Shooting With Eyesight That Is Not the Best?

[finnegan]

<p>My eyesight is not bad, just on the edge of needing glasses to drive. I wear distance glasses for that anyway, (driving) I can tell a distinct difference. Other times I don't.<br /> When shooting with a non-diopter camera - and only one of mine has that - does that mean MY focus is different than the lens-focus? Practically speaking it can't be for my shots are usually sharp on a manual lens.<br /> And anyway, looking through the finder is the same as looking thru the lens in a modern camera, SLR, DSLR, Coupled Rangefinder etc. - so we "both see" things focused by the camera do we not, in the same way a pair of glasses also correct our vision?<br /> If that's true though why is it harder, for me at least, to see through a non-diopter finder? I can tell the difference immediately with my one diopter-camera.<br /> If it does make a difference, eyesight, then should you use glasses when you shoot, mine are for distance only? I have rubber viewfinder additions so I could wear my glasses without scratches to their lens or to the cameras finder lens, and the metal structure around it would also not scratch my glasses' lens.<br /> Last question, should you use your best eye to look thru the finder, for me that means my left eye (left from my perspective) would be the best, leaving my nose in the middle of the camera back, kind of complicated and I feel silly, but that would be the best view.<br /> Anyway, what think you on Eyesight and Camera-Focus? All a bit confusing to me.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>Since I've worn glasses since boyhood, I shoot with my glasses on. I adjust the diopter of my viewfinder to give me the sharpest image of the AF indicators, with my glasses on.<br>

Other than the lack of manual focusing aids in the VF, I have little trouble achieving sharp focus manually. And I use my left (dominant) eye at the VF, pretty much always have. The only side effect of that is that I get nose oil on my LCD display screen.<br>

I don't have a rubber cup around the VF because the additional "eye relief" created causes me to not be able to see the whole focusing screen.<br>

I think you are thinking about it too much. Go shoot in the manner that gives the best results, and don't worry about "feeling silly." No one cares but you.</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>If you have that issue with your new Leica, look for a used but good condition screw-in diopter, as the viewfinder is set at -0.5 diopter.<br>

But to answer your first question...generally focus should be ok....I got along for years with that slight handicap on some RF bodies (no diopter adjustment or ability to add one), until my eyesight deteriorated so that even when the camera was focussed I was still seeing vertical double lines in the rangefinder patch, as well as without my glasses. I now wear progresives and generally shifting my viewpoint of the glasses works well. So I think, when using a body which doesn't have a diopter adjustment or the ability to add one, and one's eyeball has lost the elasticity to focus with the inherent diopter, shooting with glasses may be the only answer. Most bodies I've encountered which have a built-in diopter in the view/rangefinder it is only slight, like -0.5 to work better with wider angle lenses.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Stephen is right. Before cameras with adjustable finders came in, and in a place where "diopters" were not to be had, my answer was to work with my glasses on. I use my right eye for most horizontals and my left eye for most verticals, changing when convenience demands. Never felt silly either way.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Astigmatism causes distortions, even doubling of certain objects in the viewfinder. This makes it particularly difficult to use a split or superimposed rangefinder camera (e.g., Leica) because convergence doesn't "pop" the way it should. A corrective lens doesn't necessarily correct for astigmatism as well as prescription glasses, but with glasses your eye may not get close enough to the finder to see the complete frame. If one eye is better than the other in this regard, by all means use it, even if you leave nose prints on the back of the camera.</p>

<p>For what it's worth, older Leicas have a metal frame around the eyepiece which scratches eyeglasses in short order. Digital Leicas and Leica magnifiers and corrective lenses have a rubber bezel, which is generally safe to use. My left eye has less astigmatism, but I'm still challenged to focus a 90mm lens (or longer) on the Leica without a magnifier (or stop down to f/5.6).</p>

[jim_service]

<p>In response to the original question, far/near sightedness will not result in far/"close" focusing due to the lack of corrective eyewear/diopter. This is because you are not looking through the lens, you are looking AT the focusing screen. <br>

Your fuzzy* eyesight gives you a blurred view of the focusing screen and makes it difficult to find that point of max sharpness, and, if not right on, a 50-50 chance of being too close or too far no matter whether you are near or far sighted.<br>

<br />*technical term</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>Think of an SLR as two distinct optical systems. In the first, the lens forms an image on the focusing screen. In the second, the pentaprism and eyepiece enable your eye to view the image on the screen, so that you can set the focus on the lens.</p>

<p>I've been a left eyed shooter all my life. I tried a few times to change it but I finally decided to live with it.</p>

[finnegan]

<p>HEY thanks all - I especially liked the remark: "Shoot as you're most comfortable..."<br>

Maybe I should put my eyeglasses over the lens, with a plastic mustache underneath....<br>

I'll experiment with my glasses, if they keep my eye too far from finder-lens obviously I'll drop that, and also start using my left eye more, maybe have my nose amputated.... <br>

My other hobby is handgun shooting (at the range in case you're wondering...). Completely different type of focus. Both eyes really stare fixedly at the front sight of the gun, not the target. The target is in the background visually though you align the front sights at the blurred center of the target with the in-focus front gun-sight; it's VERY accurate.<br>

If at a certain distance you may see a doubled image of the center of the target in the background, you aim at the image corresponding to your dominant eye, entirely different than what eye has the better vision. To find that out ahead of time when first learning, you put you finger out at arms length and look at it with both eyes open and slowly bring the finger in closer and closer to your eyes. At the very end when the finger is about 2" away it will automatically move to one eye.<br>

That's the dominant eye, and if the background image of the target is doubled when aiming using the front sight, you aim with the dominant eye's image in the background. The other usually disappears, it is not an image of anything in reality. The dominant eye's image actually reflects reality.<br>

When you shoot for combat, it's at close-distances. Most usually ignore sight-aiming, no time. Then it's Point Shooting: shooting through a "feel" of where the gun is aimed looking at a target. Since the target here is about to take your life, it's impossible to just ignore that and struggle to stare at the front sight of the gun. Estimates are, shot on target from holstered handgun must not have a duration of more than 2 seconds.<br>

Well, now you know how to shoot with something else..</p>

<p>Thanks again for all the info! Big help,<br>

Jerry ("Wm Hutt")</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>I believe the only kind of camera where eye correction is crucial are old movie cameras without a ground glass just a crosshair that you are expected to see in focus together with your subject but they have diopter setting options so you can adjust the diopter with lens set to tele & infinity pointed at an appropriate subject.<br>

Leica M don't seem glasses- or left eyes friendly. Find out what works for you at which focal length. To avoid scratches on eyeglasses maybe place a watertap gasket around the viewfinder on M3 and such. They fit quite well.</p>

[finnegan]

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[chris_waller]

<p>I'm long-sighted and increasingly so with the years. I need +1.5 dioptres for general work, +2 for reading and +3.5 for close-up work, e.g. scrutinising negatives.<br>

I no longer shoot street photography because I can't focus fast enough, so I now content myself with still life and landscape work - something that moves no faster than I can focus! :)<br>

Now I mostly shoot MF on my Mamiya TLRs.</p>