Camera suggestions for lefties?

[Rt&Dzine]

I'm in the market for a new (or used) digital camera. Probably a high-level point and shoot combo. I'm very left-handed and would love to have a left-handed camera but they don't seem to exist. Obviously on a tripod it's not an issue. And holding the camera upside down doesn't work for me. It's more difficult to press underneath with my thumb. Ideally I would like to use my left index finger. Do any left-handed (non-ambidextrous) photographers here have any suggestions?

 

[Geniusdog254]

Hmm, I have run into this issue for a LONG time, I'm 100% left handed & it bugs me. I really haven't found anything to help me other than things you've already found like turning the camera upside down.

It seems like with most things, lefties are just screwed here.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Hmm, I have run into this issue for a LONG time, I'm 100% left handed & it bugs me. I really haven't found anything to help me other than things you've already found like turning the camera upside down.

It seems like with most things, lefties are just screwed here.

I was afraid that was the case.

 

[ss957916]

Could you just tape a remote release to the left hand side?

 

[jbernie]

ok, so this may not be a perfect fix... but on my Canon 40D when I have the battery grip attached you have a shutter release that is on the bottom right hand corner of the camera/grip when holding it normally... rotate it 180 deg. and the camera will be upside down but the shutter release would be top left... as opposed to bottom left for the normal shutter release.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

ok, so this may not be a perfect fix... but on my Canon 40D when I have the battery grip attached you have a shutter release that is on the bottom right hand corner of the camera/grip when holding it normally... rotate it 180 deg. and the camera will be upside down but the shutter release would be top left... as opposed to bottom left for the normal shutter release.

That is an interesting idea. Like this

 

[Geniusdog254]

Could you just tape a remote release to the left hand side?

This is a good idea if you have a camera that supports it. The OP said that he would prefer a higher end P&S, some of which are lucky enough to support remote shutter releases but most don't.

ok, so this may not be a perfect fix... but on my Canon 40D when I have the battery grip attached you have a shutter release that is on the bottom right hand corner of the camera/grip when holding it normally... rotate it 180 deg. and the camera will be upside down but the shutter release would be top left... as opposed to bottom left for the normal shutter release.

This is a really good idea for those of us lefties that have an SLR. I don't currently have one but I am looking to buy one. I had never even thought of that, and even though it isn't perfect it is probably the closest thing to a solution that we have.

 

[LittleCanonKid]

I'm left-handed as well, but I've learned to adjust (we've all been doing it for our whole lives, haven't we? ). I've learned that having the left hand on the zoom ring means more precise and faster framing. I've shot enough where I'd stick to the 'right-handed' way if given the choice.

 

[Designer Dale]

DP Review has a thread on left hand shooting. The link is here.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1002&message=20170161

Dale

 

[jbernie]

That is an interesting idea. Like this

View attachment 196312

Yup, but it looks so wierd seeing it this way .. then all you need is automated process to rotate the images on import.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

DP Review has a thread on left hand shooting. Dale

Thanks! I did see that thread, and although interesting, it is several years old and not any good suggestions.

Yup, but it looks so wierd seeing it this way .. then all you need is automated process to rotate the images on import.

It would be fun to try it out to see how it feels. But that camera is out of my budget. I need to see if any other cameras have a similar attachment. Or find it dirt cheap.

 

[PeteB]

I'm left handed and never really had a problem with any camera I've used.

The way I think about it, my left hand is being used for the important job of supporting and steadying the camera and lens. My right hand is just being used to fire the shutter.

To my way of thinking, camera design puts left handed people at an advantage.

 

[CrackedButter]

I'd rather be ambidextrous personally.

As a person who began life as right handed, I think it is more important for left handers to conform and utilise that part of the brain you're neglecting.

I switched hands while using my mouse and I deliberately try to use my left hand more in other situations, like spreading peanut butter on bread, its fun and you're learning, which are not bad things.
I can now switch hands on the fly while mousing, even ignoring the issue of the right click being in the wrong place for my left hand; the button being on the inside as opposed to the outside of the mouse.

My ex is left handed and she has my old 5D. As the previous poster said, use it to your advantage - otherwise in this case you're paying more for a camera (if you find one) which could cater for your needs when it isn't necessary.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

As a person who began life as right handed, I think it is more important for left handers to conform and utilise that part of the brain you're neglecting.

You're right that I'll probably have to conform due to my budget.

 

[PeteB]

As a natural left-hander, there's no way I'd be able to adjust to having to support the weight of the camera and perform precision aiming with my weak right hand.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

As a natural left-hander, there's no way I'd be able to adjust to having to support the weight of the camera and perform precision aiming with my weak right hand.

You may be right correct about that. Good point about the lens too. But I'd like to try the grip and button on the left to see how it feels. Maybe the tradeoff would not be worth it after all.

