Just a little musing...

<p>A few months ago, for the first time in my life, I noticed a very slight deterioration in my distance vision. As slight as it was, it certainly did interfere with my ability to make photographs, with my ability to "truly" see my subject, and I found this rather distressing. Unfortunately, a sort of comedy of errors ensued with my optometrist and only now do I find myself the owner of a fully functional (and correctly prescribed) pair of eyeglasses.</p>

<p>Yesterday, I picked up my M6 for the first time in these three months. I simply can't endure wearing my glasses and handling the camera simultaneously and was concerned about the view that would confront me in the viewfinder using my unaided eyes. It was only then that I discovered that the 0.72 viewfinder applies virtually the same power of spherical correction to my right eye as do my spectacles. At the risk of sounding a bit melodramatic, simply looking through the eyepiece suddenly became a truly inspiring experience.</p>

<p>I can, quite literally, see the world more clearly through my Leica.</p>

<p>Glad to hear of your positive experience. I can relate that my uncle made quite the opposite one though - the lack of autofocus in both the R and the M system precluded him using both systems when his eyesight deteriorated and forced him to acquire a system with AF capabilities to allow him to enjoy his hobby henceforth.</p>

<p>A year ago, I finally submitted to eye surgery (I'm 68 years of age). I wore glasses for SIXTY YEARS!Cataracts, now gone, implants corrected for severe nearsighted vision and my astigmatism now gone. I now enjoy using my cameras especially my 35mm Leica SL and my Olympus E500 DSLR with Leica SL manual focus lenses as both were quite difficult to focus before. </p>

<p>The Leica viewfinder has a mild diopter built in, makes things look a little closer than they really are. Just the thing for someone who can't focus to infinity.<br>

Typical SLR's set the focusing screen at a 1 meter virtual distance.</p>

 

<p>I'm 52 and my eyes are getting worse. I'm still able to use my Leica, but the astigmatism makes it a bit difficult, even with glasses (which I've worn all my life). I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, maybe my eyes get tired or something, but even with that and glasses, you can use a Leica with glasses. Mine is an M8 (and M2). Some cameras can have a special eyepiece made which is the same as your prescription and achieve the same thing as you did. I've thought about that, but I still want to see when I put down the camera too!</p>

<p>I am now 7 months short of 57 years old and have been wearing soft contact lenses for more than 30 years. I have astigmatism and am nearsighted, but the Focus Daily daily throw-away contact lenses I have been wearing for years, despite my astigmatism, give me completely sharp eyesight, enabling me to manually focus my Leica R and M lenses thoroughly and speedily. I highly recommend you visit an optometrist, have him or her perform a complete evaluation of both of your eyes, and then you will know whether or not your eyes are compatible with soft contact lenses which can create complete and speedy focusing as I mentioned above.</p>