Is big hands excuse hiding something else?

[Ko.Fe.]

I read many times how big hands are the problem with small cameras.
Before work today, I went to the store and was trying to handle Leica X2 by my hands. According to the gloves size I have to buy they are large.

Camera is nice and tiny. I have not so much of the real problem with hands, but somehow it just feels awkwardly small. And been better with reading glasses for small objects I could barely see the screen and what is on it without glasses.

Canon RP, also checked it in the store today, has bigger screen and EVF is build in.
It is also small camera, but not as tiny as Leica X2. Especially with lens.
But it feels more easy to handle comparing to tiny X2. Just by looking in EVF.

Looks like, X2, X100 series camera size in not for me. I'm not sure if it hands or too blurred vision if I don't wear glasses and not holding it far from me. Or both.

I don't have problems with DSLRs and Leica M-E to change settings without reading glasses.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

I consider my hands to be large. Maybe I can use this anatomical feature to justify my purchase of the Fujifilm GFX-50R!

I’ll just tell my wife I’m the victim of large hands. It’s not my fault. I need to spend $5500.00 for a new GFX-50R + 50mm lens kit.

It’s as good as in the bag! 😀 That is until she hears my idea. 🙁

All the best,
Mike

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I walked by it under the display glass. I like X-Pro3 size more. But large sensor size commands the size for sure.

 

[shawn]

I read many times how big hands are the problem with small cameras.
Before work today, I went to the store and was trying to handle Leica X2 by my hands. According to the gloves size I have to buy they are large.

Camera is nice and tiny. I have not so much of the real problem with hands, but somehow it just feels awkwardly small. And been better with reading glasses for small objects I could barely see the screen and what is on it without glasses.

Canon RP, also checked it in the store today, has bigger screen and EVF is build in.
It is also small camera, but not as tiny as Leica X2. Especially with lens.
But it feels more easy to handle comparing to tiny X2. Just by looking in EVF.

Looks like, X2, X100 series camera size in not for me. I'm not sure if it hands or too blurred vision if I don't wear glasses and not holding it far from me. Or both.

I don't have problems with DSLRs and Leica M-E to change settings without reading glasses.

The grip on the x1/x2 is nice and makes it more secure feeling in the hand, as does the thumb grip. The OVF on it is good but then changes the size of the camera quite a bit.

The x1/x2 and the x100 are very different cameras when shooting them due to the built in viewfinder on the x100 series.

Shawn

 

[jsrockit]

What’s stopping you from considering the Rp?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

What’s stopping you from considering the Rp?

Nothing, except, I'm still 200CAD short for it.
RP is light and durable, with close to home service.

But X2 is totally awesome as the item to wear on summer day while going to the gallery and pub after it. One day, I'll get one 🙂.

 

[jsrockit]

Nothing, except, I'm still 200CAD short for it.
RP is light and durable, with close to home service.

But X2 is totally awesome as the item to wear on summer day while going to the gallery and pub after it. One day, I'll get one 🙂.

Ah ok. The RP seems like a great camera for the $. The X2 is exactly that type of camera.

 

[farlymac]

I've always liked the feel of larger camera bodies, but my hands are basically average size (large). One small camera I have is a Paxette, and I've used it with no problems in the winter at 20°f/-6.5°c with gloves on. But one thing that bugs me about some small cameras is the amount of real estate on the front for your fingers. The Paxette for its size has enough room, but a Retina has almost no where for the right side fingers to hold on to. Another thing I dislike is small control rings around the lens that are flush against the body, like on some Olympus models. Or when they are too close together on the lens. Other than those things I'm fine with using small cameras. I almost bought an X100F a while back (returned it because they tried to sell me a scratched up store demo as new) and was very pleased with the way it felt in the hands. Everything seemed to be in the right place, and not uneasy to handle. I bought a grip for my film CL to get away from using the side mounted neck strap, but it was a minor improvement. A wrist strap would probably be a better choice.


PF

 

[gavinlg]

Canon has always had really good ergonomics in their high end EOS cameras. I agree with you that smaller cameras are more difficult to use (and I have average sized hands). Between my Fujifilm x-t1 and x-t10 backup camera the x-t10 is difficult to use fluidly because I just find it too small (I'm going to order a Chinese hand grip at some point and see if it helps). I generally grip all my digital cameras and it makes them far nicer.

