Useful tip from a newbie

[Hedera]

I find with my arthritic hands holding the camera steady difficult. Got my first digital one recently, and had the bright idea of screwing in the mini-tripod and using it as a handle. Works brilliantly, especially for macro shots.

[Kayleigh]

Good idea Hedera....
I don't suffer with arthritis but cant seem to get on with a tripod either and tend to hold the camera in hand I still get the shakes..
Will try this as last time I used the tripod I picked it up and followed the birds round and this is not ideal and the thing is heavy so I gave up, you cant predict if a bird will land on a fence or the tree if you focus on the tree it lands on the fence lol..

[Geoff F]

Don't know if things like this are still available but many years ago I got an L shaped handle with a secondhand camera. Think I may still have it somewhere but can't remember where. It was useful for holding a camera steady when a flash unit was attached. It folded up when not in use.

A chunky handle with grips for the fingers faced downwards, or upwards, and a side arm screwed to the tripod socket through a slot which gave sideways adjustment.

Also as a steadying aid, particularly on a moving boat, I have attached a monopod/mini tripod to the camera and wedged the other end into my trouser belt. Looks a bit undignified but works.

[cosmicma]

although i do not have arthritis my problem with using a dslr is i lost most of my right hand in a work related accident some years ago and it left me with most of my thumb and not much else for a right hand it's a shame they don't make a left handed dslr it would make my world a lot easier
so i use a cable release ( remote shutter cord ) and it helps no end
another thing i have tried is a pistol grip but you don't see these too often the last one i managed to get my hands on was made by HAMA but i had to modify the trigger to work with canon dslr's not a hard thing to do and works very well unfortunatly now i have moved on from the 300/450d type and on to the 40/50d i have to modify the plug to suite ( just havn't got round to it yet )
a monopod can be usefull in some cases again using a cable release it allows me to hold the monopod and press the shutter ( cable release ) at the same time

there is a wealth of things to use to keep the camera steady using a bean bag under the lens for example whilst holding the camera with whats left of my right hand and using my left hand to hold the cable release and resting a long lens on the bean bag for hand holding so to speak

bit long winded but hopefully an insight for some...

[Hedera]

My little flexi mini tripod is a Hama and only 6/7" long.