Holding a camera correctly

[imagemaker46]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n11/fmanphoto/WrongGrip-ok.jpg

I see this all the time and for alot of beginners this is the grip they use. What it doesn't do is give you a stable hold on the camera or a good balance of the lens. What it does do is put a lot of unecessary stress on the wrist and forearm.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Do you have pictures of the correct method of holding a camera?

 

[imagemaker46]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n11/fmanphoto/correctgrip.jpg

Correct grip has lens in the palm of the hand

 

[photocist]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n11/fmanphoto/correctgrip.jpg

Correct grip has lens in the palm of the hand

Where did you get that photo of me?!

 

[Ron Evers]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n11/fmanphoto/correctgrip.jpg

Correct grip has lens in the palm of the hand

Perhaps with auto focus & all you do is support the lens but if you are using manual focus it does not allow enough movement of the wrist to twist the focus ring.

 

[table1349]

How to Hold a Digital Camera

 

[imagemaker46]

manual focus you use your thumb and middle finger, index finger supports the lens, with the palm.

 

[Stutterfly]

Depends on what lens you're holding, also. Or if, like I was the other night, holding a speedlight in your left hand, camera in right. I don't have a third hand to correctly hold the lens - not that it required it - being a 50mm, on AF and settings not requiring fiddling with for the job I was doing.

 

[Overread36]

Here is one method:


though if you're right-eyed sorry but you're a hopeless case!

EDIT - just a point but anyone shooting big lenses (500mm f4 kind) on a tripod I know several photographers who actually advocate putting your hand overgrip onto the lens (this is when tripod mounted not handholding) to help dampen minor shake (often in more windy conditions as those big lenses can catch up a fair amount of minor shake from wind)

 

[Ron Evers]

manual focus you use your thumb and middle finger, index finger supports the lens, with the palm.

You sure cannot get much rotation that way. I shoot manual focus 95% of the time & some lenses require a lot of turning from one extreme to the other. If you are close & just rocking back & forth to optimize focus then what you propose would work.

 

[imagemaker46]

Can't say that I've ever had a problem with manual focus on any lens but yes there are exceptions. Overread most of the guys using the 500mm on monopods follow that practice for stability,it really does help. The 500mm is also an easy hand hold lens as the weight and balance are pretty good.

 

[Overread36]

Ahh I'd read about its use with tripods and I've either skimmed over or missed it with reference to monopods, but yes since the pod is again taking the weight it would make full sense that the method works -- the only possible weakness I can see being that you'd need to make sure that your left hand is applying a downward pressure and not a side to side pressure (because if it pushes side to side combined with the downward that will pivot around the monopod and suddenly the whole setup is twisting left or right).

Sure sure how much (if at all in the actual field) that would be a worry for those using this method over underhand on a monopod.