glasses and eyestrain after lots of photos - D70s

[jennifer valencia]

hi everyone,

I wear glasses -- strong prescription -- to correct my

nearsightedness. I rarely use manual focus b/c it's hard for me,

with my glasses, to get my eye up close enough to the viewfinder of

my D70s to actually gauge focus correctly.

 

I've noticed that I get eye strain after shooting for a long period

of time. For example, after doing portrait shoots for an hour, when

I take my eye off the camera I will notice eye strain in my right

eye. It almost seems as if that eyes sees "better" or differently,

anyway, from the left one. It takes them a while to equalize again.

 

Does anyone else, glasses or not, experience this? Are there ways

to mitigate this kind of effect?

 

thanks!

Jennifer

[vivek iyer]

<i>Are there ways to mitigate this kind of effect?</i>

<p>

Multitasking. Always helps one to avoid stress/strain with anything.

[robert_hooper1]

Jennifer,

 

Early in my career I used to work in a "catalog house" in Seattle. Five photographers would shoot product photography for up to 14 hours a day in order to meet a deadline. I wear glasses, so I know what you are talking about. The following exercises are very beneficial for relieving eye fatigue:

 

http://www.aryabhatt.com/yoga/eyes.htm

[rdkirk]

I've been strongly myopic for longer than I can remember, which is close to half a century now. My current vision is well worse than 20/400 (-8.5 diopers in both eyes), and shows worse every year (most people's myopia plateaus around age 25).

 

To make it worse, I started wearing bifocals for presbyopia five years ago. Being nearsighted and farsighted at the same time is a PITA--they don't cancel each other out, they magnify each other.

 

However, I can't say that I've ever suffered eyestrain from shooting, and I've been shooting for 40 years. I can only suggest that you look directly at the subject frequently (put the camera on a tripod) and don't keep the camera glued to your face. You should do that anyway to maintain rapport with the subject (nobody likes talking to a lens).

 

Also, be sure you've adjusted the diopter correction on the camera properly--very few people know how to do this. First, you have to understand that when you're looking through the lens of a reflex camera, you're not looking "through" the camera to a distant subject, you're actually looking AT the focusing screen inside the camera.

 

The focusing screen is only a few inches from your eye, but most people can't focus that close, so there is a negative diopter lens (usually -1 or -1.5) on the eyepiece that pushes the virtual image away from your eye to a distance most people can easily focus on--usually about one meter from your face.

 

You should wear whatever eye correction is necessary for you to see sharply at 1 meter. Then, adjust the eyepiece diopter like this:

 

Remove the lens from the camera or point the camera at some blank, light-toned featureless surface like a wall. The intention here is to have no subject detail visible in the viewfinder. Now look at the focusing markings on the screen--those are what you want to see clearly. Turn the diopter correction wheel so that those marks are STRONGLY out of focus.

 

Then turn the wheel quickly to focus on the screen markings. Don't do this slowly and carefully or your eye will adapt to a near-focus condition. You have to move the wheel quickly back and forth until you center on the sharpest position. When you can see the screen markings at their sharpest, then you've got the diopter set properly.

 

They sell diopter correction lenses for the eyepiece, but that's really only for people who's eyesight is not fully correctable otherwise.

[ilkka_nissila]

I know I won't be liked for saying this but I get both eye strain as well as feelings of frustration with the D70 especially when working in indoor conditions. How about getting a D2X or D200? They should be a lot easier on your eyes.

[ShunCheung]

I too feel that the poor viewfinder on the D70/D70s has something to do with it. If it bothers you to this degree, probably the only solution is another DSLR with a better viewfinder, but as Ilkka points out, the next step up the D200 is a lot more expensive.

 

I don't have a D70, but I didn't have that problem when I was using a D100 and I wear glasses too.

 

Or perhaps you just need to take more frequent breaks from looking into the viewfinder.

