[Charlotte]

Just had a thought, prompted by a pic I've just seen in my Dig Cam magazine : A photographer's pic is shown with him behind the (rather large) camera, so the view of him is not great, but it looks like he's wearing glasses I've never noticed anyone taking pic's with glasses on! Of course it was just a pic for a magazine, not him actually shooting, but still it got me thinking.

I always take my glasses off, obviously so I can get my eye firmly in the eyepiece. Also, I use my remote a lot + notice that if I don't cover the eyepiece then the exposure goes for a loop. i.e. fitting your eye close in keeps all extraneous light out.

BUT because I'm short-sighted I find it difficult to see if distant subjects are in sharp focus - it's all very well if you rely on autofocus, but I can't then fine-tune with manual focus, which I can do for close subjects.

I've just tried looking thru' my camera with my glasses on, + I didn't like it one bit, so that's not an option. BUT what I wondered is <and here's the brainwave> it might be a help to get contact lenses for the purposes of photography. I tried them before (and before I got into photography) but they didn't really work for me, however I might think about getting some again, just for photography use, now that it has occurred to me.

(I'm not very short-sighted, but I do wear my glasses for computer work (mainly to cut the glare), tv + most of all for driving.)

Oh, and my diopter is set to the max, before anyone asks

If anyone else is in the same boat, what do you do?

[nichpr]

Charlotte, I wear and shoot with glasses. I also have graduated eyeglass lenses (for distance and reading). Its sometimes a pain but I get by. I often park my glasses up on my head to read the display on the top of the camera and put them back on to compose and shoot. I guess laser eye surgery (Lasik?) would be best but I'm chicken.

- Paul

[chickadee]

i can relate to this ,during the day i can manage with glasses, however have read that you can get a magnifier for view finder but havent been able to get to much feed back on it....the other thing i do is bring my focus point in , with finger half down on shutter release then focus and re adjust my image to where it was then continue down with shutter release.Like you iam short sighted .looking forward to feed back from other members who have this problem too.

[chickadee]

actually i just experimented with my pentax istDS .Took 2 photos pic 1 eye against view finder, pic 2 eye completely away from eye piece (eye piece) completely exposed no difference.day light when did this little experiment .

[Victoria]

I will wear my contact lenses when I'm in serious mode but I can cope with wearing glasses.

I used to wear contacts daily so I don't have a problem with throwing them in when shooting.

I have been known to keep my glasses on when I'm just goofing around at home but they can be a pain. The viewfinder pushes them too close to my eyes which distorts the image. I'd never rely on glasses in a situation where I didn't want to miss a shot because I'm always having to re-adjust them.

So, my recommendation would be the daily throw away lenses if you can use them.

[P-E]

Only the other week I decided to go for an eye test after agian walking in to the ladies in the pub ......

Anyway I need glasses for long distance (does that mean am short sighted?).

I immediately asked if I could have contact lenses but then thought 'I am going to have the hassle of just having them in for long distance'

I discussed this with the optician who asked which eye I looked through my viewfinder (he had already asked what my hobbies are).......'I said my right eye'. He then advised he could fit a lens for long distance in that eye with one in the left eye that would correct everything for close up work .

Not bothered to go pick them up yet (should have gone at the beginning of the week)......so when I do I will let you know what they are like

[Dabhand16]

Charlotte, if i took my glasses off, I probably would not be able to find my camera!

Regarding the exposure problem when using remote control and self-timer, in the Nikon manual they recommend using the eyepiece blanking cover to prevent this, but you can use anything that will shut out the light.

[silver]

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

Charlotte, if i took my glasses off, I probably would not be able to find my camera!

Regarding the exposure problem when using remote control and self-timer, in the Nikon manual they recommend using the eyepiece blanking cover to prevent this, but you can use anything that will shut out the light.

with remote release then mostly I am also using manual exposure, never used / felt the need for blanking off the viewfinder

Sil

[Dave Canon]

The image in an SLR viewfinder is not the same as looking directly at the subject. In the viewfinder you see a virtual image that is focussed about 10 inches away. This is very useful because for most people, even those who need glasses for distance or reading or both, will find that 10 inches is often Ok . Many SLR's also have a dioptric adjustment to suit most people thus you should not need to wear glasses to compose or focus pictures with an SLR.

