How do you hold your Leica for vertical shooting.

[Sanford]

<p>Inspired by a lively discussion on the Nikon Forum. Doesn't the Leica instruction manual tell us to hold the shutter button side, (right side) down when shooting verticals? I started with a IIIF, is this where I picked up this habit, now considered the "wrong" way to hold a camera?</p>

[dhbebb]

<p>Whatever works for you! I hold the camera shutter button uppermost, body held between thumb and second finger of right hand, left |(lower) end of camera resting on palm of left hand, fingers of left hand focusing lens. This is the only way that feels comfortable to me.</p>

[paul_keller]

<p> Right side (shutter button) down is less conspicuous and the way I hold my M's. I like the enhanced stability of pressing the body against my forehead and automatically blocking my left eye. (I shoot right eye'd.) This is a change from years past when I'd hold an F2A with MD2/MB1 with my right hand on the top. Perhaps it's that my nose isn't in the way with a smaller body as it would be holding the Nikon right side down. The compact unobtrusive nature of shutter button down feels better now. </p>

[anthony_brookes5]

<p>Tightly.</p>

[richard_g]

<p>My M2 manual shows the shutter button uppermost for vertical shooting, allowing shooting with the right eye close the to viewfinder. This gets more of the camera body applied to the forehead for stabilisation. I shoot right eye for horizontals but most often shoot shutter button down, using my left eye, for verticals. It is less conspicuous as Paul says. If I am shooting vertical with a slow shutter speed I will put the shutter button high so I can stabilize with the forehead. Shutter button down needs more balance with the right hand not anchored to anything and requires faster speeds, especially shooting with the left eye.</p>

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

<p>My tendency is to hold the right side (shutter release) down. But in practice it can go either way. 'Doesn't seem to matter.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>I have to say I found portrait handling on my film Leica Ms not ideal. Once I added the Motor-M with its integral grip though the camera was transformed. This allows you to hold it right side up with ease. I guess any grip would be an improvement.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>I am right-eyed. For decades I held cameras either way for vertical shots, using fore-finger or thumb on the shutter release. Only about four years ago I discovered a new trick. I now hold the camera release side up but put my <em>left</em> eye to the finder. As the camera can be pressed against the forehead, this hold is the steadiest.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Both the M5 manual from the seventies and the M6 manual from the eighties show the right side UP when shooting verticals; it's also how I hold the camera about 99% of the time; the other 1% are usually dictated by external circumstances. I should add that I am left-eyed, which makes the right-side down approach a bit more awkward.</p>

[t._kim]

<p>I agree, a grip enhances ergonomics in portrait mode for me.<br>

But still, Leica never made it an easy task, especially with infinity locks.</p>

[paul_neuthaler]

<p>VERTICALLY!</p>

[BernardMiller]

<p>I hold it either way, whichever is more comfortable and allows better framing for the particular shot I'm taking.</p>

<p>One thing that is helpful in either orientation is one of the Abrahamsson soft releases. If I've got the shutter release on top, I just hook my index finger over it. When the release is downward, I can wrap my thumb around it and use my right index finger for focusing or extra stability, as needed.</p>

<p>The soft release, particularly the large Abrahahmsson version, really does help when shooting at slower shutter speeds.</p>

[knut_schwinzer]

<p>I normally shoot with my right eye.<br>

(There is interesting stuff on pnet about reeducating oneself about which eye<br>

to use, and composition/framing virtues of one eye over the other...)<br>

(A) Right camera side down, your elbows don't stick out. Very steady position.<br>

(B) Left camera side down, you easily poke your right elbow into someones field of view...</p>

<p>For me, it's about perspective:<br>

The parallax in between finder and lens creeps in here:<br>

In "B" position the lens is about two inches/ seven centimeters or so above<br>

the "A" position.<br>

For me, some times crucial. A difference like high heels over barefoot.<br>

Whatever.</p>

<p>Knut</p>

<div></div>

[kparratt]