[lex_jenkins]

Have your eyes checked, especially for glaucoma and cataracts. I've recently discovered how quickly vision can deteriorate.

 

For decades I've noticed some peculiar differences in my vision. I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Vision through my left eye has always been brighter but with less acuity. Sight through my right eye was dimmer by approximately the equivalent to one f/stop, but with better acuity. But my vision always tested 20/20, altho' with pronounced astigmatism.

 

Since age 30 I'd only needed glasses for reading. But two years ago I began noticing some difficulty adjusting focus from near to far which made it difficult to read street signs and highway signs, especially at night. No problems with my middle vision, from approximately arm's length to around 10 yards. A change in prescription to no-line bifocals did the trick. I only wear them for reading and driving, not when taking photos.

 

During the past year, tho', I'd noticed a problem with dulled vision in my right eye, as tho' vaseline had gotten in my eye. It wasn't painful, just annoying. Sometimes when I blinked it cleared up, but not always.

 

A few days ago during a visit to my MD to get treatment for a respiratory infection the doctor told me I'm developing a cataract in my right eye. I wasn't too surprised - cataracts run on both sides of my family - but as far as I know I'm the youngest to develop one. My mom and grandmother didn't develop cataracts until they were in their 60s or 70s.

 

Fortunately, it's treatable. Unfortunately I don't have health insurance to help with the cost. Fortunately, I use my left eye for photography anyway. Unfortunately, I'm worried that I'll eventually develop a cataract in that eye as well. Perhaps I should begin preparing myself for another hobby.

[ShunCheung]

Actually, there is one more issue: the diopter setting on the D70 (and D100, N80 ...); that can easily be moved unintentionally. If the diopter setting is off, it can really strain your eye.

[ilkka_nissila]

Yes, and because of the adaptation of the eye, it's a bit difficult to find the optimal diopter setting. Take your time.

[jennifer valencia]

hi all,

thanks for your responses! don't worry, I don't take offense if other people don't love the D70. :) I have considered upgrading to the D200, but it's not exactly in my price range right now - maybe in the future.

 

I do take a lot of breaks when shooting, to talk with subjects or to set things up. But over the course of any hour, for example, I may take over 100 shots. Although these don't come in total rapid succession, at the end of it all my eye feels strained and tired.

 

I do have the diopter set to the best setting for me (as far as I can tell.) AFter reading this thread, I took out the camera and went through all the diopter settings. Sadly, without my glasses, my eyes are SO bad that none of the setting help. WITH my glasses, it's best on the default setting. If I change it, the screen gets blurry, even when focus is correct. So I'm pretty confident that the diopter won't help me.

 

Lex, thanks for the comments about getting eyes checked. I've always been paranoid about my vision, too. I'm 34 yrs old and hopefully too young for glaucoma/cataracts, but you never know. Actually every time I get my eyes checked they have to do the awful metal-thing-on-the-surface-of-the-eyeball thing to double check for glaucoma, b/c my eyes always trigger the air puff test limits. They always tell me I DON'T have glaucoma, but I know my eyes are close. I DO need to keep checking them.

 

hmmmm. I suppose I should do a few things: Visit my friend the eye doctor, and maybe check out a camera with a better viewfinder.

 

Do other people in general seem to find that the D70 viewfinder "sucks" (to use a technical term)?

 

thanks again for all your responses!

Jennifer

[ShunCheung]

Jennifer, the viewfinder for the D70 has been hotly discussed and debated ever since that camera was introduced almost two years ago. While pretty much everybody agrees it is among the worst in Nikon SLRs, whether it is "acceptable" or not varies. It depends on your individual eyesight, whether you manual focus, etc. etc.

 

By now, whenever someone askes me about the D70, D70s or D50, the first thing I tell them is to check out the viewfinder for themselves. The reaction varies from "there is no way I would buy a camera with this kind viewfinder" to "what viewfinder problem are you talking about?"

 

And when it is the D50, I also mention that it uses SD memory cards instead of CF. Likewise, the reaction varies a great deal, as well.

