How do you hold your DSLR?

[MarkBarbieri]

I've recently come across references to people "top holding" their lenses. That is, when they hold their camera up to take a shot, their left hand goes over the top of the lens rather than under it. That strikes me as a bizarrely unnatural and unstable way to hold the camera, but perhaps I'm missing something.

When I shoot, my left hand goes under my lens (or camera when using a really small lens) and my left elbow braces against my body. My right hand stays along the right edge of the camera.

I'm right-eyed, so I look through the viewfinder with my right eye. I keep my left eye open while I shoot so that I can see what's going on around me while I'm shooting.

So how do you hold your DSLR when you shoot? And do you view with your left or right eye?

[Master Mason]

I do it pretty much just like you said you do when hand held. Sometimes when I am shooting with the monopod I'll put my hand on top of the lens as it seams to steady it some with the support.

[blackears]

Left eye open and left hand on lense...Still getting the hang of a dslr after years of a p&S

[AlphaMale]

Left eye open and left hand on the lens. I am just getting used to the DSLR since I only switched from a P&S to a D-SLR about 6 months ago.

[MarkBarbieri]

When you guys say "hand on the lens", do you mean underneath the lens or on top of the lens?

[handicap18]

I hold it like you described Mark. Left hand under the lens, right hand on the right side to release the shutter and use the command dial. This is the way I was tought in photo class in high school. This was the easiest way to focus (back in the manual focus days) and also it feels easier to work the zoom. It also keeps the camera more stable in your hands.

[BeautyLLM]

I hold it like you described Mark. Left hand under the lens, right hand on the right side to release the shutter and use the command dial. This is the way I was tought in photo class in high school. This was the easiest way to focus (back in the manual focus days) and also it feels easier to work the zoom. It also keeps the camera more stable in your hands.

I do the same. I am strongly left eyed though, which is frustrating since dslrs (well, Canon anyway) are all designed for right-eyed photographers. You learn to compensate though...

[Mr._The_King]

I hold my cmera the same as the majority of folks. Left hand under the lens, right hand on the right side of the camera to activate the shutter and comand dial. Right eye to the view finder. I have a hard time keeping my left eye open but I always try to make sure I am doing so. For some reason it doesn't come natural to me ( I always want to squint it closed:confused3 ).

[Code]

I have large hands, and I don't have any lenses (yet) that my hand cant fit almost completely around. On the (very small Olympus) kit lenses, I can grip it all the way around no problem. On my Sigma 30mm (largest diameter lens I have so far until I get the 50-200), I grip it from about 4 o'clock with my thumb all the way around to 1 o'clock with my fingers.

[wkrider]

This is not how I normally hold my camera...as you can see in these pictures though...I use a wrist strap not a neck strap.

http://www.wkrider.smugmug.com/photos/292780089_ZVBct-M.jpg

This is though...I must admit that I borrowed the idea for this picture from Groucho....
http://www.wkrider.smugmug.com/photos/292781632_3XrKX-M.jpg

[gruZ]

Left eye through the camera, right eye open. Right hand along the right side of the camera, left hand under the lens.

Here's an interested post from Joe McNally's blog about this very subject. LINK (http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2008/03/10/da-grip/).

If you don't check in on (or subscribe) to this blog, you should. It's got some very good information, and IMO is very entertaining.

[Suburbanmom]

This is me holding my Nikon D50 with the 50mm f/1.8:
http://amyhenkel.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p748947371-4.jpg

I don't think I hold the lens. I think I put my left hand under the camera base. I'll have to pay attention when I using a zoom rather than fixed lens. I am left-eyed and I tend to close my right eye tight, although I'm trying to keep it open...but it's hard to do that.

[Golf4food]

Left hand on the left side, underneath the lens so it isn't in the way of the flash. I also take all portrait shots with the camera turned to the right so that my right hand is underneath on the shutter release for the same reason - flash not blocked by left hand. Plus it makes editing photos easier knowing that all portrait shots should be turned 90 degrees to the right - select them, turn them all right - done. :)

[Groucho]

I think the position of my left hand varies depending on how I'm zooming or manual focusing. Without picking up the camera to remind myself, I think that mostly I hold from the side, with my index finger on the top of the lens and my thumb on the bottom, but it varies if I'm actively adjusting zoom and/or focus - especially focus. I do look through my right eye, I think it would be much more difficult to try to look through the left? :confused3 (And yes, I am left-handed.)

