Take photographs with just your left hand (dSLR camera).

For Instructables you sometimes need your right hand in the picture to demonstrate a point. Photographing with your left hand is impossible: the grip of a SLR camera is on the right handside and so is the shutter button.
Turning your camera upside down will place the grip on the left side and now you can take pictures with your little finger. However, you will immediately notice that the ergonomics are wrong. The camera tends to slip out of your hands.

This little device can help you.

You need: an Aluminium strip of 100 x 25 x 2 mm.
Bend it at approximatey 30 mm form the end. Make a fairly large bend as your thumb has to fit in.
Drill a 6 mm hole on the other end of the strip and install it on your camera.

Comments

[vincent7520]

Great idea ! Nice simple job.
Thumbs up !!!…
Just a question : how can you tell that the right hand you see in the viewfinder is really yours ? ;)))

[guitarman63mm]

I have a more permanent and expensive way...it's called a $70 battery grip.  My D90 grip has it's own button for shooting in portrait mode, and it seems to work fine.  The normal button is in the upper left side, and my index finger is covering the portrait button. It was quite stable.

But great idea, especially in a pinch or on a budget.  I wish I'd thought of this before I had my grip!

[G13]

Just hold your camera completely upside down in your left hand! it helps if you have a hand strap, but its very comfortable with a battery grip!

[hynee]

Yeah except you're holding it with your right hand and the shot is reversed. Pro models (D3 etc) have a built in grip like this.

[bertus52x11]

I haven't seen this before (I have a D80). Does the grip contain additional batteries or is it just something ergonomical?

[flio191]

 Yeah I've got an N80 (film) and it's the same thing, holds 4 AA batteries.

[guitarman63mm]

I originally thought it was just to make it look like a D3 or something, but then I found out that it does hold two EN-el3e batteries, or 6 AAs. 

http://www.amazon.com/Zeikos-ZE-NBG90-Battery-Power-Nikon/dp/B001G1ZPV6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272496243&sr=8-1

The one above is $60 and free shipping. Nikon's is $150.  It's a no-brainer to me.  I bought two aftermarket D80/D90 batteries for about $6 each, compared to the 'official' Nikon ones, which are $40.

[mg0930mg]

The aftermarket batteries won't last as long, or be as good as the official batteries.

[guitarman63mm]

Not so. Just because Nikon plasters their name on a product doesn't make it good. They make good cameras and good glass, but Nikon accessories are incredibly overpriced. I've shot for 11 hours straight in Toronto with those two batteries (with many long exposures at night as well) and it never ran out (although I do keep the original Nikon battery in my case. I'm sure it's a perfectly fine battery. But when I can buy 8 of them for the same price? I don't think so.

[mg0930mg]

Most Often, one off-brand aftermarket battery will not last as long as the Nikon battery. Price has nothing to do with it. I'm sure the batteries you have work good, but an official nikon battery will last longer on time, and will usually have a longer warranty.

[palespirit]

It's moments like this when I LOVE being left-handed.

This is very clever- Props!

[utilito]

Bravo!

[syco123]

Just use the timer and hold the camera in other hand.

[trevory]

Great idea, I prefer to use a tripod and set the timer but I can see where this would be great for locations or situations a tripod wouldn't work.

[jeff-o]

Clever!  Up till now all my shots feature my left hand.  Maybe that will change in the future.  (Actually, they're exactly the same, only reversed.  LOL.)

[gmjhowe]

 Brilliant idea. I have a metal door hook that might actually work straight out, I will try and remember to add a picture later.

[gmjhowe]

 So, I got home and made my own version. I made it into a slideshow that I am writing up now - with full credit to yourself.

p.s. I entered it in the Health contest with the proposal to gift the prize to you if it wins.

[gmjhowe]

 www.instructables.com/id/A-modification-to-bertus52x11s-left-handed-dSLR-h/

Here it is! Let me know if you want me to remove it, or give you more credit (if thats possible!) 

[bertus52x11]

The rules of the contest state that prices are not transferable, I'm not sure if they mean between participants. But no worries. Maybe we should just split the price?
Anyway no need to remove it.

I like the fact you have used an ordinary hook and that you have added an extra feature.
You could improve your design further by dipping the mouth hook in some kind of flavour!

[listoman]

Great idea.....but why not just point with your left hand?

[bertus52x11]

Mmm, good point!
But in my case I wanted to demonstrate how to scoop ice cream and my left hand just isn't suited for that.

[bluehook]

Taking photos with your left hand is not actually impossible, it's just a bit tricky. See www.flickr.com/photos/bluehook for the proof of this. I have no right hand so for me it's the only way to do it. Having said this, I do like this instructable very much and may well make one to add to my collection of different camera steadying devices. In fact I can even feel an instructable coming on......

[bertus52x11]

Great to hear you like it!
I'm curious about your collection of steadying devices, but couldn't find it through the link.

[laxap]

The kind of simple+unexpected+effective ideas I like!

How difficult is it to operate the trigger with the little finger?

[bertus52x11]

Actually, the shutter button is oriented in such a manner that it is quite easy by just bending your little finger.
Just try it you will see what I mean.

[Tommyhzy]

 When I remembered that for left handed people, they have to use their non-dominant hand to operate the camera, I instantly felt a little sad... ):

5 stars for the great instructable!

[RavingMadStudios]

Simple, elegant, and an effective solution to a problem that I've had many times while making Instructables. Well done.

Bonus points for not using an Altoids tin. ;-)

[bigdukeydog]

Simple yet ingenious!

[chirpilittle]

wow this is pretty clever! :D