Camera Adaptations?

[Dale S]

I had a stroke 5 weeks ago and trying to start to put my life back together, trying to resume some of my normal activities and hobbies. One of my passions is a hobby that I think I should be able to do from a wheelchair - photography. However, I've hit a roadblock that I'm not sure how to overcome - my right arm/hand is still not functional and most (if not all) cameras seem to have the controls for the SLR functions on the right side. I can twist my left hand and fingers around to support the cameras (Nikon F100,Nikon D70) and push the shutter button, but can't make any adjustments obviously. Anyone know of adaptations or camera companies that accomodate lefties? I'd hate to buy cameras,but I'll do what's needed to not give up the hobby. I called Nikon customer support and they were stumped too,

 

Thanks ===== Dale S

[Guest greyhe]

Hey Dale;

 

That is a toughy. My best recomendation is look into tripods and similiar devices. Almost all good quality cameras and some low end ones have a tripod connector on them. Maybe even have one adapted to attach to your wheelchair? At least that'll hold the camera steady while you make the adjustments and click the shutter button. Don't think you'll be able to do many action shots that way though.

 

Hope you can get back to your hobby soon .

 

Cheers;

Michael

[jriva]

 

Hi Dale,

 

Go to photo.net at this link for a discussion on how different people modified different kinds of cameras for left handed use. It might give you some ideas. http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005610

 

Also, if you put 'left-hand +camera' into your search engine, it will take you to different sites that sell a 35mm camera made especially for left-handed people.

 

Jean (a lefty from birth)

[Toni]

Don't know if this will help since I don't know much about cameras. But my son has cerebral palsy and his right side is affected. Very similiar to a stroke. Anyway we're discovered that just turning the camera upside down enables him to push the button. Of course our cameras are all pretty basic, with auto focus and just the button to push to take a picture. He is able to hold the camera grossly with his right hand with usually a reminder to make sure his fingers aren't over the lens. It seems to work for him, and he did win a first place ribbon one year in the county fair for his picture of two big turtles from the zoo.

 

Toni

[jstern]

The biggest problem I foresee in using the camera upsidedown , is if you're using flash....you might be getting strange affects with the flash shooting up someone's nose instead of down their nose.

[Dale S]

Thanks for the suggestions and the thread links. I talked to Nikon USA customer support with no luck. I think I'll hunt down a tripod style grip that photogs use for attaching a camera to car windows (for stability). I modify it for a wheekchair tube mount.

 

 

On a upbeat note, the therapist I'm working with now is pretty confident that I will get most of the arm/wrist motion back. Jury is still out on the fingers tho. With arm/hand support, I can use the affected arm for support, making this only a controls problem, instead of a support and controls problem.

 

Light at the end of the tunnel!

 

Thanks to all for the help.

 

 

Dale S

[Bil]

Hi Dale,

 

I am an amateur photographer and have two Nikeon FM2's. I also could not use my rigth hand and arm. What I was doing is to try to hold the camera on my "bad" hand and used my good left hand to change the f's and focuses. Before I used to hold to camera on my left hand to do the change the things on my right hand, as most photographers do.

 

Little by little you have to have to learn how to use the cameras -- again, as everything. It will be slower to change the f's, focuses, etc, but eventually you will be able to use well again. Otherwise get a small tripod which will sit on your leg to get a good focus.

 

Hope that will help; it worked for me.

 

Bil

 

[Dale S]

Update!

 

To Summarize, I'm an avid photographer and my stroke affected my right side. Since most of the SLR controls are on the right side, I've a major problem.

 

After a bit of brainstorming at my local photo store, we came up with a workaround for my SLR camera (Nikon F100). We took a flash L-bracket and attached the camera to it via the normal mount screw. We then took the electronic cable release and glued an accessory hot shoe to it with epoxy. Now the cable release (which allows for soft touch metering as well as shutter control) slides into the hot shoe mount on the L bracket and happens to be the correct hit for my left thumb to control.

 

I can provide a photo of the arrangement if you needed one.

 

Dale S

[azrabbit]

Dale, I would love to see photos of your set up. My husband is a survivor and is a professional photographer. He is not happy with a tripod set up. We have thought about changing his company name from AZIMAGERY to Three Hands Photography due to the fact that I hold the camera and fire the shutter and he manipulates the lenses, settings etc. We look pretty funny out in the field. We were in NM in September and he wanted to stop along the roadside to shoot some photos of a mission in the distance through a field of wildflowers. He, of course, insisted he had to do this while laying on the ground. Needless to say, we had people stopping to render aid!

 

He has a large field camera, so I am going to see if we can't get him back to shooting large format for a while.

[fking]

azrabbit,

 

Try going to the website Jean sited, it may still be good. On the other hand, Dale posted this topic over a year ago, and you probably will not hear from him this year.

 

Didn't want to keep you looking for an answer and your husband may be able to look in some of his professional photography books to find an ad on this subject.

[azrabbit]

Hi Fred, I realize it was posted a long time ago, but I am not familiar with the regulars on the site and took a chance at getting a reply. We have looked at all the conventional camera suppliers, with no success. Denny doesn't have the cognitive ability to read yet, so I need to manage his research at this point. We have purchased a new camera that he can use with one hand, a Panasonic with 10 megapixels. It is one of the first small digitals that can be set for manual operation rather than automatic. It has a small joy stick on it that can be manipulated with a thumb. BUT, it is really not good for more professional shoots where we need to have lights timed to the shutter, etc. I liked the idea of the Flash L bracket modification mentioned by Dale and would love to see a photo.

 

Thanks again Fred.

[Guest lwisman]

Out of curiosity I looked up Dale S's record. He was last active Sept 27, 2005. So I doubt he will see this thread. You might try PMing him

[azrabbit]

Thanks Lin. Oh well, maybe there are some other photographers on the site that have ideas....