I often have my elbows out but I know that elbows in is supposed to be more stable, so if I'm thinking about it (or in a situation where I know I'm wobbling), I bring them in next to my body.

Then there's the times where I have to shoot one-handed, which is always a challenge. Usually it's the right hand but I think once or twice I've had to shoot with my left! :)

Ahh, here's a shot from when I got my (second) fisheye that shows my camera-holding technique.

http://www.totalsham.com/pics/gallery/10319-4/Self-portrait-01.jpg

This does lead into another question - does everyone hold their camera the same way when taking "portrait" shots (as compared to "landscape" shots)? I generally almost always hold the camera with the grip facing up, but I think that with my film SLR, and definitely the first couple years with a DSLR, I would be just as likely to hold it with the grip facing down as facing up.

Wkrider, nice shot. For my next magical trick, I have to take a shot of a mirrored ball like that with the fisheye, for maximum distortion. :teeth:

[Gdad]

I have no technique- but I like to take fisheye shots in mirrors too.

http://www.capturelifeinaction.com/photos/179522890_NU9kc-O.jpg

[Gdad]

Not so good at one handing the 70-200/2.8

http://scl.smugmug.com/photos/293735898_PFv5h-O.jpg

[Groucho]

Just for the record, Gdad's mirror fisheye shot was first, I shamelessly copied it. :thumbsup2 (And mine's pretty terrible, really; I was trying to show off our cool mirror that has a cat looking into it, but it's difficult to tell that it's there, and it was dark, the DoF is too small, etc... oh well!)

[jann1033]

well groucho at least your fingernails are clean in the photo:lmao:
I hold mine across the bottom of the lens with my left hand, hold the right side with my right hand and close my left eye...not that it matters since i don't see out of that one anyway:lmao, now if i also close my right eye that would account for some of the throw aways...i try to scrunch the whole thing into my forehead since i read that helps steady it. the thing i find difficult is taking a portrait orientation with a monopod on and no ball head....can't do that and walk through a doorway for sure..

[MassJester]

Well given some of the images I come up with, you'd think I held the thing with my feet. But no, pretty run of the mill: right hand on the grip, left hand cradling the lense.

[Dcanoli]

This does lead into another question - does everyone hold their camera the same way when taking "portrait" shots?

GREAT question. I AM left-handed--so I shoot portrait shots with the grip DOWN.

Again, left eye open....

Everything else, like everyone else...hand under lens, only to zoom in and out...thumb on bottom; two fingers on top. Right hand on side of camera--index finger on shutter release button, and thumb available for whatever else I need to do.

Elbows same as above--in and on body....

Anyone else on what they do for portraits?

[The Grays]

I always keep my hand craddleing the under side of the lens. It gives me more stability and less of a chance of someone kitting my elbow.

Dan

[mabas9395]

Using my camera would sure be easier if I wasn't left-eyed. I'm developing a bad case of right-eye envy.

[elizke]

Wow, I never even realized that most people use their right eye.

Now I feel odd. I'm right handed, so I've always been in the majority, so this feels strange.

I close the right eye too. Didn't know that was not good. Don't have a DSLR yet either, (I will by year's end I tell ya!) but when I've used one I do at least hold it under the lens like most do, so that's reassuring.

And when I do portrait, the right side of the camera goes up.

Interesting thread about things I never thought about.

[jann1033]

since we are on the topicof holding a camera, i can not see for the life of me how the live preview with the tilt screen ( sony?) would be useful at all for what they show it in the commercial...holding the entire camera away from your body to use the tilt screen like a digital point and shoot,,,i am just picturing doing that with a big lens, wobble wobble wobble....it looks like a dslr, maybe it isn't (i always miss the exact name of the camera.) i can see it for other uses ie macro on a tripod, but not instead of the eyepiece for all shots like they claim( says something like it 's another world when you look out from behind the eyepiece? huh? it makes no sense to me at all)

portrait left side up, everything else remains the same although for some dumb reason lately the strap keeps flapping over the eyepiece which is driving me crazy
at least you left eyes don't get nose grease all over your lcd

[Dcanoli]

...although for some dumb reason lately the strap keeps flapping over the eyepiece which is driving me crazy...at least you left eyes don't get nose grease all over your LCD!

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I thought I was the only one that had to keep pushing the strap away! AARRGGHH!!

