The importance of ergonomics was strongly reinforced for me this past weekend when I participated in a ‘one time only’ extended family event. It was one of those occasions when you absolutely want to come away from a gathering with as many good quality photographs as possible. As we all know, many life events have no chance for a re-do.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge. Photographs have been added to serve as visual breaks.

As my wife and I discussed the upcoming event we both agreed that it would be best if I took only one camera and one lens. Since I was quite familiar with the venue, my choice of lens was obvious.

As I had anticipated, the M.Zuiko PRO 12-40 mm f/2.8 zoom proved to be the perfect lens for the occasion. I ended up shooting everything at f/2.8 and had sufficient focal length range to adapt to quickly changing situations and the number of subjects in various compositions.

As regular readers know, I also own the M.Zuiko PRO 12-100 mm f/4 zoom. I didn’t give this lens even a moment of consideration for this event. Given the available lighting and the activities that I needed to photograph, the f/4 aperture was simply too slow for my purposes.

My mistake was in my choice of camera body. I put far too much emphasis on the potential advantage of using a smaller, lighter camera, and went to the event with my wife’s E-M1 Mark III. What I had underestimated for this event was the importance of ergonomics and handling.

After arriving on site, I did some test images prior to the start of the event. I was quickly reminded that smaller size of the E-M1 Mark III is an issue for me. I kept on inadvertently putting pressure on buttons that would change some settings.

This was especially problematic when shooting in portrait orientation as I had to rotate the camera body and then reach over the top of the body to activate the shutter release. When shooting with a smaller sized lens this meant that the thumb joint of my left hand would come into inadvertent contact with some of the controls positioned on the upper left of the E-M1 Mark III body. I also had to waste time looking at the back of the camera to locate buttons to adjust settings.

During the event I had to divert some of my attention to the position of my left hand, while at the same time trying to compose and capture important moments during the event. The small size and the tighter button positioning of the E-M1 Mark III was definitely getting in the way of me being able to work efficiently. As a result I missed a few image opportunities that are now lost forever.

After shooting with my E-M1X bodies for over four years I’ve become very accustomed to my camera gear never getting in the way. With my E-M1Xs I don’t have to look at the back of the camera to find the correct control button. I can do everything by touch only.

Since I was using a small, relatively light zoom lens I did not experience any significant forearm cramps, as I do with the E-M1 Mark III when trying to use heavier zoom lenses like the M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 or the 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS.

After capturing over 300 images in a little less than an hour at this weekend’s event, I did have some moderate pain in the middle finger of my right hand. Applying some deep pressure with my thumb to some of the muscles in my right forearm helped release the muscle tension and alleviate the finger pain.

I had used my wife’s E-M1 Mark III during a trip to Nova Scotia last year without any issues so I wasn’t expecting to experience any arm or finger pain when using the M.Zuiko PRO 12-40 mm f/2.8. I forgot to appreciate that from an ergonomic perspective there is a big difference between casually using a camera over a couple of hours to capture a few dozen images, and very intensive use when hundreds of images are created in a very compressed time frame.

The E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X are both wonderful cameras and the point of this article isn’t to label one ‘good’ and the other ‘bad’. The objective is to reinforce how important ergonomics can be, especially when a camera is put under intensive use. This is true regardless of the camera format, brand or model that one uses.

As photographers we can get wrapped up in the specifications of a camera and focus on technical comparisons. What we often overlook is the importance of ergonomics. A camera that doesn’t feel good in the hand, and is inefficient to operate in the field, can be problematic. Ergonomics is a personal issue that really comes down to how well a camera physically fits with an individual photographer’s needs. Overall size and weight, grip comfort and button placement can be critical.

When I chose a back-up camera for my client business I opted for a second E-M1X. I knew I would not be happy with an E-M1 Mark III for the intensive work that I do. Ergonomics, handling and comfort are very important to me… and have become increasingly so as I’ve been getting more advanced in age. That’s why a superb camera like the OM-1 will likely never be in my gear bag.

Before investing your hard earned money in a new camera body, it can be very beneficial to rent one for a few days and use it intensively to see if it fits your ergonomic needs. Inefficient and uncomfortable cameras tend to collect dust in gear closets. As such they can be wasteful purchases… regardless of the specifications they may offer.

 Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. This is the 1,303 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

How you can help keep this site advertising free

My intent is to keep this photography blog advertising free. If you enjoyed this article and/or my website and would like to support my work, you can purchase an eBook, or make a donation through PayPal. Both are most appreciated.

Our eBooks…

The Finding Visual Expression eBook is designed to provide readers with some photographic inspiration and composition ideas. The Little Camera That Could details our extensive experience using the Nikon 1 system. Our eBooks also include a number of travel photography publications including Images of Ireland, New Zealand Tip-to-Tip, Desert & Mountain Memories, Images of Greece, and Nova Scotia Photography Tour. We also have a business leadership parable… Balancing Eggs.

Donations support this website…

If you click on the Donate button below you will find that there are three donation options: $7.50, $10.00 and $20.00. All are in Canadian funds. Plus, you can choose a different amount if you want. You can also increase your donation amount to help offset our costs associated with accepting your donation through PayPal. An ongoing, monthly contribution to support our work can also be done through the PayPal Donate button below.

You can make your donation through your PayPal account, or by using a number of credit card options.

Word of mouth is the best form of endorsement. If you like our website please let your friends and associates know about our work. Linking to this site or to specific articles is allowed with proper acknowledgement. Reproducing articles, or any of the images contained in them, on another website or in any social media posting is a Copyright infringement.

Article is Copyright 2023 Thomas Stirr. Images are Copyright 2022-2023 Thomas Stirr and Rosemary Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation of any kind is allowed without written consent. If you see this article reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use. Posting comments on offending websites and calling out individuals who steal intellectual property is always appreciated!