 

[CrackedButter]

No offense, but I've had to conform to a right hand world during my life more than you realize. The setup at some jobs forced me to work right handed. As an artist. I'm not going to go into it all here. In this case I want to be able to use my left index finger for the shutter button. But you're right that I'll probably have to conform due to my budget.

No offence can be taken, Im sure you don't need someone like me (a fake leftie ) to tell you how to live.

 

[panoz7]

I too would be very interested in a camera with a left side shutter release. My girlfriend is a partial amputee and has to use her left hand for both holding the camera and the shutter. Flipping a point and shoot upside down is fine, but certainly not ideal. The battery grip idea worked ok back when I had a 30d but is no longer an option since I upgraded to the much heavier 1d, and even with the 30d, the weight was a bit much. Oddly enough one of the personal functions on my 1d allows you to flip all the controls so that they work backwards which would be ideal for upside-down shooting which would be ideal if it weighed less.

 

[Nicholie]

Man, I never thought of this. I feel for you all lefties. I'm right handed but left eyed, which I didn't know till Joe McNally made me try it.

 

[carlgo]

As a person who began life as right handed, I think it is more important for left handers to conform and utilise that part of the brain you're neglecting.

I switched hands while using my mouse and I deliberately try to use my left hand more in other situations, like spreading peanut butter on bread, its fun and you're learning, which are not bad things.
I can now switch hands on the fly while mousing, even ignoring the issue of the right click being in the wrong place for my left hand; the button being on the inside as opposed to the outside of the mouse.

My ex is left handed and she has my old 5D. As the previous poster said, use it to your advantage - otherwise in this case you're paying more for a camera (if you find one) which could cater for your needs when it isn't necessary.

It is indeed fun to switch hands for different tasks. I put my right hand into a table saw and even had to learn to use chopsticks and write left-handed. Even though I regained a lot of function, I still like to switch around just for fun and accomplishment.

In the mechanical camera days, we had to hold and shoot a heavy metal camera with the right hand and fiddle with focus and aperture with the left.

I guess that if I didn't have a right hand, or just a partial one, I would rig up a left grip with a built-in cable release. Of course you would need a camera that would take one. Or, a handle with an extension so that a remote could be the trigger. Too bad cameras always have the receiver for the remote in front (stupid) because you could just put it in your mouth and bite on it to shoot.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

I too would be very interested in a camera with a left side shutter release. My girlfriend is a partial amputee and has to use her left hand for both holding the camera and the shutter. Flipping a point and shoot upside down is fine, but certainly not ideal. The battery grip idea worked ok back when I had a 30d but is no longer an option since I upgraded to the much heavier 1d, and even with the 30d, the weight was a bit much. Oddly enough one of the personal functions on my 1d allows you to flip all the controls so that they work backwards which would be ideal for upside-down shooting which would be ideal if it weighed less.

You remind me how lucky I am to have 2 hands. It's difficult enough to hold the camera with one hand, let alone hold and use the shutter with one hand. You'd think a lightweight grip attachment with button would be easy to manufacture for many cameras.

I had an idea, but now realize it wouldn't work because the tripod mount in on the bottom. I was thinking you could get one of those small flexible tripods and it could be twisted so the legs could brace against her chest to help her hold the camera. The camera would be upside down so she could have the button on the left. But then the tripod mount would be on top of the camera. I don't know if it would have worked anyway because I don't have one to try it.

 

[xlii]

Are you one of those lefties that uses the mouse with your right hand?
/QUOTE]

Hey, that's me! 1986, my first go with a mouse. I was taking a course on a Microvax, which had a mouse. I remember sitting there thinking which hand should I use. Brain fizz... decided because I shift a car with my right hand, that is the hand I'll use for the mouse.

Here is that pearl of wisdom my first grade teacher gave me (they tried big time to switch me... full court press... oh how they hated me... the fools thought the left hand was the devils hand).

1st grade teacher (1st day of school) You'll always be a failure in life until you learn to write with your right hand.

 

[M-5]

I'm left handed as well, but these "problems" never occur to me. I suppose I'm ambidextrous. I can only write with my left hand, but I do other tasks with my right hand and some with my left.

I've never felt the need to 'adapt' to the right-handed world except for one time when I was learning to play the guitar when I was younger. I wanted to naturally play it left-handedly, but I was forced to learn to hold it the right handed way and it just felt natural after a while. But I don't recall any other times feeling like "Oh man, I have to adapt to this situation since I'm left handed."

Also at school, they have those special desks for left-handed people, but I've sat in one, and I just feel awkward.

Left Hand:
- Write
- Use Scissors
- Utensils
-Bowl

Right Hand:
- Bowl
- Throw
- Bat
- Use Mouse
- Play instruments