...and as for us "left-eyers," YES we do get nose smudges on the LCD! :rotfl:

[rtphokie]

The only thing consistent in the way I hold my camera is that it is rarely level.

[DVC Eric]

I hold under the base of the camera and lenses and i have my left eye closed i really don't know why.

[SonyaM]

My daughter holds the D80 like this....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2430505432_7af04d19a9.jpg

And here is her photo of me with the D300
(both hands on the camera for prime lenses, which I use 90% of the time these days)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3208/2430510000_376b45b336.jpg

[Groucho]

Heh, that reminds of these photos. This isn't a DSLR, it's an old Yashica rangefinder, but here's how my kid (a little over 2.5 years old at that point) holds a "real" camera. :)

http://www.cathythelibrarian.com/gallery/d/988-2/Jack-220.jpg

http://www.cathythelibrarian.com/gallery/d/984-2/Jack-219.jpg

He's inherited our old Minolta X20 PnS now and actually taken some photos on your own, mostly of his toy cars or after lining up various "kid" things like baby powder, etc. We haven't let him play with an SLR yet (more for his own protection than the camera!)

Jann - I know what you mean about the camera strap (that's probably a downside of the Op/Tech loop strap), and definitely know what you mean about nose prints on the LCD - a constant irritant! Forget making the LCD bigger, they sure figure out an automatic wiper for it, like for your car's windshield. :lmao:

[wkrider]

Those are great pics of the kids!!

[MickeyWanaBe]

Wow, I never even realized that most people use their right eye.

Now I feel odd. I'm right handed, so I've always been in the majority, so this feels strange.

I close the right eye too. Didn't know that was not good. Don't have a DSLR yet either, (I will by year's end I tell ya!) but when I've used one I do at least hold it under the lens like most do, so that's reassuring.

And when I do portrait, the right side of the camera goes up.

Interesting thread about things I never thought about.

I also thought using my left eye was normal. :eek: I have never really tried it using my right eye.

at least you left eyes don't get nose grease all over your lcd

When I read that leftys don't get the nose smudges I really began to worry that I was doing something wrong. Not only do I use the wrong eye, but I also smudge the LCD with my nose! :sad2:

Glad to hear I am not the only one, Dcanoli.

I can't wait to get home and try out the other eye. :3dglasses

Anyhoo, I hold the camera with my left hand supporting the camera and lens from underneath and right hand on the right side. Portrait photos the right side goes up usualy, but I have been know to go both ways on that. Oh and I am right handed if that makes any difference.

[wdwensel]

I hold mine like everyone else, left hand on the bottom of the lens, or to the side of it. I'm a lefty, so I use my left eye (while nose-greasing the screen), and I usually have the left side of the camera on top when shooting portait.

Or when shooting an assignment called "under cover", I don't use any hands at all:

http://www.pbase.com/williamdrew/image/94122790/medium.jpg

[Gdad]

My daughter with her D40 using perfect form to capture the elusive 'Hello Kitty'

http://www.capturelifeinaction.com/photos/261082428_PfSJF-L.jpg

[Steve's Girl]

My daughter with her D40 using perfect form to capture the elusive 'Hello Kitty'

http://www.capturelifeinaction.com/photos/261082428_PfSJF-L.jpg

She does a lot better than me! I never really paid much attention to how I held my lens until I recently got a bigger zoom lens and realized how important the infamous long lens technique really is. So, now I'm trying to unlearn all my bad habits and hold the lens "correctly". (being defined as left hand under the lens supporting the weight of the lens....and all that stuff)

[Groucho]

I actually didn't think of it earlier, but there were times last trip where I would actually hold some of the longer lenses by the lens hood. Theoretically, the farther apart your hands are, the steadier they are (which is why the ideal steering wheel position is hands at 9 and 3, not the commonly-though 10 and 2), so this may have helped the lens stay just a tiny bit more steady.

Think of it like a teeter totter - if you try to hold it still by grabbing the middle, it won't work very well. You need to go to the edges to get some control over it.

[jann1033]

The only thing consistent in the way I hold my camera is that it is rarely level.

for some reason recently every photo i was taking was about 1 degree off to the right..i was starting to think my camera was out wack cause they looked straight when i took them( i was checking and rechecking the horizon before i took the shot)...till i realized for some stupid reason i had developed the habit of tilting my head slightly when i was taking a photo so of course the horizon looked fine thru the tilted eyepiece but not so good afterwards... guess i skipped the "keep your head upright dummy" lesson from "techniques for holding a camera 101":rotfl:

of course i was alone taking a photo when i realized that and started laughing out loud at my own stupidity. all the mom's gathered their little children together and quickly walked away from my area, ie"shhh honey , come quickly, that lady is nuts, nutty people laugh like that when they are by themselves..."

