Holding heavy camera taking its toll on my small hands, any suggestions on braces or tools to use to take some load off?

<p>Hi All,</p>

<p>So I'm now shooting almost every weekend, and am noticing that the weight of shooting with my 24-70L and the 580EX flash is starting to take a toll on my right hand (particularly my middle finger). I'm trying to do a better job of supporting the camera with my left hand, and did one outdoor event recently using my monopod all day trying to take some of the load off, but that didn't really seem to do the trick. Are there any wrist/finger braces you use, or maybe taping techniques or additional equipment you use or means of holding the camera that take the load off? Any suggestions are much appreciated. I'm only 29 and don't want to be giving myself a lifetime of arthritis in my hands if there is some easy solution to this problem that isn't, stop being a photographer.</p>

 

<p>I would look into hand straps- The only thing is I know a lot of the time they require a battery grip (i.e <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12984-REG/Canon_2344A001.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12984-REG/Canon_2344A001.html</a>) which will only add to the weight, but it's possible you can find one without the need for that.... But I don't know too much about them, maybe someone else on here does</p>

<p>Even though brackets add weight, many also provide extra handholds and ways to carry the camera in your left hand.</p>

<p>Just get more used to providing more/most of your support by cradling the lens with your left hand. That will let you ease up on the death drip you're using with your right.</p>

<p>Maybe try carrying the camera in your hands less when not shooting - use a holster, strap, whatever.</p>

<p>Vail, what camera/cameras do you use and how many hours do you shoot?</p>

<p>I have one of my best friends hold my camera whenever possible. My best friend is a carbon fiber tripod (ok, I don't get out much). But seriously, a good, lightweight tripod is one of the best investments I ever made. Even if you don't like shooting on a tripod, it is still someplace to put the camera while not in use, say getting a group together or even just walking down the street- in which case you can just put the tripod on your shoulder.</p>

<p>I am large, with large hands, but I have tendinitis in both wrists, and shooting a heavy camera hand-held for hours has been uncomfortable. Two things have helped: downgrading to a lighter DSLR, and working with weights when I'm not shooting. As to working with weights, please don't do it based on advice here, see a doctor and/or a physical therapist first.</p>

<p>I had trouble with wrist straps because the one I tried it difficult to use the thumb controls on Nikon. Might be different on Canon.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>But seriously, a good, lightweight tripod is one of the best investments I ever made.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is the Wedding Forum. A tripod is usually not viable at a reception, where space can be tight, people are moving around a lot, and the photographer needs to be nimble.</p>

<p>It sounds like constantly gripping the camera is the problem, so tape or braces isn't going to help. The hand strap may help, if just so you can loosen your grip. Consciously letting the camera hang on a strap or loosely from the hand strap at times will help. A small flash bracket might help, just as another grip for the left hand. You can get a cheap L bracket and put your trigger on the end, instead of the flash. You will also be surprised how a simple L bracket can help improve your steadiness with slower shutter speeds, particularly for verticals.</p>

<p>The fact that your middle finger hurts tells me that you are using it to support the weight of the rig, instead of distributing the weight. Consciously relearning how to hold the camera might be in order, as well.</p>

<p><strong>More detailed description of your hand holding technique, is required.</strong><br>

If the middle finger of your right hand is hurting then one possibility is you are holding your camera in an unusual fashion.<br>

The weight of the camera when held is usually taken on the left hand, unless shooting one handed.<br>

What finger do you use to release the shutter? - If the middle fingers this could be the cause. <br>

If your middle finger relatively short it could be tiring from extending to address the zoom or focus turret? <br>

Also many photographers tire, simply because they keep the camera at the "at ready" position far too long and do not move the arm and hand around enough.<br>

Also many photographers grip (with both hands) far too hard.<br>

With a two hand grip, the camera literally rests on and sideways against the ball of the left hand.</p>

<p>WW</p>

 

<p>I am not medical in any way but it sounds like you need to take the advice of a pro - a physiotherapist. Might be worth the investment. I am off to see a back cruncher in the next couple of weeks - I have realised I simply carry too much gear around. Experience seems to be reducing the amount I carry but I still like to throw in things like a few graduated ND's for the few occasions I actually use them at a wedding. <br>

