fantom Loc: Colorado

I'm right handed but left eyed. I do everything right handed. Write, pound nails, bat, throw etc but shoot a bow or rifle left handed and use a camera left eyed but right handed. Not awkward but took a little getting used to at first----sixty years ago.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I am a natural lefty who somehow became right handed in sports and construction but still write with my left. So it became natural to pick up a camera and use it right handed. I am left eye dominant but that doesn't seem to have any affect with the view finders centered above the LCD screen.

Not sure what caused my switch, I was born after educators and other professionals stopped advocating making left handers switch. In the 4th grade when I was introduced to cursive writing with ink, I was jealous of the righties who could write without smearing the entire page. I didn't develop the left hand curl so your hand is almost rotated 180 degrees to avoid smearing. I worked with a leftie who had that, it was painful to watch. Not sure why, but I use the computer mouse with my right hand.

One result of my switch is that I'm a natural leftie who holds a hockey stick like a Canadian.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Steve McCurry, famous Nat Geo photographer, has to use his left hand to operate the shutter release. His right hand was partially disabled due to polio.

Photo, which appeared on fstoppers, used for educational purposes only.
--Bob

(Download)

tennis2618

As the retired President of the Skil Power Tool Company, I am disturbed by your reference to Skilsaws throwing dust into the eyes of a left hander. First, anyone using a tool like that MUST wear googles for safety! So sawdust thrown into the eye should not be a problem unless you are throwing sawdust in a strange direction. Secondly, "Skil" is spelled with one "l." Third, I don't know if you are referring to all hand held portable circular saws or a specific design like the famous, seldom copied, and very popular Skil Worm Drive Saw used frequently by roofers and others in the building trades, but I thank you for the name recognition.

By the way, I am left-handed and learned years ago that I had to adjust to a right handed world. For photography--and I am old enough so that my earlier cameras were all manual, I found it easy to use my right hand for the camera trigger and, maybe, focus ring and my other hand to do most of the other adjustments. Also I learned early to use a remote, corded, trigger which allowed me to use either hand to fire the camera. I thought it was an advantage to be left hand dominate.

philhoey

No problem.
Use my right hand for a lot of stuff

My better half is 100% lefty

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

As far as I am concerned, my being left eyed, I find cameras are easier to use with the left eye. It allows for holding the camera against one's forehead and cheek for steadier holding and shooting. Along with that, the right side of the camera is being held out further away from the face while using the left eye, making it easier for the right hand to access the controls without any interference from one's face. One just has to be careful about one's nose on the back screen if it is being used for focus and shutter. One's nose could end up taking the shot you didn't really want. And it means the back screen needs cleaning more often. But other than one's nose, shooting left eyed is actually easier, not harder. One should not shoot using the non-dominant eye although one will be forced to use the right hand because of the controls.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

I am left handed, left eye to the viewfinder and able to use right handed tools because I adjusted as a kid. I play competitive volleyball and can hit right handed, but stronger left handed.

I used to play a lot of table tennis, left handed competitively and right handed with lesser players. Once, someone's friend challenged me to a game, so I played him right handed. He had a real attitude and after he lost by a few points he said I was good, but nowhere as good as his friends lead him to believe. I never let on I was playing off hand with anyone, until his attitude and comment. I suggested we play another game and I would play left handed instead being a left hander.

With cameras, it never has been an issue being left handed and may be a benefit. The disadvantage I have writing leftie is as hpucker99 said. No left hand curl and I do calligraphy, art and love writing with fountain pens as daily writers. Some pens in my collection lay very wet lines and smearing can be a constant problem to avoid.

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

Well, I have been left handed as long as I remember. LOL I have never had trouble adapting to the camera.

Playing the piano left handed has never proved to be a problem. The guitar, on the other hand, if find difficult.

The only adaption I have ever made is left handed scissors and screw drivers.

Ed

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

Strongly left handed and left eyed and left leaning. I used to scratch my glasses on the film advance lever and my thumb made my glasses lenes greasy with my film cameras. I love digital for not having the film winder, I can keep my thumb out of way so two problems solved. BBF is no problem either. You don't have to use the button on the back of the camera for this-you can assign any button. On my Nikons I use both the Fn1 and Fn2 buttons for BBF. When I pick the camera up my small finger falls right on the Fn2 button. I sometimes use the Fn1 for verticals.
Power tools: Right handed circular saws put all the sawdust right in my tool belt or my face. My mother in law bought me a left handed circular saw about thirty years ago. Sawdust blows away from me. It's great. I just put a new power cord on it. It's a Mikita.
I am constantly pointing out to people behind the counters in stores that their credit card terminals are oriented for right handers. (I'm sure they cringe as I approach.) I love Apple pay and tap cards.
Lefties, remember BBF doesn't have to be at the rear of your camera.
...Cam

Cheapshot Loc: California.

I am left handed and right eyed. I have always easily adapted. My initial photography training was with a 4X5 Speedgraphic (U.Sl Navy) which was made to be carried in the left hand.

Keywalker333 Loc: MS Gulf Coast

I have a similar concern. Multiple sclerosis has pretty much sidelined the use my right hand. It isn't just awkward - it's next to impossible to hold a camera without securely tethering it to my wrist. I can operate the controls with my thumb, but it isn't easy. Thank the stars above there are touch screens! I've wondered the same thing you're asking: is there such a thing as a camera body built for lefties?

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I'm a righty but am left eye dominant! Never thought that it was unusual.

JeffL Loc: New Jersey

Another lefty here. I shoot rifles right-handed. When I was in the service, firing an M1 carbine with the shells going down the back of my neck caused me to shoot right-handed. Being right eye dominant is a problem when trying to shoot billiards left-handed, but no problem bowling. Flying: control yoke in left hand, right hand for throttle, mixture, radios, GPS, etc.

tdoumas Loc: Buena Vista, CO

No issue. As a lefty I learned to be fully ambidextrous a NDA have a huge advantage over those 300 million right handerd. Ha!

Bill McKenna

No problem for me. After so many years, anything “left-handed” would be awkward.