Why are M43 lens release buttons on the wrong side?

[Guy Parsons]

Abrak wrote:

You know Guy, you are the same as me. I have a wrist strap tied to my right hand.

Now for me, this makes the 'left-handed' hold, right hand lens removal all the more difficult. That is because I cant move my right hand far from the camera because of the wrist strap. So putting the lens in a bag, taking a new lens out of a bag, is all the more difficult.

Ah, the difference is the wrist strap style.

Mine's a home made strap that is loose enough to slip my hand through a bit to easily reach into the camera bag and do the necessary fumbling whilst still grasping the body with the left hand. Funny, it's all so automatic that I had to go grab my bag and camera and go through the motions to see how I do swap a lens. Looked in the drawer and sure enough my Nikon film SLR has left hand button, so I guess I grew up with that.

All I ask is that you simply envision the lens release on the other side of the lens. Now you hold the camera on the right side, have your camera strap on your right hand, press the lens release with your right hand. Use your left hand to take off the lens and replace a new one.

Sure that might work, but the current way is fine for me, does not feel awkward at all.

The secret is to get the wrist strap the correct length (about 12.5" loop to suit my hand). I used a length of 1/2" cotton tape, tested it for length and pinned it, then Lyn sewed it up on her machine. Did the same for E-PL1, E-P3 and E-PL5, now all comfortable to use - and also easy to change lenses with that left hand button !

Regards...... Guy

 

[Ulric]

Being lefthanded, it has never occurred to me that there is another way to change the lens than to hold the camera with your right hand (as usual) and remove the lens with your left while pressing the release button with your left thumb. That's how I've always done it on my OM cameras and I do the same with my MFT cameras.

 

[Abrak]

hindesite wrote:

(Not OM-D).

Lens release is on the lens body. You squeeze the release as you hold the lens to remove it. Doesn't matter which hand you use.

Agree the current release is on the wrong side, but have got into the habit of removing the lens with left hand, use left thumb to release the button. Right hand has wrist strap on and has to hold the body.

 

[Guy Parsons]

slimandy wrote:

I don't think either side is right or wrong, but it is annoying that my MFT and my Nikon SLR are different in this way. I just get used to one when I decide to use the other.

Huh? What Nikon SLR is that? Mine all have release buttons on the left, sometimes there is a button on the right and it is DOF preview. Here's one of mine http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/htmls/Nikonf801sN8008s.htm

The difference is the twisting action, Nikon is reverse to M4/3.

Regards..... Guy

 

[Anders W]

Abrak wrote:

Ok I know that many people will think they are on the 'right' side but please bear with me. Pick up your camera - it is designed to be held 'one-handed' by the 'right' hand. There is far more space on that side of the camera and probably a grip.

Now look at the lens release. It is on the opposite side of the camera. You can only press it with your left hand. And if one hand is holding the camera and one hand is pressing the lens release then you are short of a hand to take out the lens.

Not really. The way I do it is to hold the camera with the right hand, grip the lens with the left hand (from above left), press the release button with the ring finger of my left hand while simultaneously twisting the lens slightly passed the locked position, and then (after releasing the button which no longer locks the lens) twist the lens fully and remove it. May sound complicated when I describe it but becomes perfectly intuitive and automatic with just a little bit of practice. In fact, I never thought of exactly how I did it before your post promted me to pay attention to it.

An alternative technique that I sometimes use, depending on the circumstances, is to grip the camera from the back with my left hand (fingers underneath, thumb on top), grip the lens with my right hand (from the top), press the side of my index finger against the button, twist the lens a little to get passed the locked position, and then (after releasing the button which no longer locks the lens) twist the lens fully and remove it.

So how do you change lenses? Well I tend to rather precariously hold the camera on the short side with my left hand so I can press the release with the left hand also and use my right hand to take off the lens.

I do realize that it is traditional to have the lens release on the 'wrong' side. However I cant help being envious of a couple of manufacturers - Nex and Fuji - who have decided to put their lens release on the right side.

 

[Abrak]

Anders W wrote:

Not really. The way I do it is to hold the camera with the right hand, grip the lens with the left hand (from above left), press the release button with the ring finger of my left hand while simultaneously twisting the lens slightly passed the locked position, and then (after releasing the button which no longer locks the lens) twist the lens fully and remove it. May sound complicated when I describe it but becomes perfectly intuitive and automatic with just a little bit of practice. In fact, I never thought of exactly how I did it before your post promted me to pay attention to it.

Yes well I am sitting here with my camera trying all the convoluted ways that people choose to change lens - that after years of practice has turned into second nature.

You do realize you are using your left hand to press the lens release button with your left forefinger and at the same time use your left hand to twist the lens. It is possible but it is bloody difficult.

Now imagine if your right hand that holds the camera uses one finger to depress the lens release then your left hand is totally free to twist the lens and remove it.

Like Sony....

...or Fuji.....

And for all those that resolve the issue by holding it in your 'left' hand so that you can hold and press the release with your left hand and twist off the lens with your right, just take a look at the EP-5...

...it is clearly designed to be held in your right hand.

The problem as I see it is that many experienced users have developed a method of changing lenses that suits the position of the button and has become second nature. I, on the other hand, am pretty new to ILCs and simply find it awkward and unintuitive.

 

[Martin.au]

For me it works well to have the release button on the left. I usually have a sling bag slung on my right side so, so that I grab the camera from it with my right hand.