<p>Not like <a href="http://rdujour.com/2009/06/04/leica-m8-white-edition/"><strong>this</strong></a><br>

Maybe the <a href=" Kubrik</strong></a> method.<br>

<a href="http://abll.info/2009/11/08/leica-x1-photo-gallery-proves-that-big-shots-do-come-in-little-packages/"><strong>Not quite vertical</strong></a>, but almost.</p>

[henryp]

<p>Classic cameras are designed so when held horizontally with the left palm up cradling the camera, the left hand controls focus and aperture while the right controls shutter speed, presses the shutter, and winds.</p>

<p>If you rotate the camera vertically so the right hand is up (i.e. rotate counter-clockwise) each hand remains on the same controls and does the same tasks. Further, the left hand continues to bear the weight of the camera so the hand pressing the shutter does not have to relinquish weight to do so. This reduces the chance of camera motion.</p>

<p>This is true whether you shoot right or left eyed BTW.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[colin_elliott]

<p>Henry is correct.<br>

As an experiment, take a picture at 1/30th sec in each orientation and check out the results with a 10X lupe. Whichever gives you the sharpest image will be correct for you.</p>

[jason]

<p>I clasp the camera that covers most of it in vertical position.I let the camera fall into my right hand for vertical. Shutter at bottom of camera. I seldom need to refocus,rather move with subject. Stabilize body at top with left hand. I am right eyed, mostly.. I adopted this way from an older photo-journalist in the Sixties. I never changed my holding. I hold my digital point and shoot the same way. strangely 80~90% of my small camera shots are vertical. I use same method for all my cameras! Non are auto focus. My Nikon-F, Spotmatic, K-1000 and Canon AE-1P all are used this way. The other way mentioned looks unsightly and compromising.. Capturing many ballet shots professionally, I learnt from the dancers to lower my body to pick up things not bend over. Style and grace come easily. Practice whatever you do in a mirror. Attach a small flashlight laser to your camera, that gives a small pinpoint of light. Watch how much it moves during release..</p>

[fred_mackintosh]

<p>I do well over 50% of my shooting vertical. Although I am 100% consistent with right hand up for SLRs, going way back to before my first camera with a "vertical button", I find that to be awkward with Leica-M or Zeiss ZI. In order not to have my left hand interfere with the viewfinder/rangefinder, I find my left hand in a very awkward position that is not so good for stability, and my right tends to bear the weight, increasing motion/vibration. With a rangefinder, the natural position for the focusing/aperture hand (left) is on the opposite side of the lens from the rangefinder, i.e., on the bottom when horizontal and on the LEFT when the right hand is down. </p>

<p>Even with a m-motor for better grip, I just don't like the right hand up... I probably just never learned correctly. I did only start using the M late in life... In the end, what counts is what works for you. </p>

[david_rosenthal1]

<p>Using my M6TTL with Leicavit I like to frame either way IF I'm only taking one exposure. Using the Leicavit in the left hand and pressing the release with my right pointer, I can grab several verticals in rapid succession without much camera shake at all. Right side is at the top for this mode. That leaves my left hand to focus and change f-stops without blocking either the rangefinder patch window or the viewfinder. When taking a single slow shutter image, I like to do the reverse, and flip the camera the other way, with the shutter release on the bottom, while I hold my breath.</p>

<p>IF I'm taking flash exposures, I always have the release & advance lever near the top since it's just easier to wind the camera that way (without using the attached Leicavit) for me while I hand hold a shoe-mount flash with home made bounce card in my left hand.</p>

<p>While using the Motor-M, I'm most comfortable with the release topside while taking verticals, unless I turn the motor off & on in-between exposures since the release button jumps up with each exposure and can cause shake during those available darkness opportunities with the lux or noct.</p>

<p>It's all really a matter of how big your hands or paws are and what gets in the way when. I use my left eye for cameras and my right for firearms, so I give my Optometrist fits!</p>