[Groucho]

for some reason recently every photo i was taking was about 1 degree off to the right..i was starting to think my camera was out wack cause they looked straight when i took them( i was checking and rechecking the horizon before i took the shot)...till i realized for some stupid reason i had developed the habit of tilting my head slightly when i was taking a photo so of course the horizon looked fine thru the tilted eyepiece but not so good afterwards... guess i skipped the "keep your head upright dummy" lesson from "techniques for holding a camera 101":rotfl:

of course i was alone taking a photo when i realized that and started laughing out loud at my own stupidity. all the mom's gathered their little children together and quickly walked away from my area, ie"shhh honey , come quickly, that lady is nuts, nutty people laugh like that when they are by themselves..."
I'm not sure if it's from holding my head crooked, but like others, I often find my shots just slightly off-level. I saw a site a couple months ago that sells cheap (probably in quality as well as price) photo equipment, they had a bubble level that fit into your hot shoe, so you can just look at that to see if you're level.

Obviously that mainly helps on a tripod where you can look at while shooting... what camera makers need to do is forget everything else and put a digital level readout in the viewfinder! Now THAT would be a killer feature!

[Dcanoli]

for some reason recently every photo i was taking was about 1 degree off to the right..i was starting to think my camera was out wack cause they looked straight when i took them( i was checking and rechecking the horizon before i took the shot)...till i realized for some stupid reason i had developed the habit of tilting my head slightly when i was taking a photo so of course the horizon looked fine thru the tilted eyepiece but not so good afterwards... guess i skipped the "keep your head upright dummy" lesson from "techniques for holding a camera 101":rotfl:

of course i was alone taking a photo when i realized that and started laughing out loud at my own stupidity. all the mom's gathered their little children together and quickly walked away from my area, ie"shhh honey , come quickly, that lady is nuts, nutty people laugh like that when they are by themselves..."

Can I just say something about this post?

I was looking at some of my pictures today (on camera), and I thought to myself, "Why are all my pictures tilted?" Everything I'm taking lately is tilted!

LOL...Glad I'm not the only one doing this!

[boBQuincy]

Can I just say something about this post?

I was looking at some of my pictures today (on camera), and I thought to myself, "Why are all my pictures tilted?" Everything I'm taking lately is tilted!

LOL...Glad I'm not the only one doing this!

There is a common condition with the eye muscles that causes many people to tilt their heads to one side. I have about 2 degrees of this in many of my photos unless I am careful to remember to notice the horizon. It can be corrected but is usually not recommended unless it becomes a big problem.

Most digital cameras have an orientation sensor, maybe a tilt sensor (like in Craftsman digital levels) will be added soon!

[bumbershoot]

Adding to the head tilt discussion....head tilt can be caused by vertebral subluxation, so you guys might want to find a nice chiropractor to help. :) As I finished college I noticed that the pictures of me over the years were showing more and more head tilt. Had my neck adjusted with a very specific technique, and pinballed all the day down the hall, as my world was brought upright. :goodvibes It's amazing how the world looks when your head is on straight!

[jann1033]

It's amazing how the world looks when your head is on straight!

think i might need more than a chiropracter to get my head anywhere near normal:rotfl: :rotfl:

[MICKEY88]

I actually didn't think of it earlier, but there were times last trip where I would actually hold some of the longer lenses by the lens hood. Theoretically, the farther apart your hands are, the steadier they are (which is why the ideal steering wheel position is hands at 9 and 3, not the commonly-though 10 and 2), so this may have helped the lens stay just a tiny bit more steady.

Think of it like a teeter totter - if you try to hold it still by grabbing the middle, it won't work very well. You need to go to the edges to get some control over it.



but the idea of holding the camera with left hand underbody/lens isn't so much to steady your hands as it is to keep the camera steady when you push down on the shutter, if your left hand is out at the end of the lens, what keeps the camera from moving downward when you push the shutter ,
release,

think of your left hand as a tripod, would you mount under the camera base or out at the lens cap for the best support:confused3

[MarkBarbieri]

I just hold the camera tight against my body. The viewfinder is for beginners. After you've worked with your camera and lenses for a while, you should have a good idea how your picture is going to look without having to "chimp" through the viewfinder.

