FX01 handheld adapter

fmoore

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This 1-1/2 to 1-1/4 pvc threaded converter/reducer is from Loews for $1. The larger, front inside diameter is ~ 49mm. A 49mm step ring or filter casing will fit tightly. The tolerance of pvc fittings is not very close so it could be a little loose (fill the gap with electrical tape) or it could be a little tight (file/sand away a little pvc).

The inside diameter of the threaded end of the pvc fitting is very close to the diameter of the base (larger) section of the fx01 lens extension housing closest to the camera.



Remove the threaded portion of the pvc reducer with a hack saw at the base of the taper. The inside diameter of the base needs to be enlarged to fit over the fx01 extension housing. Shortening the taper increases the inside diameter. This can be done fairly easily with sandpaper or better yet a grinding wheel. I just rubbed it against a rough concrete sidewalk. A cinder block would work. Remove a some pvc and check to see if it will fit over the extended housing. When it does, clean it up with sandpaper and leave that end alone. As you can see, I removed about 1/8" up to the embossed lettering.



The pvc fitting is still too long. Leaving it like this will place the filter too far from the fx01 extended lens. You need to remove 1/8"-1/4" of plastic by rubbing against concrete or whatever. You want to shorten it to where the extended lens is approximately flush with the front edge. With the 49mm step ring or dummy filter inserted this will insure that the extended lens will not touch the filter. Here is the final product with a 49-55mm step ring inserted. The second picture is with a 55mm hoya r72 ir filter connected. The adapter is handheld over the extended lens against the front of the fx01. I had planned to mount it somehow to the tripod hole but this setup works very nicely as is. And the fx01 can quickly resume its life as the ultra-compact it was designed to be.





Obviously, this setup will work with other light weight filters such as polarizer, nd, close-up lens, etc.

--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
 
Looks like with a little black paint (the kind for plastic) and you are good to go.

A very clever idea/implementation.

Cheers, Ray of Alabama
 
Oh Fred this is just BRILLIANT! Thank you for posting your DIY setup for IR on the fx01. I appreciate that it is light and inexpensive to make. Oh I can't wait to go to the store and find me a pvc piece like this. I'll have to order a step ring but I already have the 55mm IR filter that I use with the fz1v2.
This is really wonderful Fred. Thank you for your ingenuity and sharing it here.
--
LaRee
http://www.laree.smugmug.com/
 
Nice one Fred!

I love this solution... so simple, so cheap and easy for anyone to do...

Thanks for sharing!

Kind Regards

Brian

--

 
Home Depot will have the same thing. Try a local Ritz/Wolfe camera
store for a 49-55mm step up ring. Put Sterling to work on it. A
good hot summer sidewalk should remove that plastic in no time. ;-)
--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
I was planning on going to Home Depot for the piece, I have one about 3 miles from me. Putting Sterling to work on it is a good idea, we have plenty of hot sidewalk around here. ;-)
--
LaRee
http://www.laree.smugmug.com/
 
Thanks for your invention, genius.
Extraordinary.
I use magnetic lenses (Pol-filter) but your ideas are just great.
 
like I did for my FZ5 RDS adapter and it'll look like its an OEM adapter!

Nice work, Fred!
--
Telecorder (Dave)
FZee5/FZee30+RD-S+OlyTC1.7X
Dee50+Nikkor18-70DX+Tam70-300LDKitties

 
I was always wondering about filters for these small cameras.
Of course, the whole idea of the ultra-compact is just that and adding filters is not what it's all about. But, they do work. A polarizer or nd filter could be useful for 28mm fx01 landscapes. Close-up lens are stretching it a bit. My primary concern was the ir filter.
--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
 
http://www.cokin.fr/magneticholder.html

The magnetic attached filters exist from Hama, Kenko and Cokin (those I know from). I use a Hama Pol-Filter for my E900. Fast and small.

The wide angle adapter made pix worth for printing with the FX8; but terrible results with the C-Lux.

But - off course - that is no match for the terrific adapter made by our dear friend here.
 
Nice implementation ,there,Fred!

Can't beat the price,either!!

Black would look better,though

:> )

I wouldn't of thought of that.

Luckily,an old adapter came in handy,with just a drill/tapping of the new tripod hole.

Not a cheap solution,for someone not having the adapter already...

ANAYV
 
ANAYV - Your canon adapter was the impetus. I was thinking of attaching a piece of flat pvc or metal to the pvc adapter and extending that to the tripod hole. Taht would require rubbing a flat spot on the adapter, attaching the flat piece to that flat section, and then drilling a 1/4" hole for a 1/4x20 thumb screw to attach the flat piece to the tripod hole. But the front of the adapter is well below the bottom of the camera and it looks like it will actually need a section of the adapter removed. Then there is nothing to attach the flat extension to on the adapter.

