Posted by Dennis Plank on September 30, 2015 at 12:34 PM
Sitting with my coffee this morning, I was bemoaning the aches and pains that come with not so advanced an age and I started wondering what would happen if I lost the use of my right hand (my hands seem to be going fastest). How would I operate a camera? A search on the web indicated that no one makes a DSLR to be operated with the left hand, though some people have jury-rigged work arounds.
One young lady who was born without the use of her right arm and is trying to break into professional photography has started a petition on Change.org for Canon to produce such a camera. [url]https://www.change.org/p/canon-inc-design-left-handed-cameras?recruiter=50050913&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink[/url]
As an engineer, I can't believe there would be a very high cost associated with reworking an existing model to a left-handed configuration. and it strikes me that it would probably give them a lock on about 15% of the market. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Dennis, a valid point being made, although the number of folks with the needs may not tip the scale enough. To a certain extent, like some things mechanical, they can be switched to fit both sides if you will. Which leads to a bit more of a thought on why not center controls, so no matter the need it is accessible for all......
I recall my late grandfather giving me a saltwater deep sea fishing reel as a kid. More importantly it was one he had well broken in. I was thrilled to own a Penn reel with so many miles on it and could not wait to use it. After fussing with it for awhile and struggling with it's use I asked my dad what in the world was wrong. He took one look and said his father was left handed. Mystery solved. So, I learned to fish left handed if you will........
But that is not how the world spins at this time anyway. Maybe if the rotation goes the other way things will get better....
Posted by Jerry Marella on September 30, 2015 at 8:06 PM
I do remember a grip that fit a Mamiya 654 that had the shutter release on the left side at the top of a handle. The shutter button on the handle activated a lever that would press the shutter button at the bottom of the camera. I would think that something could be made that would work with the optional battery grip that can be ordered with most DSLR cameras. It would screw to the bottom of the grip with a 1/4" screw. Might add a little weight.
Posted by David Schoen on October 1, 2015 at 3:34 PM
i know several people in this thread were raised in the 50's when it was not politically correct to be left handed. I was one of those and my teachers tried really hard to convert me to being right handed. This was obviously to my advantage as I became ambidexterous to some degree. However, I still write and eat exclusively with my left hand. The iPad and iPhone camera apps that work with WiFi allow one to use either hand to take pictures. But they would require a tripod since 2 hands would be required to use the device.
Posted by David Bostedo on October 4, 2015 at 4:02 PM
I think there are three reasons we don't really see left-handed cameras :
There isn't that large a population of lefties
There isn't too much design/engineering work, but there is an awfully lot of manufacturing change, to produce a lefty camera
Taking photos is not a particularly tough motor skill that can't be mastered with the right hand, even for people who are strongly left handed
It's hard to find numbers on, but I'm seeing pages that indicate it's more like 10% of folks are left-handed. But among those, some are probably like me, who eat and write left handed, but do everything else right handed. So I'm not sure what the actual population who would want a left handed camera would be, but it's fairly small.
Given that small market, the manufacturing cost for that sliver of the market might be tough to get a return on. You're talking about replicating an entire manufacturing line, or retrofitting it to be able to make mirror images of what gets made now. Not to mention all the suppliers of parts who would need to flip things around. I think the cost would be fairly high, and the sales aren't likely to recover that cost. (Just guessing of course, but it seems logical to me.)
And finally, the current situation doesn't seem to have too much outcry over the difficulty of current cameras for lefties. I'm sure there are some, but if I'm right about the expense, they'd have to be willing to spend a lot more than righties to make it worthwhile for the companies to make lefty cameras.
Posted by Richard Hahn on October 7, 2015 at 10:30 PM
Dennis,
As a left handed person I can relate to this. Over the years I have adapted to the right handed word for many things, including photography. While I am not positive I do believe that Canon had introduced a model 7D for left handed people several years go.