[rdkirk]

>>I do have the diopter set to the best setting for me (as far as I can tell.) AFter reading this thread, I took out the camera and went through all the diopter settings. Sadly, without my glasses, my eyes are SO bad that none of the setting help. WITH my glasses, it's best on the default setting. If I change it, the screen gets blurry, even when focus is correct. So I'm pretty confident that the diopter won't help me. <<

 

You SHOULD be wearing your glasses, if you need them to see clearly at 1 meter. If the default setting is the best--using the method I described above--then it means your eyeglass correction is proper.

 

I'm not sure what could be STRAINING your eyes if you're autofocusing. Your eyes should be relatively relaxed viewing through the lens.

 

Are you being bothered by reflections of stray light entering from behind you? That's a common problem for eyeglass wearers because you can't snug your brow tightly against the camera.

[leslie_cheung]

Yep...d70 tiny tunnel VF and the diopter. Never hurt so bad with f/f2/fe2/f3/f100/leica or even throw away one time cameras

[yoni_perlmutter]

All of the above is good advice and if put into practice, should help.

 

You might also want to try shooting with both eyes open.

This might not come naturally to you, and it may at first be difficult,

but with resolve you can learn how to do it.

 

Keeping both eyes open reduces eye strain and fatigue and

lets you retain your depth perception - probably a good thing in

photography.

[john schroeder]

Everyone gets eyestrain after prolonged shooting. Look at the eyepiece magnifier, DK21m, for the D200. It fits the D70/D70s fine and makes the viewfinder larger and easier to see. I have found it very handy on my D70

[cliffb]

Using a camera seems to exacerbate a lot of eye problems. Though the D70 viewfinder is not particularly good, I have found that my eyes have just as hard a problem with excellent viewfinders. I have an astigmatism; and, even 20 years before I had to wear glasses for sight correction, using a camera (even with great viewfinders) would cause the double vision to increase. Like others here, I now have no line bifocals; but, I hate wearing them when I use the camera. I find it difficult to consistently line up the same section of the glasses with the viewfinder. So, I find that, yes, using the camera does cause my eye strain; but, that the D70's "poor" viewfinder seems to have nothing to do with it.

[mksnowhite]

I agree in that I think the D70 has nothing to do with it. I shoot 8-10 hours sometimes when I do a show with maybe couple 20 min breaks. Yeah my eyes are strained at the end...along with my feet. I'm using the D200 this season so will see if there's differance.

[matt_campbell1]

Jennifer,

Not sure if you're talking about eye strain as in some kind of pain or discomfort in your "viewfinder eye" or the "non-viewfinder eye." Many years ago I used to shoot for a couple newspapers and I found that I had a habit initially of shooting with my left eye tightly closed. When I would take my camera away from my eye for a few minutes my left eye (now open) would feel gummed up and I didn't seem to be able to focus properly between the two eyes. Eventually I got used to shooting with both eyes open and I noticed my version of eye strain was gone. Now that I've been using a P&S camera for the last three years I got used to using the view screen to compose my shots. Now since I bought my D50 that I've started doing that "left eye screwed shut" thing again. It's taking a conscious effort to relearn to shoot with both eyes open.

[jennifer valencia]

Matt, that's exactly what happens to me! That difference between eye vision after shooting! Sometimes I try to keep my left eye open, but I certainly haven't been rigorous about it. I'll try to start doing that and see if it helps.

 

thanks,

Jennifer

[john schroeder]

After shooting an extremely long wedding and reception, 6+ hours, my shooting eye could not focus at infinity. It made for an interesting drive home that night. After resting my eyes, an hour nap, it was fine. I have learned to do some eye exercises during long shoots. Every 10 minutes I take a moment to rest my shooting eye. Then I focus on something far away then close then far away. I do that several times before resuming shooting. This is also handy if I've been sitting in front of the computer monitor for an extended period of time.