On the flip side, I find Leica M and Olympus OM cameras ergonomically almost perfect, and they're pretty close to the same size as the smaller Fujis. The addition of a grip or thumbs up on the x100 made it significantly better to use when I had one.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Well, with Canon 500D, which is nothing but digital Rebel, I learned how to change all settings I need just by looking into VF. Its buttons and dials were good enough for me. After first 25K or so photos taking with it in M only mode. 🙂

M and OM are two different things on film and digital. Digital OM is something I struggle with. Digital M is nicely limited functions camera for its compact size, yet film M is unbeatable for manual exposures. I could count shutter speeds by clicks and rotation, same for modern Leitz lens (I have one) and focus by tab. Without looking at it. But it took me thousands of frames to be able to do so 🙂.

 

[Pál_K]

... Between my Fujifilm x-t1 and x-t10 backup camera the x-t10 is difficult to use fluidly because I just find it too small...

For the Fuji, I wonder if many people have problems with the size or the arrangement of buttons on the back.

On my X-Pro1, it seems I always inadvertently press a button on the back and some strange menu or setting pops up. Too many buttons placed in bad locations.

The fact that Fuji implemented a "lock all buttons" feature in later models suggests others had this problem.

 

[grouchos_tash]

the x-t10 is difficult to use fluidly because I just find it too small (I'm going to order a Chinese hand grip at some point and see if it helps).

I found the same, kept pressing buttons on the back, the grip made it worse on the front to be honest. I haven't had any of these problems with the X-Pro2 however, the AF-L and AE-L aren't easy to find without looking.

 

[David Hughes]

Weirdest of all for me was an icon of a fish against a blue background appearing on the rear screen one day. It took a long while to work out that the thing meant colour balance for underwater shots. So I'm now a firm believer in as few buttons and as small a menu as possible.


Regards, David


PS It would help if cameras were designed by photographers, as they used to be.

 

[jsrockit]

I have big hands and I don’t mind small cameras. The only Fuji that has been an issue for me is the Fuji X-T30 and it’s Q button placement. I hit it so often that I had to put tape over it. After awhile a friend asked if I had a camera to sell him and that camera thankfully was gone! It’s funny. I have big hands and prefer no grip. The X100V feels great in my hands. The X-Pro even better. The worst for me was the Sony Rx100 series... really bad TV remote feel to all buttons.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

I remember when our hands learned to learn where things were. Experience is a funny thing.

All the best,
Mike

 

[jsrockit]

I remember when our hands learned to learn where things were. Experience is a funny thing.

Well, things have gotten more complicated...

 

[gavinlg]

I remember when our hands learned to learn where things were. Experience is a funny thing.

All the best,
Mike

Well, things have gotten more complicated...

I have a theory that the best tools are ones that are simple and require the user to use them in union with their simple design. AKA Leica M. Nikon f/f2. Gaggia classic. Porsche 911s. Red wing boots. Mechanical watches. etc.

 

[jsrockit]

I have a theory that the best tools are ones that are simple and require the user to use them in union with their simple design. AKA Leica M. Nikon f/f2. Gaggia classic. Porsche 911s. Red wing boots. Mechanical watches. etc.

It seems that is certainly true for many of us, but I know many people who love to complicate their lives and truly prefer the opposite.

One thing I do that annoys people is I have an Apple Watch... and I use the most bare bones mechanical looking face. They ask me what I use the watch for and I answer "to tell time." I don't let my phone communicate with it to tell me anything. I truly use it as a watch... a customizable one. Then why have an Apple Watch? They assume I'm supposed to use all this superfluous crap. Being an 80s kid, I always liked Casio digital watches... and this is the ultimate digital watch for me. Silly, but I just like it simple.

 

[gavinlg]

One thing I do that annoys people is I have an Apple Watch...

I actually get this - the Apple Watch has a Dieter Rams/Braun-esque thing about it that appeals. I have a old school style square g-shock that occasionally takes place on my wrist over my usual automatics, just because I love the 80s digital futurism thing it represents (and it's from the era I was born in).

On the topic of size, small watches (>38mm) are my thing.

 

[shawn]

For the Fuji, I wonder if many people have problems with the size or the arrangement of buttons on the back.

On my X-Pro1, it seems I always inadvertently press a button on the back and some strange menu or setting pops up. Too many buttons placed in bad locations.

The fact that Fuji implemented a "lock all buttons" feature in later models suggests others had this problem.

A thumb grip makes it hardh to accidentally press a button as it gives an obvious landing zone for your thumb. Also helps with using the buttons blind as you have a consistent starting place. I have a Lenmate x100t thumbrest that I removed the bottom hook from on my x100f.

Shawn