Posted by Richard Hahn on October 7, 2015 at 10:34 PM
Given the large assortment of buttons and dials all over the top, back, front and sides of a DSLR, I could really use another pair of hands to operate the unit.
Given the large assortment of buttons and dials all over the top, back, front and sides of a DSLR, I could really use another pair of hands to operate the unit.
...And User Manuals that are less bulky than the US Tax Code.
Discussion
8 repliesSitting with my coffee this morning, I was bemoaning the aches and pains that come with not so advanced an age and I started wondering what would happen if I lost the use of my right hand (my hands seem to be going fastest). How would I operate a camera? A search on the web indicated that no one makes a DSLR to be operated with the left hand, though some people have jury-rigged work arounds.
One young lady who was born without the use of her right arm and is trying to break into professional photography has started a petition on Change.org for Canon to produce such a camera. [url]https://www.change.org/p/canon-inc-design-left-handed-cameras?recruiter=50050913&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink[/url]
As an engineer, I can't believe there would be a very high cost associated with reworking an existing model to a left-handed configuration. and it strikes me that it would probably give them a lock on about 15% of the market. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Dennis, a valid point being made, although the number of folks with the needs may not tip the scale enough. To a certain extent, like some things mechanical, they can be switched to fit both sides if you will. Which leads to a bit more of a thought on why not center controls, so no matter the need it is accessible for all......
I recall my late grandfather giving me a saltwater deep sea fishing reel as a kid. More importantly it was one he had well broken in. I was thrilled to own a Penn reel with so many miles on it and could not wait to use it. After fussing with it for awhile and struggling with it's use I asked my dad what in the world was wrong. He took one look and said his father was left handed. Mystery solved. So, I learned to fish left handed if you will........
But that is not how the world spins at this time anyway. Maybe if the rotation goes the other way things will get better....
I do remember a grip that fit a Mamiya 654 that had the shutter release on the left side at the top of a handle. The shutter button on the handle activated a lever that would press the shutter button at the bottom of the camera. I would think that something could be made that would work with the optional battery grip that can be ordered with most DSLR cameras. It would screw to the bottom of the grip with a 1/4" screw. Might add a little weight.
i know several people in this thread were raised in the 50's when it was not politically correct to be left handed. I was one of those and my teachers tried really hard to convert me to being right handed. This was obviously to my advantage as I became ambidexterous to some degree. However, I still write and eat exclusively with my left hand. The iPad and iPhone camera apps that work with WiFi allow one to use either hand to take pictures. But they would require a tripod since 2 hands would be required to use the device.
I think there are three reasons we don't really see left-handed cameras :
It's hard to find numbers on, but I'm seeing pages that indicate it's more like 10% of folks are left-handed. But among those, some are probably like me, who eat and write left handed, but do everything else right handed. So I'm not sure what the actual population who would want a left handed camera would be, but it's fairly small.
Given that small market, the manufacturing cost for that sliver of the market might be tough to get a return on. You're talking about replicating an entire manufacturing line, or retrofitting it to be able to make mirror images of what gets made now. Not to mention all the suppliers of parts who would need to flip things around. I think the cost would be fairly high, and the sales aren't likely to recover that cost. (Just guessing of course, but it seems logical to me.)
And finally, the current situation doesn't seem to have too much outcry over the difficulty of current cameras for lefties. I'm sure there are some, but if I'm right about the expense, they'd have to be willing to spend a lot more than righties to make it worthwhile for the companies to make lefty cameras.
Dennis,
As a left handed person I can relate to this. Over the years I have adapted to the right handed word for many things, including photography. While I am not positive I do believe that Canon had introduced a model 7D for left handed people several years go.
I just Googled this and I was correct.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Cameras/Canon-EOS-7D-L-Left-Handed-DSLR-Camera.aspx
Not sure if I am more impressed or scarred that I remember this. Not sure if there was a call for the camera or if it is still available.
I just looked further at the link and found that this was an April Fools Joke back in 2013. SORRY for not investigating further before posting.
--P