Nikon D200 gripes.

I keep accidentally moving the C/S/M lever from "S" to "M" with a finger on my left hand as I hold the camera. Suddenly the camera doesn't want to autofocus anymore and the first time that happened I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Now, I have to constantly check it. There doesn't seem any way to lock that lever and I can't think of a different way to possibly hold the camera.

The other thing that happens is that I'm also inadvertently turning on the rear screen with the thumb of my left hand. There are buttons and levers all over this camera and not a blank piece of real estate anywhere. I guess this is supposed to be real convenient, but it's kind of a pain in the neck, too.

Do any of you experience similar issues with this camera or other Nikon's like it?

It might help to put only your right hand on the camera body and use your left hand to cradle the lens, or to put your left palm on the bottom of the camera rather than the left side. As with later AF film camera bodies, the grip on the right side of the camera body makes it easier to hold the camera body primarily with one hand, while using the left hand to steady it.

On more compact DSLRs (Nikon entry level, Olympus E-series, etc), the left side of the camera body becomes even smaller and more vestigial.

reddesert said:

It might help to put only your right hand on the camera body and use your left hand to cradle the lens, or to put your left palm on the bottom of the camera rather than the left side. As with later AF film camera bodies, the grip on the right side of the camera body makes it easier to hold the camera body primarily with one hand, while using the left hand to steady it.

On more compact DSLRs (Nikon entry level, Olympus E-series, etc), the left side of the camera body becomes even smaller and more vestigial.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm. I never thought of that. I'll try it. I guess I'm just used to my SLRs's and point and shoots that are much smaller and lighter and aren't festooned with so many controls.