Student designs modular camera for left-handed photographers

A student at the UK's Nottingham Trent University has designed an innovative modular camera that can be used by right- and left-handed users alike. Called the MC-1, this one-off design features a central 'hub' section which looks as though it can function by itself as a standalone camera. It has two large red shutter buttons, one on the top panel and another on the bottom, enabling right- or left-handed use by simply flipping the camera over. We assume the rear screen is touch-sensitive, as there doesn't seem to be any other physical controls on the main camera, apart from those shutter buttons.

To improve ergonomics, an additional grip module can be clipped to the side, and this also houses extra physical buttons to aid camera control. If the camera is to be used by a left-handed shooter, it can be rotated through 180 degrees, and a bespoke left-handed grip module then clips to the left side of the main camera unit.

Flipping the camera over for left-handed use rules out a conventional, built-in viewfinder. To solve this, the camera's designer, Rowan Baxter , came up with a separate viewfinder module that can be clipped onto either the top or bottom of the main camera, depending whether the camera is in left- or right-handed orientation. Rails on the top and bottom surfaces enable the viewfinder module to easily hook into place.

As this looks like a prototype camera, we don't know much about its internals, only that the sensor size is APS-C, and the core 'hub' module is "pocket-sized". The lens fitted to the MC-1 we see in the Instagram Reel is a TTArtisan AF 27mm F2.8 . This APS-C lens is only available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mounts, so we assume the MC-1 is fitted with one of those mount options.

Though a left-handed camera may seem unusual, this isn't the first time we've seen such a product. Back in 1987, Yashica launched the Samurai Z-L; a real, mass-produced left-handed film camera. It was essentially a flipped version of the company's right-handed Samurai Z, with the grip and camera controls mirrored for left-handed users. We've got a separate story about that camera if you'd like to know more.

Story credit: Rowan Baxter Design