Regards,<br>

Marc</p>

 

<p>So I figured showing how I am holding it might help. Keep in mind, it might be slightly different because I did this on a timer trying to get this shot of myself. But I experienced the same pain in the finger when I did it. I definitely rely WAY more on my right hand than my left. I use a Demb flash bracket when I'm shooting weddings. So when I'm not shooting I sometimes hold it by the bracket.<br /> http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/cameraholdpositions<br>

I usually shoot for 6-10 hours at a time. Typical wedding hours.<br>

The second shot is of how I would hold it if I have to do a quick shot I notice something going on, or say if I'm holding it high above me with a single hand. I currently shoot with the T1i and am happy to say I have earned enough to finally in the next few weeks purchase the 5DMkII.<br /> <img src="http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v18/p107224238-3.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <img src="http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v17/p93454560-3.jpg" alt="" /><img src="http://FuccisPhotos.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v12/p395462546-3.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Your last example, with more of the rig's mass in your left hand, it going to make the difference. It's also going to result in much better stability (and thus cleaner shots).</p>

<blockquote>

<p>This is the Wedding Forum</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I know, I am a wedding photographer.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>A tripod is usually not viable at a reception, where space can be tight, people are moving around a lot, and the photographer needs to be nimble</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You have missed my point. There are plenty of times throughout the day where it is nice to just have someplace to rest the camera instead of holding it all day. In these situations, a lightweight tripod is your friend. I personally believe that using a tripod at a wedding is a <em>very </em>good technique to adapt, but that's another story. Do I use a tripod at the reception? I sure do. It is where my camera is resting between activities, say eating or using the facilities. I use a tripod with a remote shutter release to get my macro shots of the rings, usually done at the reception. Far easier than doing it hand held! Depending on coverage, I might keep a third camera handy on the tripod with the 180mm lens. I typically don't shoot with the camera on a tripod at the reception (although I have), but again, nice to have. In the shot below I have my usual two cameras strapped to my body: the 11-16 and the 50mm @ the reception. The 180mm was on the tripod in the corner; I brought it out during the toasts and this was captured during the bride's father speech. Again, it's nice to have something to hold a camera. That is my point.</p>

<blockquote></blockquote><div></div>

<p>Consider weight-lifting to increase your arm strength...</p>

<p>Until you manage to support the camera-lens-flash bracket-flash in your left hand, you will continue to over-stress your right hand. There is not a simple solution to your problem, save getting a Leica M6 body and a single Leica lens to shoot your weddings.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The assumption that the manifestation of pain in the middle finger suggests poor hand-holding technique is not valid. There is a tendon that runs all the way from the middle finger, through the wrist and into the forearm. My problem is there. That is why I am suggesting that Vail see a physician, specifically an orthopedist or rheumatologist.</p>

<p>That said, using one hand to hold a heavy camera and lens is very tough, particularly if your hands are small</p>

<p>Hector--I don't think the middle finger pain suggest poor hand holding technique. Now that Vail tells us she uses a Demb flash bracket to shoot weddings with, it becomes a bit clearer to me what is happening. It seems to me, the middle finger is being called upon to hold the weight of the rig upright. With the Demb bracket, the flash is positioned forward of the camera, so the tendency is for the weight of the flash and lens to pull the whole thing forward and downward.</p>

<p>Actually, a 5DMkII might make a bit of difference, being bigger and heavier. Now, the weight is all in the lens and flash, as described above. I still think gripping the camera less (when you aren't shooting) and consciously relearning holding the camera will help. I still don't think taping or braces will help. Whether a visit to the doctor will help is a question mark, but I think seeing what one can do before such a visit is worthwhile.</p>

<p>Have you considered using (if you have access to one) a smaller lens? This kind of thing was (one of several) reasons why we rejected the 24-70mm f2.8 in favour of (in Nikon Land) a 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4, etc.</p>

 