It has it's advantages as is in that the adapter itself is pretty compact. Maybe one of those retractable telescoping Boy Scout water cups would work! Haven't seen one of those in a while.

--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
 
Your very innovative,Fred.

About those Boy Scout Telescoping cups,I just seen one on Ebay...sold for $8,000 !!

They claimed it belonged to Elvis

Just kidding.

It's been a few decades,since i seen one,too
 
Very innovative. I bet you can find a way to attach it so you don't have to hand hold it.
 
ANAYV - Your canon adapter was the impetus. I was thinking of
attaching a piece of flat pvc or metal to the pvc adapter and
extending that to the tripod hole. Taht would require rubbing a
flat spot on the adapter, attaching the flat piece to that flat
section, and then drilling a 1/4" hole for a 1/4x20 thumb screw to
attach the flat piece to the tripod hole. But the front of the
adapter is well below the bottom of the camera and it looks like it
will actually need a section of the adapter removed. Then there is
nothing to attach the flat extension to on the adapter.
It has it's advantages as is in that the adapter itself is pretty
compact. Maybe one of those retractable telescoping Boy Scout
water cups would work! Haven't seen one of those in a while.
Fred

Not sure how much offset you'd need but I used 5-minute epoxy to configure a hotshoe insert for my FZ30's RDS...

Maybe it'll get you juices a few more alternative Eureka moments...



--
Telecorder (Dave)
FZee5/FZee30+RD-S+OlyTC1.7X
Dee50+Nikkor18-70DX+Tam70-300LDKitties

 
It aint purdy but it works. Additional material needed: (1) 2" mending plate; (2) a 3/4" long round head 1/4" stove bolt with washer and nut; and (3) a 1/2" long 3/16" round head bolt with nut.

Drill one of the holes in the 2" mending plate bigger with a 1/4" bit. Attach that end to the tripod hole with the 3/4" 1/4x20 stove bolt and a 1/4" washer as a spacer between the mending plate and the tripod hole and a 1/4 nut as a spacer between the bolt head and the mending plate. ( The main purpose of the spacer nut is for storage later.) Place the pvc adapter over the extended lens and shift the mending plate so that the smaller hole lines up with the middle of the pvc adapter side/bottom. Mark that, remove the adapter, and drill a 3/16" hole there in the pvc adapter. Remove the mending plate from the tripod hole and attach the smaller hole end to the pvc adapter with the 1/2" long 3/16" bolt. Then reattach the other end of the mending plate to the tripod hole with the 1/4" bolt. You may have to bend the mending plate some to get a good alignment. The stepring may interfer a little with the mending plate. I had to cut off a corner of the mending plate.

FX01 with adapter attached



In stored positon. The spacer nut holds the bolt and washer together with the mending plate for storage.



--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
 
I haven't went to Home Depot yet, so my material list just grew. ;-) This will work for me. I am not concerned about looks. HA! Says she who HAD to have a pink fx01. lol

I am loving the fx01. I was at a friends house last night. I wouldn't have normally had a camera but I did because the fx01 was right in my purse. It is FUN, and it works pretty good with just light from the flash in total darkness as long as your subject is close. Good for impromptu shots.

Thanks again Fred for working on a mounting solution. I think holding the adaptor with my hand would get a bit tedious quickly.
It aint purdy but it works. Additional material needed: (1) 2"
mending plate; (2) a 3/4" long round head 1/4" stove bolt with
washer and nut; and (3) a 1/2" long 3/16" round head bolt with nut.

Drill one of the holes in the 2" mending plate bigger with a 1/4"
bit. Attach that end to the tripod hole with the 3/4" 1/4x20 stove
bolt and a 1/4" washer as a spacer between the mending plate and
the tripod hole and a 1/4 nut as a spacer between the bolt head and
the mending plate. ( The main purpose of the spacer nut is for
storage later.) Place the pvc adapter over the extended lens and
shift the mending plate so that the smaller hole lines up with the
middle of the pvc adapter side/bottom. Mark that, remove the
adapter, and drill a 3/16" hole there in the pvc adapter. Remove
the mending plate from the tripod hole and attach the smaller hole
end to the pvc adapter with the 1/2" long 3/16" bolt. Then
reattach the other end of the mending plate to the tripod hole with
the 1/4" bolt. You may have to bend the mending plate some to get
a good alignment. The stepring may interfer a little with the
mending plate. I had to cut off a corner of the mending plate.


FX01 with adapter attached



In stored positon. The spacer nut holds the bolt and washer
together with the mending plate for storage.




--
Fred
http://fmoore.zoto.com/galleries/firstfx01
--
LaRee
http://www.laree.smugmug.com/
 

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