good on you for discovering! My guess is the nikon MD-e and MD-14 might work as well, the photoequip FM grip which was made for nikon FM, FA, FE fit fine on the r-d1 with very little shimming.

[Roverbovver]

how do you access the battery compartment, does the grip have to be removed?

Well yes, via the huge thumb screw, takes about 4 secs.

[Roverbovver]

Would love to see the underside.

These three solutions will work, too, BTW: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115920

Methinks this thread was about R-D1.
Asthetically speeaking the underside needs a closing plate in ally or plastic card. As Bellyface subtly suggests all manner of items essential to the male day could be stored there.

[umcelinho]

looks sweet!! backup battery and sd card compartment would be nifty...

should balance pretty well with a 35/1.2 nokton!

[ferider]

Methinks this thread was about R-D1.

Methinks you prove the OM winder fits the R-D1. Implying an OM grip will fit as well, unless you did not use the tripod mounting screw. Conversely, your winder mod will also be usable as grip for the OM. No ?

[Roverbovver]

For the weight fetishists, the stripped Olympus OM winder weighs around 90g.
For the non-metric world that roughly equates to 4 AA batteries.
And lastly for the nutters like me that prefer film anyway that means 4x 36exp.films. :bang: