You can tell a camera has struck a chord when its users start turning out aftermarket accessories that are themselves objects of desire.

Boston cameraman Caleb Crosby has been working with the Sony NEX-FS100 LSS AVCHD camcorder for some time. He apparently found the stock handle underwhelming, because he has developed his own FS100 Top Handle, a $225 aluminum unit with 15mm rods and a black walnut grip.

The handle allows the camera’s LCD to be fully opened and flipped around.

He also has 15mm clamps with 1/4″ or 3/8″ sockets ($40) or studs ($45), which should work both on the handle and on support rods for attaching all the things ‘n’ stuff that one winds up hanging off a camera in real-world production.

While this handle isn’t the first FS100-specific accessory (there is, for example, the Berkey Systems cheeseplate), it’s the first purpose-built FS100 handle I know of, and certainly the most elegant such piece I’ve seen on any digital camera aside from an Aaton.

When Sony is able to lend me an FS100 for review, I’ll try to borrow one of these at the same time, and put the combo to the test. But I thought I should mention it immediately, so that FS100 users craving a more robust handle can get one of their own forthwith, especially as the $225 is an introductory price, going up to $245 later.

FTC Disclaimer: No material connection exists between me and Caleb Crosby, S.O.C., or Sony. I learned about the handle through Mr. Crosby’s postings to the cinematography mailing list, and I bothered him for more detail and photographs.

I liberated the images from Mr. Crosby’s site (with his permission) and reformatted them for this post. Any errors or infelicities of imaging are mine alone.