Photographer Petitions Canon for Left Handed Camera

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It probably won't happen since they would have to redesign the manufacturing process to so it, and there likely isn't enough of a market for it to be worthwhile.

Its not as simple as manufacturing, since almost every one of the 100 more or less sub assemblies would be affected, service stations and spare parts would need to be stocked, the cost would be huge. I also think a adapter would be the answer.

 

[Lee Jay]

This seems to me like the perfect case for aftermarket 3D printing. Understanding that the body would be a different material, not as durable, weather sealed, etc. - but I would think someone savvy could redesign a new body and adjust the wiring in such a way that it would fit.

That's not very realistic, I'm afraid.
The production cost would exceed the price of the camera itself by far, yet you propose to "adjust the wiring" and therefore to take an existing camera apart. You'd end up with some hackish DIY camera for the price of 2 or more 5D3R's without any warranty whatsoever. Nobody would buy it.

Adding an accessory like a grip to the existing camera is a lot more realistic.

Yeah...but I wonder if a 3D-printed grip that plugs into the remote release port, screws onto the tripod thread, and has nothing in it but a shutter release system would do the job, and not be that expensive.

 

[Bengt Nyman]

I do not expect Canon to act on this, but I think that a left hand conversion would be a good product for third party accessory manufacturers like: Pixel Vertax, Flashpoint, Phottix, Meike, Bower or Hahnel.

 

[Don Haines]

I like the "left grip" idea. It could be done far more economically than a left hand camera. A lot of things you can work around or fumble through, but if you only have use of the left hand, you NEED! a shutter button on the left.

A cable release lets you have a shutter button anywhere you want.

If you try to hold a DSLR with your left hand, your thumb is either on the display (very slippery) or if you have large hands, all the way across to the right hand side of the viewfinder, making looking through it impossible. Your fingers are resting on a slippery and angled front of the camera where only the finger tips connect.... except for the one on the lens release button and that is an exceedingly poor (and potentially expensive) place to be squeezing. Assuming you do not manage to drop the camera, you can't look out the viewfinder because every time you try, your nose against your hand keeps you from even getting close. forget about pressing buttons because you are trying as best you can not to drop the camera.

Don't even think about portrait mode.... you can't even hold the camera with the strap wrapped around your hand, let alone press any buttons...

a release cable will not help here.

 

[Don Haines]

This seems to me like the perfect case for aftermarket 3D printing. Understanding that the body would be a different material, not as durable, weather sealed, etc. - but I would think someone savvy could redesign a new body and adjust the wiring in such a way that it would fit.

That's not very realistic, I'm afraid.
The production cost would exceed the price of the camera itself by far, yet you propose to "adjust the wiring" and therefore to take an existing camera apart. You'd end up with some hackish DIY camera for the price of 2 or more 5D3R's without any warranty whatsoever. Nobody would buy it.

Adding an accessory like a grip to the existing camera is a lot more realistic.

Yeah...but I wonder if a 3D-printed grip that plugs into the remote release port, screws onto the tripod thread, and has nothing in it but a shutter release system would do the job, and not be that expensive.

Exactly!
You don't have to duplicate the Canon grip, just provide something to hold and a shutter release. I wonder why nobody is selling one? Isn't it estimated that 10-20 percent of the population is left handed?+

 

[Velo Steve]

To answer the original question (in case someone is counting) I'm left handed and would not buy a left-handed version even if it was offered at no extra cost. Re-learning the new format would be more trouble than it would be worth, and very confusing if I had to use someone else's camera for a while.

Of course that applies because I have two working arms. A special body or a grip (with appropriate controls and perhaps counterweights) could be the only solution for people with no usable right arm. I won't join the speculation on how and whether that will happen.

 

[Don Haines]

Someone actually called this a stupid idea? How close minded is that? Does this same person ever have options, ideas, changes or tweaks they would like to see come to fruition? Just deal with it? How pathetic.

Yeah!

Put your right hand into a cast and go out and try to use a DSLR.... then tell us how stupid of an idea this is....

 

[DominoDude]

I can quite easily empathise with her, even though it's not a problem I have myself. Years ago I had to help out in making adjustments to some computer related gear for someone who had lost a few crucial parts and functionalities of a hand. That was an eye-opener: Had to think in new ways and construct something that could be readjusted over time as the healing/recovery altered the capabilities for the injured.
First version was anything but fancy, but it worked and made it more obvious how the rest had to be dealt with.

In the short term I don't think there'll be much profit (most likely none at all) for Canon in doing something like this, but they would gain goodwill. Long term - I could see benefits in rethinking how the layout and interfaces are constructed into a model that would be more modular and allow for certain parts to be "mirror images" of the normal parts.

