Taking pictures with bi-focal lensesin your eyeglasses

[sid_sharma]

I just got home from ordering a pair of bifocal eyeglasses. Seems

that even though I am in my early 30's, the pesky brain tumor inside

my head has impacted my eyesight, and so, bifocals have been deemed

necessary. Now, has anyone had any experienced anything new when

they had to switch from ordinary distance vision glasses to

bifocals. Have you noticed any changes while peering through a

camera's eyepiece, positive or negative?

Thanks in advance.

-Sid

[jim nichols]

Sid: I have made the transition from single lens to bi-focal and now to tri-focal, and, so long as I look through the upper part of the lens when looking through the viewfinder, there is very little difference. When using a Leica IIIa or IIIf, I find I adjust the diopter lever a little more than when I was younger. Lens scratches are a more expensive problem with the compound lenses, so a protective felt or rubber cover on the viewfinder frame may be in order. I try to use external Briteline finders whenever possible.

[mark_messerly]

Most of the time I simply keep a hyperfocal distance set... adjusting as conditions change. With wide angle lenses the results are adequate/good. An accessory shoe mount finder in conjunction with using the hyperfocal technique sometimes helps. The Leica IIIf I use works well with one of the Voigtlander accessory finders. For critical focus and framing, I just have to take a longer time for the shot. Best luck to you.

[ben z]

I'm quite nearsighted with astigmatism, plus I need a +2 bifocal for reading. With SLR cameras I need (for most of them)a +0.5 diopter and then I can see clearly with the top part (distance correction) of my bifocals regardless of subject distance (makes sense, the image is focused on a single plane, the focusing screen). With the M Leicas, so far I don't need any diopter if the subject is far off, but if the subject is really close, I can see clearer with the reading part of my bifocals.

[julian_koplen]

Sid,

It is pretty certain that you will have very good focus when looking through the distance (upper) portion of your bifocals. Only if you had lost *all* focusing ability of your own eye should you require any further correction for viewing through the eyepiece.

 

Julian

[jtk]

Avoid any "no line" glasses. You want one thing or another. You want long distance viewing for your camera, not reading lenses. "No line" is wildly dangerous on the road, as well, because that design robs you of peripheral vision in exchange for pretending that you're younger than your eyes.

[wmwhee]

Trust the force. Just kidding, but just sort of.

 

I wear tri-focal eyeglasses and sometimes feel as though I can hardly see anything. Focusing the leica rangefinder camera has been easier for me, with or without my tri-focal eyeglasses, than focusing my slr and tlr cameras. Just tonight I was able to focus easily thirty minutes after the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

 

Anyhow, while multi-focal eyeglasses require a period of adjustment, trust me, in no time you will be focusing without thinking much about it.

[daveg]

I started with bi-focals, but have been using progressives for several years. After an initial 'break in' period (by brain had to adjust) they have turned out to be the best thing since buttered bread. The first time I tried them I gave up and went back to bifocals. The second time around I stuck with it, and my brain made the adjustment.

 

As far as use with the camera goes, when you look through the viewfinder you look through the distance area. The frame lines are easy to see and seem to be in focus at infinity. When you look down at the camera to make an adjustment, you look through the portion of the lens that is appropriate for the short distance to the camera. That can be any distance down to about 9" from your eyes. Your brain takes care of tilting your head to put the correct portion of the lens between your eye and what you are looking at, without you being aware of it.

 

Are they as good as having a 20 year old's eyesight? No way, but they are much better than having only two or three distances that are in focus.

 

Sorry to hear about the tumor. I hope it is something that will NOT get worse.

[robert goldstein]

"Avoid any "no line" glasses. You want one thing or another."

 

Nonsense. I use progressive lenses with no problems at all focusing or seeing through the viewfinder. It is very simple and natural to find the proper magnification spot of "no line" glasses.

[deecy]

John said:

Avoid any "no line" glasses. You want one thing or another. You want long distance viewing for your camera, not reading lenses. "No line" is wildly dangerous on the road, as well, because that design robs you of peripheral vision in exchange for pretending that you're younger than your eyes.

 

No disrespect intended, but you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

Tom

[mukul_dube]

The upper parts of your lenses will be for far vision, while the lower parts will be for near vision, for example, reading. What you need for nearly all camera viewfinders to which you put an eye (as against waist-level and LCD, etc., types) is a lens which allows you to clearly see and focus on objects about a yard and a half away. When you're looking through the finder, of course. As someone said, Leicas do not like spectacle lenses.

[tom_duffy1]

I started using trifocals and the rangefinder experience isn't what it used to be. I also own a pair of "monitor" glasses, i.e., mid range only for viewing a computer screen. I find these let me focus my M down to .7 meters and are accurate enough for longer distance work. This has improved my quick focusing ablility a lot. The only drawback is that for normal distance viewing, e.g., driving, distant objects are not completely sharp. You may what to consider these as a good compromise when using the M.

Take care,

Tom

[steve_swinehart]

"No disrespect intended, but you have no idea what you are talking about."

 

Ditto. I've worn progressive lenses for the past 10 years. The only slight problem I have is with using the focusing loupe on the ground glass of my view camera. I use SLR's in both 35mm and medium format, and range finders in 35mm and medium format. I have no trouble focusing any of the cameras with progressive lenses.

 

It will take a bit of practice with your new glasses - but, you'll get used to them and they'll seem "normal" after 1-2 days.

[janet_pinkerton]

A follow up question to Sid's: Does any of this advice differ if you're focusing (through the camera) on subjects that are very near to you? Do you still look through teh distance sectin of hte trifocal? Or doyou look through the lower or middle section of your trifocal lenses?

Yours,blind as a bat, Janet

[Troll]

I've never been able to see through the little peephole of any RF Leica with my glasses on. Hoping for better with the new ZI.