[infactimacat]

This might be a really stupid question, but how do left-handed peple use cameras?

[dcBear78]

Same way right handed people do... Which is possibly the problem.

[Steve.Ledger]

Personally I use both hands, I don't see why it should be different for lefties?

[Louicio]

They don't. They are all evil and can be punished by public death if caught using a camera.

[Schraubstock]

I can only see this being a problem for right hand amputees.

[geru2000]

I'm left handed and left eye dominant. Holding the camera is as stated exactly the same as a right handed person there is no other choice.

My problem was using the view finder I had a tendency to use my dominant eye (left). Using my left eye in the view finder felt natural but sure dirtied up the back screen and skin oils attracted some pretty gritty dirt. The screen was also difficult to clean and impossible to keep clean.

To change to using my right eye in order to keep my face off of the screen I performed a routine I learned as a golfer, it's a reputation exercise.

When I was sitting I would take out my camera and raise it as to shoot making sure I had my hands, arms, fingers, and r/eye (in the view finder) all in the proper position. At first it was done slowly/ deliberately to to ensure proper eye placement and grip. I continued this exercise until over time it became second nature.

This exercise may sound crazy but in the end I now instinctively support the camera properly allowing for a solid anchor and using the right eye has helped To keep the rear screen cleaner and less gritty.

[rbefly]

Hello infactimacat, welcome to the Forum!
Since cameras, like most mechanical gear, are set up for right-handed operation, we do what we always do; Adapt.
The primary manual operating controls of a DSLR are shutter, aperture and ISO. All three are easily changed with the right forefinger and thumb, same for exposure compensation. In other words, while your eye is still at the viewfinder.
If you use manual focusing, this is usually done with the left hand, since DSLR's have a (right) grip for easier one-handed holding. Interestingly, film SLR's were more lefty-friendly, since the aperture ring, like focusing operation, can be adjusted with either hand.
All of this assumes we have slightly better motor skills with our dominant hand, so we would be more comfortable and confident in performing small, fine or quick movements with that hand.
Whether that translates into actually making a difference in operating skills and final output (the finished photograph), I doubt it. Nope, we all, including lefties like myself, learn to use the tools we have, as best we can.
However, a final aside; Most times, when using the cable release, I use my left hand. Just because I can.
Ron

[aoeu]

I'm mostly left handed which does not create a problem with cameras.

For me the annoyance is that I use my left eye and on my K5 my nose tends to trigger Live View. Lost a few shots that way.

[woodywesty]

This might be a really stupid question, but how do left-handed peple use cameras?

We use cameras pretty much like right handed folks do with some individual adaptations. Those of us who are left handed have spent out lives adapting to a right handed world so its just another tool to learn. At least the camera won't hurt you while operating like power tools and weapons that eject out the right side......

[dansamy]

We use cameras pretty much like right handed folks do with some individual adaptations. Those of us who are left handed have spent out lives adapting to a right handed world so its just another tool to learn. At least the camera won't hurt you while operating like power tools and weapons that eject out the right side......

Ithaca defender, I think. Bottom eject shotgun.

I'm right handed, but left eye dominant. (That's because I'm severely myopic. My left eye is less bad than my right.) Fortunately for me, I don't hit any buttons with my nose. Just the usual nose print.

[woodywesty]

Ithaca defender, I think. Bottom eject shotgun.

I'm right handed, but left eye dominant. (That's because I'm severely myopic. My left eye is less bad than my right.) Fortunately for me, I don't hit any buttons with my nose. Just the usual nose print.

Oh yes.. the old model 37 is a beautiful design and works the same for left and right handed users.

Right handed and left eyed is a bit of a problem but it seems like you've adapted just fine....

[TomB_tx]

Back in film days leftys could always use the Exakta Varex (or VX) which had both the shutter release on the left (front by the lens) and the film advance on the left:

[FrankC]

Here's how Steve McCurry shoots left handed. I don't know if he's left handed or if he holds his camera this way due to injury.

You Tube

You Tube

[grhazelton]

I'm mostly left handed which does not create a problem with cameras.

For me the annoyance is that I use my left eye and on my K5 my nose tends to trigger Live View. Lost a few shots that way.

Ha! My father was left handed and left eyed. He shot with an AsahiFlex IIa, which looks like a screw mount Leica, with a folding waist level viewfinder. The 1/25 to 1/500 top shutter speed dial rotated as the shutter fired.... So, as he focused and composed looking down into that finder, with his left eye, his nose sometimes stopped or slowed the rotating shutter dial. When he got an ME-Super the advance lever had to be "stowed" against the body for him to comfortably use the viewfinder. He should have bought the winder, I guess!

[dansamy]

Oh yes.. the old model 37 is a beautiful design and works the same for left and right handed users.

Right handed and left eyed is a bit of a problem but it seems like you've adapted just fine....

I didn't even know it was "a bit of a problem" until other people told me that it was...