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Ergonomical Issues with the DSMC Side Handle

Dominik Muench

Dominik Muench

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Hi Guys,


I had a fairly extensive shoot with my Epic a couple of days ago on which I encountered a different kind of problem and I wanted to see if anyone else here had similar issues in the past.
The shoot went from around 10am-5pm and I shot everything handheld with the DSMC side handle....now I shoot in this same configuration many times a week but usually just 1-2 1/2 hours max.
On this shoot however I noticed at the end of the day that my thumb and index finger were pretty much completely numb....similar feeling as when your leg falls asleep and you get pins and needles.
Its now been 5 days since the shoot and the inside of my thumb and the top of my index finger (using the thumb on the wheel and the index finger for start stop recording) still feel a little numb. I can use my hand fine and there are no inhibitions to the motor skills. but its still a funny feeling.

has anyone else encountered this when shooting long hours with the side handle ??
 
That sounds like repetitive stress. Not carpal tunnel, but a similar thing. Consider resting your hand this week. Was your wrist in an awkward position, and were you doing lots of small little flicks and pushes with your fingers? That usually does it.
 
Dominik Muench said:
Nick: yes definitely a lot of on and off buttoning, more than usual on any of my other shoots, as for the awkward position pretty much just holding the DSMC handle firmly.
Click to expand...

IF your fingers were hunting and pecking while gripped, thats the kind of thing that's murder for your wrist. I'd say ice your wrist for a while and see a doctor if it hasn't gotten better after a week.

I had something similar happen to me (different circumstances), so I can I know the feeling.

Bikes sometimes get it when they do long rides on their Harleys. The vibrations and unusual wrist angles of some of the handle configurations can be problematic.
 
I am a long time sufferer of carpal tunnel, so yes this does sound like what others have called "repetitive stress". try to take it easy on that hand. ice it, let it rest for several days, even a week if possible. doing more damage to it increases your chance of ending up with a chronic condition, and it will increase the frequency of this kind of pain. nowadays, i have to be very careful of many ergonomics that most people take for granted, because its gotten to that point. I would find an alternative position where you don't have to use that hand in that position for extended periods
 
Yup, that happens to me everytime I'm forced to shoot hand-held with just the side handle. In my experience it takes rougly a week for it to go away.
 
Mark Inducil said:
Yup, that happens to me everytime I'm forced to shoot hand-held with just the side handle. In my experience it takes rougly a week for it to go away.
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I read, with interest, the Op's posts and Mark's post above. I also, have not been a proponent of internet medicine, for the most part. Certainly not in this post.

Now, what could hypesthesia that the OP is describing, might relate to nerve compression and the side handle operator's anatomic position on the side handle, as it is currently designed. Mind you, I have never used the side handle. OTOH, there are other possible diagnoses, with their recommended treatments. It sounds like the OP's profession involves this reported, provocative scenario on a frequent basis, so... A visit to a Board Certified Rheumatologist and/or Orthopedist, is prudent, before embarking on a treatment course. The second report does pique one's interest. It would be of more than passing interest, if others have or shall report similar symptoms, etc..

Thank you very much

Fury
 
Sorry Domink...

That is simply no cure to your problem, had that since early days when I switched to the Canon 1D bodies, and got worst when I switched to Medium Format cameras, even so they do have such comfortable grips, it is the extended amount of time with your hand gripping on something that does that.

On an other and different situation, I had also the same issues as experienced when holding the camera for extend amount of hours with heavy lenses, when I did something completely different, one time I was holding myself with one hand to the top of a CAr while speeding away and me shooting on top, and other doing the same thing but from the outside of an Helicopter.

The hands do suffer greatly from continuos strew given by having to grip tightly on to something for extended amount of hours, then of course age and or medications to some of us does not help either.


However I did resolve the problem, at list partially, making extensive use of very well made and very strong Grip/Straps, and Hand Straps in any dangerous shooting positions were I was forced to hold tightly with one hand for extended runs.

So, I would also suggest the same as Brice, get a very nice possibly custom made Strap for it and half your problems will be gone, but only half, as with extended shooting with your hand tightly gripping on to something it is still unavoidable that you get Stress pain.
 
This issue is based on ergonomics inherited from still camera design, and their fixed vertical grip approach being applied to motion imaging camera.

Still cameras suffer less from this issue because they are lighter, stills require one frame of usable content and camera is held in one position for shorter periods of time. The scenario in which a hand is less exposed to imperfections of ergonomics, compared to motion imaging.

With most motion imaging cameras, whether consumer, prosumer, broadcast or cinema ones with customised handles this is a non-issue.

I have warned about this and suggested a more beneficial route years ago when DSMC handle was introduced. This approach forces inoptimal weight and pressure distribution and introduces accentuated forces stressing the camera operator's hand, and these issues can be avoided.
This particular issue is related to over-exposure to physical forces which affect the nerves on fingertips, which results in numbness.
 
If you give us more details about how you need to shoot, we might be able to guide you to a good alternative. There are many things out there that remove the weight from your hand. ALl the things that others have suggested can work, also another one is a belt with a little rod going to the camera. I forgot what its called, but it takes some of the weight off your hand, and you can still have alot of the mobility. some versions of this invention have a quick disconnect so you can undock it if you really need to.
 
Hi Jason,

this belt thing sounds interesting, I should probably look into something like this as currently around 70% of my work is handheld so the problem will probably only get more serious in the future if I dont look into it.
 
Dominik Muench said:
Hi Jason,

this belt thing sounds interesting, I should probably look into something like this as currently around 70% of my work is handheld so the problem will probably only get more serious in the future if I dont look into it.
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When I had the HVX200 with the 35mm adapter a flip relay mirror, the rig got really heavy. The telescopic arm was very useful for distributing the weight. I should dig it up and apply it for handheld use on my Epic.

http://www.shapewlb.com/en/product/...scopic-support-arm_37.aspx?id_page_parent=116
 
Hahahaha...sorry to laugh Dom...but my sore hand from shooting too long was pretty funny;) Tell you what, the six hours of live record broadcast television for Ten I did last night on a 900 HD broadcast PB camera has made my back and leg muscles pretty sore today!...lol...sorry...part and parcel of handheld. Even a perfect eng camera that's been designed around handheld shooting gets sore after a while. But yeah, the side handle while fantastic isn't ergonomic for long hours...just using your body and hands into positions it's not used too regularly.
 
Brigham Edgar said:
Hahahaha...sorry to laugh Dom...but my sore hand from shooting too long was pretty funny;) Tell you what, the six hours of live record broadcast television for Ten I did last night on a 900 HD broadcast PB camera has made my back and leg muscles pretty sore today!...lol...sorry...part and parcel of handheld. Even a perfect eng camera that's been designed around handheld shooting gets sore after a while. But yeah, the side handle while fantastic isn't ergonomic for long hours...just using your body and hands into positions it's not used too regularly.
Click to expand...

This issue, if much akin to the nerve palsy that has been ascribed to beer drinkers, imbibing for protracted periods at a bar, is neither likely to be due to anatomic positional variance, nor assuaged , by more regular repetition. Just ask anyone, who pounds down the beahzz and has had this problem, when they can tell you about it. YMMV.

The provocative factor, as I posted above, seems to be anatomic and ergonomic hardware issues. Either buffering the anatomy, or redesigning the hardware is most likely to be palliative..

Thank you very much

Fury
 
cheers for that Bob, I ll look into this thing.

Brigham: I've been sore before no question...even after a few hours steadicam work to the extend where I couldn't walk properly the next day but I never had a numb hand before for almost a week so I was a bit worried.
 
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