<p>This is the epic question for me really Simon. For parts of the reception I go around with the 50mm 1.8 on, just because I love the effects I get from it, and frankly to give my hand a bit of a break, but while I'm getting better at zooming in and out with my feet, there are times I just can't beat the advantages of a zoom over a prime. It keeps me from having to switch lens to lens to lens, or keep 2 - 3 bodies on me lensed up with different lenses. <br>

At my most recent wedding that I had my husband 2nd shooting with me, he tends to really like 50mm with the 480EX, and for a few minutes I had to switch bodies, and he had to use the 24-70 with the 580EX and he was flabbergasted at how much heaver the set up was.</p>

<p>I'm sure the forum has probably had big debates before on the use of primes vs zooms at weddings.</p>

<p>I found while shooting sports for my local newspaper that on long weekends of hitting wrestling, volleyball and then both boys and girls basketball at night that I was feeling a lot of the pain that you were feeling. In part it was due to my handholding technique. Though I was holding the camera and lens combo (Nikon D700 + 80-200mm f/2.8) properly I wasn't consciously using my left hand to really support the camera. I was gripping hard with my right hand and just sort of keeping my left hand in place. So, once I consciously made an effort to support with my left hand it took a lot of weight off of my right and the load was more evenly distributed.</p>

<p>Perhaps just as important was working with a battery grip. Holding my camera in a constant portrait orientation caused me to crook my wrist at an angle so I was supporting basically the whole rig on my wrist. Putting on the grip and keeping my right hand in basically the same position when shooting in either orientation really helped a lot, despite the added weight of the grip.</p>

<p> Vail, I shoot the Canon 1D MKIII and the 1Ds MKIII, usually with a 70-200L, but no on-camera flash. Almost all the weight of the rig is in my left hand cradled between my thumb and forefinger in the web of the hand, palm up. I can still zoom, touch up the focus and swing the camera and lens around. Very little of the weight is in my right hand and I am gripping it just hard enough to be stable and fire the shutter. <br>

If you try to handle the weight of the body and lens in your right hand only, your middle finger becomes the pivot point of that lens trying to tip downward. <br>

My elbows are together and my triceps and elbows are braced against my body to better distribute the weight. I also look around for anything to lean my body against such as a wall, post or beam. This allows for greater stability and it takes a lot of the tension out of my body. If things are happening fast, but my camera is down at waist level resting, I switch off which hand I am holding it allowing the other to relax. But, if I am going to take a quick shot, I always hold the camera in both hands. <br>

A good physical therapist can recommend exercises to help strengthen up your wrists</p>

 

<p>try these:<br>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/OPTECH-Camera-Wrist-Grip-Strap-Nikon-Canon-Sony-Olympus-/360292242127?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e31752cf">http://cgi.ebay.com/OPTECH-Camera-Wrist-Grip-Strap-Nikon-Canon-Sony-Olympus-/360292242127?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e31752cf</a></p>

<p><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Universal-Camera-Wrist-Strap-Canon-Nikon-Sony-/220673600343?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33612beb57">http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Universal-Camera-Wrist-Strap-Canon-Nikon-Sony-/220673600343?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33612beb57</a></p>

<p>This last one is the one I use and it really helps.</p>

<p>Hector: the "technique" with which a camera is held has to do with the position of the hands, also the wrists also the forearms also the shoulders and also the hips, for that matter.<br>

What is "not valid" is to assume that one can determine the cause of the pain so definitively with only a few written words, three posed photos and no physical examination or face to face interview.<br>

Vail: your three photos are helpful, but they do not show how your right arm is supported. Do usually have the elbow out or supported tucked into you body?<br>

In photos 1 and 2 there is a lot of stress (downward and forward twisting) on your right hand, wrist and arm. As pointed out anything on top of the camera (and foreward of it) will add to that weight and twisting force.<br>

Although the 3^rd photo shows the left and giving support, the left hand still appears stressed. <br>

WW</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I'm sure the forum has probably had big debates before on the use of primes vs zooms at weddings.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm sure there have been many such debates. For me, a zoom is too slow in all senses, too heavy, too tiring, too slow max aperture, too slow to raise to my face when I'm tired. But if you're having trouble with hands aching, I would have thought it really would be a no-brainer.</p>