[DueyDooDah]

I've gone one step further, Mark, being the lazy person I am. I just leave the camera on a nearby surface and if I see something interesting passing in front of the lens, I (might) reach over and press the shutter button. Sometimes I attach the remote so I don't have to stress my joints.

[MarkBarbieri]

I've gone one step further, Mark, being the lazy person I am. I just leave the camera on a nearby surface and if I see something interesting passing in front of the lens, I (might) reach over and press the shutter button. Sometimes I attach the remote so I don't have to stress my joints.


That is sooooo old school. I set mine up on a motion sensor. Triggering your own shots is totally for people with too much time on their hands.

[wkrider]

That is sooooo old school. I set mine up on a motion sensor. Triggering your own shots is totally for people with too much time on their hands.

All that is way old school....I have a sherpa that follows me around and takes all my picks for me. That way I also have a guide with me where ever I go. :thumbsup2

[DueyDooDah]

...Triggering your own shots is totally for people with too much time on their hands.

Well, I am retired you know.

[MarkBarbieri]

All that is way old school....I have a sherpa that follows me around and takes all my picks for me. That way I also have a guide with me where ever I go. :thumbsup2

My wife does too.

[wkrider]

My wife does too.

Now that's funny:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: , so is it "Mark the Sherpa" while on vacation?

[Groucho]

Adding to the head tilt discussion....head tilt can be caused by vertebral subluxation, so you guys might want to find a nice chiropractor to help. :) As I finished college I noticed that the pictures of me over the years were showing more and more head tilt. Had my neck adjusted with a very specific technique, and pinballed all the day down the hall, as my world was brought upright. :goodvibes It's amazing how the world looks when your head is on straight!
Just for the record, chiropractic medicine is an "alternative" medicine and as such, very controversial in the medical and science communities. Normal medical universities do not give degrees for chiropractic medicine, one has to go to a special college, and I don't believe you're considered an MD when you're done.

If someone is considering visiting one, I'd advise doing a little research first to make sure you understand what they are all about. Most alternative medicine is legal and/or covered by medical insurance because of extensive lobbying of the FDA, not because of merit.

OK, enough of my critical thinking disclaimer. :)

but the idea of holding the camera with left hand underbody/lens isn't so much to steady your hands as it is to keep the camera steady when you push down on the shutter, if your left hand is out at the end of the lens, what keeps the camera from moving downward when you push the shutter ,
release,

think of your left hand as a tripod, would you mount under the camera base or out at the lens cap for the best support
I disagree. The point of the left hand is not to counteract the shutter release, it's to offer additional stability completely separate from the shutter. Pressing the shutter is not causing much pressure because the same hand that's pressing the shutter is also holding onto the grip. This can be more of a concern if you're using a tripod and your finger pressing the shutter is the only contact you're having with the camera.

I do agree about thinking of it like a tripod - but you're looking at it upside-down, think about the legs, not the head: with a tripod, you get the most stability with the legs far apart. Same thing with where you hold the camera - the farther apart, the better.

[MICKEY88]

OK, enough of my critical thinking disclaimer. :)

I disagree. The point of the left hand is not to counteract the shutter release, it's to offer additional stability completely separate from the shutter. Pressing the shutter is not causing much pressure because the same hand that's pressing the shutter is also holding onto the grip. This can be more of a concern if you're using a tripod and your finger pressing the shutter is the only contact you're having with the camera.

I do agree about thinking of it like a tripod - but you're looking at it upside-down, think about the legs, not the head: with a tripod, you get the most stability with the legs far apart. Same thing with where you hold the camera - the farther apart, the better.


I respectfully disagree, even thought the same hand that trips the shutter release is supporting the camera, the pressing of the shutter will indeed tend to move the camera, a lot of people stab at the shutter release, even their arm may move..why do you think it's recommended to use a shutter release with a tripod


the legs on a tripod being farther apart do more to eliminate horizontal movement, than vertical movement..

I'm not looking at anything upside down, I'm basing my point on decades of experience from millions of pros,

what are you basing your point on other than personal opinion,


there are many sites like this online..


http://www.camerahobby.com/EBook-HoldingCamera_Chapter5Sub.htm

[Dcanoli]

Okay, you guys are scaring me now....