XL2 and my left handedness at DVinfo.net

Meryem Ersoz · April 8th, 2005, 10:18 AM

I made the mistake of playing with an XL2 in a camera store and now I'm obsessed with owning one. The big stopper was that I'm left-handed, left-eyed, left-everythinged, and you right-handed folks complaining about the uncomfortable weighting and ergonomics of this camera have no idea! Try lugging this thing around on your weak side. My question is: Can this thing be switched? Or must I simply adjust to the right-handed order of things in the Great Chain of Being? The sales dude did not seem at all familiar with the camera.

Richard Alvarez · April 8th, 2005, 10:40 AM

The stock viefinder, slides further 'out' to let you shoot left eyed, but you can't switch the grip or controlls, so it still has to sit on your right shoulder. Sorry.

Don Bloom · April 8th, 2005, 11:02 AM

I'm also a southpaw, and in the 32 years I've been doing video and stills EVERYTHING seems to be made for a righty, so you just need to work at it and train yourself.

Regardless of whether I'm shooting my Sony 150s or my JVC5000 it's all for a righty. :-(

Fortunately I'm right eye dominant so that helps a lot.
You just need to work at it and frankly, do some exercises to help build up your right arm and you should be fine.

Good Luck,
Don

Lawrence Bochkis · April 14th, 2005, 04:12 PM

I'm also a lefty, and it's a big hassle. I have an XL1, and that thing is not very ergonomic for even righties.
The thing you've got to do is grin and bear it. Right now I'm trying to figure out my options for a fishing video I'm doing, and I'm liking the looks of the Gitzo 2380 fluid head, because it can be set up for lefties as well...it's a start.

If you hooked up a monitor for a viewfinder, you could sling it onto the right side of the camera, and then you could put the camera on your left side...unfortunately, it would then be a little awkward to support the camera, unless you had a good shoulder mount. You could use your left thumb for support, and your fingers for iris/shutter control. Your right hand would have to stretch across your body to hold the grip.

If you're using the autofocus XL lenses, it wouldn't be a big problem, just a little ungainly as a lefty. I suppose you could even mount the monitor on the end of the lens, or on the lens shade, so that you could look at it like a viewfinder.

Us lefties have to stick together! Unfortunately, there's not a lot we can do.

Roger Moore · April 14th, 2005, 06:52 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Bloom :
Fortunately I'm right eye dominant so that helps a lot.
-->>>

I never thought about which eye I favour, but now that I think about it I am a left-eye guy even though I'm right-handed.

* picks up DSLR and looks through viewfinder: yep, left.

April 8th, 2005, 10:18 AM	#1
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	XL2 and my left handedness I made the mistake of playing with an XL2 in a camera store and now I'm obsessed with owning one. The big stopper was that I'm left-handed, left-eyed, left-everythinged, and you right-handed folks complaining about the uncomfortable weighting and ergonomics of this camera have no idea! Try lugging this thing around on your weak side. My question is: Can this thing be switched? Or must I simply adjust to the right-handed order of things in the Great Chain of Being? The sales dude did not seem at all familiar with the camera.

April 8th, 2005, 10:40 AM	#2
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	The stock viefinder, slides further 'out' to let you shoot left eyed, but you can't switch the grip or controlls, so it still has to sit on your right shoulder. Sorry.

April 8th, 2005, 11:02 AM	#3
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	I'm also a southpaw, and in the 32 years I've been doing video and stills EVERYTHING seems to be made for a righty, so you just need to work at it and train yourself. Regardless of whether I'm shooting my Sony 150s or my JVC5000 it's all for a righty. :-( Fortunately I'm right eye dominant so that helps a lot. You just need to work at it and frankly, do some exercises to help build up your right arm and you should be fine. Good Luck, Don

April 14th, 2005, 04:12 PM	#4
Lawrence Bochkis New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 8	I'm also a lefty, and it's a big hassle. I have an XL1, and that thing is not very ergonomic for even righties. The thing you've got to do is grin and bear it. Right now I'm trying to figure out my options for a fishing video I'm doing, and I'm liking the looks of the Gitzo 2380 fluid head, because it can be set up for lefties as well...it's a start. If you hooked up a monitor for a viewfinder, you could sling it onto the right side of the camera, and then you could put the camera on your left side...unfortunately, it would then be a little awkward to support the camera, unless you had a good shoulder mount. You could use your left thumb for support, and your fingers for iris/shutter control. Your right hand would have to stretch across your body to hold the grip. If you're using the autofocus XL lenses, it wouldn't be a big problem, just a little ungainly as a lefty. I suppose you could even mount the monitor on the end of the lens, or on the lens shade, so that you could look at it like a viewfinder. Us lefties have to stick together! Unfortunately, there's not a lot we can do.

April 14th, 2005, 06:52 PM	#5
Roger Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: toronto Posts: 99	<<<-- Originally posted by Don Bloom : Fortunately I'm right eye dominant so that helps a lot. -->>> I never thought about which eye I favour, but now that I think about it I am a left-eye guy even though I'm right-handed. * picks up DSLR and looks through viewfinder: yep, left.