- Joined
- Nov 29, 2010
- Messages
- 52
- Format
- 35mm
Hi all!
So a friend of mine gifted me a rather nice 1977 Nikon F2A - and to be honest, I've not shot with a manual camera like this in about 10 years. For the last ten years it's been more modern cameras with the built in hand grip (Nikon F5/D1, Canon 1D/5D/1V/1N). Heck, mostly all cameras look the same with the bulging right hand grip built-in!
For the last couple of days I've been carrying the F2 around and running a test roll, only to find it's aggravating a minor arthritic condition in my hand trying to hold it up (it has no grip, so my right hand is gripping harder than normal, I suppose). The weight of this fine machine with a 50/1.4 lens is actually a bit heavier than my EOS-1V with 50/1.4, but it's less ergonomic because of the lack of a grip. My doctor and I have been working on my hand condition for the last few years, but he says due to years of drumming and a lot of labor, it's just a sign of my age (really?). Obviously, it's a two-handed shooter because my left hand is supporting and operating the aperture ring on the lens, but the switch between hands because each one could be adjusting something, makes it increasingly difficult to use.
I'm a little bummed because I'd like to use this camera more, but I had no idea how over the last decade, I've grown dependent on the ergonomic battery grip! It's so easy for me to handle the 1V one-handed, I feel like I have no coordination at all with this F2, let alone the numbing effects after holding it up and about for an extended time. I'm not a little bummed, I'm really bummed!
I plan on showing this to my doctor when I see him, but I know there are probably people here much older than I with certain arthritic conditions. Has anyone here had to deal with this? How did you deal with it?
So a friend of mine gifted me a rather nice 1977 Nikon F2A - and to be honest, I've not shot with a manual camera like this in about 10 years. For the last ten years it's been more modern cameras with the built in hand grip (Nikon F5/D1, Canon 1D/5D/1V/1N). Heck, mostly all cameras look the same with the bulging right hand grip built-in!
For the last couple of days I've been carrying the F2 around and running a test roll, only to find it's aggravating a minor arthritic condition in my hand trying to hold it up (it has no grip, so my right hand is gripping harder than normal, I suppose). The weight of this fine machine with a 50/1.4 lens is actually a bit heavier than my EOS-1V with 50/1.4, but it's less ergonomic because of the lack of a grip. My doctor and I have been working on my hand condition for the last few years, but he says due to years of drumming and a lot of labor, it's just a sign of my age (really?). Obviously, it's a two-handed shooter because my left hand is supporting and operating the aperture ring on the lens, but the switch between hands because each one could be adjusting something, makes it increasingly difficult to use.
I'm a little bummed because I'd like to use this camera more, but I had no idea how over the last decade, I've grown dependent on the ergonomic battery grip! It's so easy for me to handle the 1V one-handed, I feel like I have no coordination at all with this F2, let alone the numbing effects after holding it up and about for an extended time. I'm not a little bummed, I'm really bummed!
I plan on showing this to my doctor when I see him, but I know there are probably people here much older than I with certain arthritic conditions. Has anyone here had to deal with this? How did you deal with it?