I use varifocal glasses and they are hopeless with my SLR so I usually take them off. Of course, I need them on to fiddle with the Camera settings!

[Charlotte]

What a fab lot of responses on this subject I apologise for all the quotes below, but I wanted to briefly comment on some of the replies :

Originally Posted by nichpr

........ I guess laser eye surgery (Lasik?) would be best but I'm chicken.

Me too

Originally Posted by chickadee

actually i just experimented with my pentax istDS .Took 2 photos pic 1 eye against view finder, pic 2 eye completely away from eye piece (eye piece) completely exposed no difference.day light when did this little experiment .

I think it's more of a problem with close-up/macro work . Also with a wide aperture (or is it a small aperture ... can't think which now ). In these situations, if you don't block the eyepiece, the result is a very dark pic, or even just a solid black mass of nothing

Originally Posted by Victoria

....... So, my recommendation would be the daily throw away lenses if you can use them.

Thanks Victoria, think I will, or maybe a 'monthly' pair that will last a while, + I just wear them for photography.

Originally Posted by P-E

Only the other week I decided to go for an eye test after agian walking in to the ladies in the pub ......

Go on, blame your eyesight

Originally Posted by P-E

... Anyway I need glasses for long distance (does that mean am short sighted?).

Yes.

Originally Posted by P-E

... I immediately asked if I could have contact lenses but then thought 'I am going to have the hassle of just having them in for long distance'

That was my query, having to pop them in + out, 'cos I don't wear glasses for reading, + the 1st ones I tried made my eyes swim when I tried to read small print

Originally Posted by P-E

......so when I do I will let you know what they are like

Look forward to hearing, P-E

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

Charlotte, if i took my glasses off, I probably would not be able to find my camera!

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

... Regarding the exposure problem when using remote control and self-timer, in the Nikon manual they recommend using the eyepiece blanking cover to prevent this, but you can use anything that will shut out the light.

I just hold a finger in front of the eyepiece

[Howard]

I always wear glasses. I've got the diopter on my camera set so that everything is in focus when I've got them on.

[brian wright22]

Originally Posted by P-E

Only the other week I decided to go for an eye test after agian walking in to the ladies in the pub ......

Anyway I need glasses for long distance (does that mean am short sighted?).

I immediately asked if I could have contact lenses but then thought 'I am going to have the hassle of just having them in for long distance'

I discussed this with the optician who asked which eye I looked through my viewfinder (he had already asked what my hobbies are).......'I said my right eye'. He then advised he could fit a lens for long distance in that eye with one in the left eye that would correct everything for close up work .

Not bothered to go pick them up yet (should have gone at the beginning of the week)......so when I do I will let you know what they are like

Very interesting, I have glasses for reading but find they are a nuisance when using my Canon 350. I therfore "tweek" the diopter for the perfect view. My eyesight is fine for all other distances.
But my wife used reading glasses for about 5 years and last year an eyesight test revealed the she required longsighted correction as well. This was not what my wife was expecting because she had about four pair's of reading glasses because she could never lay her hands on a set when required
The optician revealed that in about 60 percent of people one eye can have a reading contact lens and the other usually the RH eye has the long sighted lens. The brain very quickly integrates the two visions and everything from about 2 foot to infinity is perfect.
The interesting point is that it only seems to work satisfactorily in about 60 percent cases on the adult population whereby the brain adapts.
You will not look back again!!!.
Regards Brian

[Charlotte]

Originally Posted by brian wright22

... one eye can have a reading contact lens and the other usually the RH eye has the long sighted lens. The brain very quickly integrates the two visions and everything from about 2 foot to infinity is perfect.

Now that is interesting Brian! Built-in telephoto vision with automatic hyperfocal focusing Some people have all the luck