Wild ideas, without too much knowledge of the inner structures of a dSLR, would be to move connectors to a more central placing, use of fibre optics to carry signals from dials and buttons (one fibre could replace a number of control/data carrying cables).

If I were Canon, I would at least invite her to an interview and hear her explain the problem. It wouldn't have to cost Canon more than a set of good ears from a handful of engineers and designers, with a minuscule amount of empathy and imagination.

 

[rfdesigner]

This is doable as a grip..

1. hold your DSLR upside down in your left hand.
2. now imagine a bettery-grip with a set of buttons+wheels on what is now the top left hand corner + top LCD replicated, I think all relevent controls could be replicated.
3. A leftie code version to flip the screen

Ok view finder is a little odd and your arms would ache from holding the lens that much higher but if you've only got one arm you can use then it might work. Main wheel dial is pretty much in the right place.

This would be "relatively" cheap to manufacture, especially if one could get canon involved (as then you can tap into standard parts for the buttons wheels LCDs etc, essentially it's a new box and a PCB.

What do folks think?

 

[moushu]

For all the south paws out there, would you pay a premium for a left handed version of a 5D Mark III from Canon?

Am a "southpaw" myself, have been so all my life
Like most others, I've adapted to learn to use right-handed stuff to the point where for instance when I bought a pair of left-handed scissors I found I couldn't use them!
So, no, I wouldn't pay a premium for a left-handed camera, and indeed I would argue why should I? Why shouldn't it be priced the same as a right-handed version?

I sympathise with the disabled woman at the centre of this though - but also I'm admiring the creative ways many posters have looked to solve the problem - there's hope for her yet!
I'd be quite happy to sign a petition.

 

[m]

Yeah...but I wonder if a 3D-printed grip that plugs into the remote release port, screws onto the tripod thread, and has nothing in it but a shutter release system would do the job, and not be that expensive.

I don't think so because 3D printing is too slow to manufacture a product like this. It would be too expensive.
I could see this as an option of a flash grip like a Metz MZ-5, but even these aren't too common.

 

[canon1dxman]

stupid idea, i'm left-handed (with everything) but you'll get used to it, now i don't know better anymore.

I'm a leftie too and have no problem either.

Last year I was on an Osprey fishing photo shoot. One of the photographers in the hide had a useless right hand (after a medical problem) You should have seen the way he handled a 1Dx with 500/F4! Awesome photos from this combo and I chatted with him about it afterwards. He just said that he practiced hard!

 

[ecka]

I support the optional "left grip" idea.
Could an ambidextrous design work for right-handed people too? Any advantages?

 

[bsbeamer]

This isn't perfect, but an available solution if you add in a wireless trigger:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859456-REG/Kirk_AG_2L_AG_2L_Left_Handle_Action.html

Video folks are rigging their cameras all the time. Yes, this adds bulk, but it makes it more tailored to the specific shooter/DPs shooting style and customized to their preferences based on the restrictions of the camera itself.

This is one of those times when the generic body style of the C100/C300 would make more sense as a DSLR format. Then add swappable grip handle.

Maybe when/if Canon ever enters the medium format arena they can offer better solutions?

 

[m]

Could an ambidextrous design work for right-handed people too? Any advantages?

frame rate doubled ;D

 

[Mitch.Conner]

Tough issue. I'll be interested to see if some solution is ultimately found.

 

[ecka]

This is it

 

[monkey44]

This is it

And there we have a true answer to this problem -- simple, functional, and solves the problem. I expect a few minor adjustments to allow some kind of control for the lens.

BTW: I'd be interested in the comment someone made about "left-handed" phones. I've never seen a phone that requires only a right hand to use it. Every phone I own can be used with either hand. <puzzled>

 

[Bundu]

I think this can be done for under $100. I will do the design tomorrow - just a mock up - and post it here. Based on 7DmII it will have all the right hand side top plate buttons and the scroll wheel replicated on the left. For the back the Af-on, *, thumb wheel and SET button will be replicated on the left. And you will be able to still use it right handed (ambidextrous design). Our power still of (22h37 South African time) so can only do it tomorrow.

 

[davidcl0nel]

This is it

Yes, this seems to be a good way to handle the problem "cheap". You can't build the camera in a left handed case, you have to mirror every single circuit board, because of (flex)connectors and buttons and so on.
The left grip should have a way to do something with the connectors (at least USB and cable release), to get them reachable. Maybe a extension to the bottom or somewhere else.