Then, when it's time to change lenses, I just remove and drop the lens into the bag with my right hand and grab a new lens. Also, this way, my more dextrous hand is doing the fiddly stuff.

 

[PAUL TILL]

My guess is because most people are right handed. Being right handed you tend to use your right hand to attach one object to another.

If I had a Fuji with the release button on the right I would still hold the body in my left hand and have to use my thumb to press the button! It's where it is because that's the natural place for it to be for most people.

 

[Anders W]

Abrak wrote:

Anders W wrote:

Not really. The way I do it is to hold the camera with the right hand, grip the lens with the left hand (from above left), press the release button with the ring finger of my left hand while simultaneously twisting the lens slightly passed the locked position, and then (after releasing the button which no longer locks the lens) twist the lens fully and remove it. May sound complicated when I describe it but becomes perfectly intuitive and automatic with just a little bit of practice. In fact, I never thought of exactly how I did it before your post promted me to pay attention to it.

Yes well I am sitting here with my camera trying all the convoluted ways that people choose to change lens - that after years of practice has turned into second nature.

Exactly what you should do. Practice makes perfect.

You do realize you are using your left hand to press the lens release button with your left forefinger and at the same time use your left hand to twist the lens. It is possible but it is bloody difficult.

With the forefinger it may well be bloody difficult. But I said ring finger. Try that. Much easier.

Now imagine if your right hand that holds the camera uses one finger to depress the lens release then your left hand is totally free to twist the lens and remove it.

I've had that solution during my Pentax years before switching to MFT but I can't say I found it significantly better, possibly because the system camera I started out with and used the longest (Konica Autoreflex) had the button on the same side as MFT, but further down and pressed sideways, towards the lens rather than toward the body.

 

[LWW]

Wrong, right or indifferent, may it is just conditioning, maybe not an issue at all. It's where they are. Face the camera in the opposite way. Don't change 'em, Get a super zoom, just sort it and get to makin' photos!

 

[artec540]

I came to m4/3 from a series of Nikon DSLRs, all of which had the release button on the same side as my OMD, so it doesn't feel wrong to me. Besides, wouldn't you want to handle the lenses...the one you're removing and the one you're replacing it with... with your right hand?

 

[jwhphotos]

1. The camera is designed to be held with both hands, not one. It should be held with the right hand operating the buttons/ dials/shutter release while the left hand provides support under the lens.

2. The lens release button is on the left side of the camera for Nikon, Canon, and M43. When I change lenses on all of the above, I hold the camera in my left hand, facing away from me, my left index finger presses the lens release button while my right hand twists and removes the lens. Easy as pie. Exact technique varies depending on the lens.

 

[Bobo Hodls]

Abrak wrote:

Ok I know that many people will think they are on the 'right' side but please bear with me. Pick up your camera - it is designed to be held 'one-handed' by the 'right' hand. There is far more space on that side of the camera and probably a grip.

Now look at the lens release. It is on the opposite side of the camera. You can only press it with your left hand. And if one hand is holding the camera and one hand is pressing the lens release then you are short of a hand to take out the lens.

So how do you change lenses? Well I tend to rather precariously hold the camera on the short side with my left hand so I can press the release with the left hand also and use my right hand to take off the lens.

Lens in left hand, take the mount cap off and palm it, press release with left hand, remove lens with right hand while having right wrist. . . heck, here's a video. . . the only video on the following link's page. . .

Use this link to find the page w/video

--
...Bob, NYC
http://www.bobtullis.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobtullis/
"Well, sometimes the magic works. . . Sometimes, it doesn't." - Little Big Man
.

 

[gsergei]

I grab the camera with my left hand and the index finger is right on the button.

I prefer to hold the lens with my right hand.

 

[Art_P]

I'm in the 'hold camera w left hand, twist lens w right' camp, but it's not the only way to change lenses.

Try this: Holding the camera in right hand and new lens tucked in right arm. Now grasp the barrel of the mounted lens from the top w left hand, thumb over the release button. press button and twist lens, remove. tuck this lens next to other lens and swap back cap. Grab the new lens, insert and twist, then place other lens in pocket.

Actually, this is more like changing an OM lens, as w that mount the release is on the barrel of the lens, not the body.

Consider this: if the release was on the other side, it would increase the chance of accidentally pressing it while shooting.

--
Art P
"I am a creature of contrast,
of light and shadow.
I live where the two play together,
I thrive on the conflict"

 

[ohmydentist]

I wish the button is on the other side, it's minor inconvenient for me. But looks like many folks are fine with it.

 

[Martin.au]

jwhphotos wrote:

1. The camera is designed to be held with both hands, not one. It should be held with the right hand operating the buttons/ dials/shutter release while the left hand provides support under the lens.

2. The lens release button is on the left side of the camera for Nikon, Canon, and M43. When I change lenses on all of the above, I hold the camera in my left hand, facing away from me, my left index finger presses the lens release button while my right hand twists and removes the lens. Easy as pie. Exact technique varies depending on the lens.

 

[TrapperJohn]

Left hand to hold the body and push lens release, right hand to hold the lens. Works for me.

For right handed people, you want the most expensive part in your right hand. That would be the lens, in the case of the finer glass.

 

[Art_P]

grasp the lens from above, side of thumb pressing against the button

as you twist the lens, your thumb slides off the button... give it a try before saying you can't.

 

[cfh25]

From behind the camera - press release with LH and remove lens with RH. Presumably based on serious photographers using a tripod the majority of time.