The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Odd M question

I see lotsa you M shooters shooting right eyed. I have always been left eye dominant. My right eye has an astigmatism and I'm just not comfortable trying to focus w/ my right eye.

I shoot with both eyes open so if I was able to go the other way around, I'd be golden!

My question is do I really blow 2/3 of the advantages of using a rangefinder by shooting left-eyed?
 

Oren Grad

Active member
I'm right-eyed but don't keep both eyes open - it's too distracting. For my taste the benefits of a RF lie elsewhere; the theoretical ability to keep both eyes open has no value for me.

I think you just have to try it for yourself and see whether you can hold the camera comfortably with your nose mashed against the middle of the camera back.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I was "left eyed" my entire life; I've recently switched because my eyesight is better in the right eye... So I guess I'm the opposite. I do generally keep the other eye closed, but there are times where it's useful - like anticipating action coming into the frame. It's a little weird, but so far, so good. I went so far as to pick up a magnifier w/adjustable diopter... But I guess the built-in diopter is as good as it's gonna get for me - I see no real difference other than a dimmer, crappier view. ;)
 

ramosa

Member
You mention shooting with both eyes open. I have read that some photographers use magnifiers so that they can do so. For instance, on an M8, some photographers use a 1.4x magnifier so that they can keep both eyes open.
 

monza

Active member
A 1.4x magnifier with a standard 0.72 viewfinder works, although you lose a lot of the view. It's a 1x view, lifesize.

It's easy to shoot with both eyes open with a life-size viewfinder like the Leica SBOOI (50mm), and the brightline frames are HUGE.

Oh, I'm left-eyed. I just can't get the hang of trying right, even though I had lasik in my right eye and it's now sharper than my left...
 

D&A

Well-known member
Hi Jason,

I've always been left eye dominant. Although I might use a magnifier on occasion with 75mm and above for the purpose of increasing focusing accuracy and also the ability to keep both eyes open (for action shots), it (being left eye dominant) hasn't diminished the advantages of using a rangefinder one bit (as compared to say a DSLR.

The one major pain though of using my left eye to focus a Leica M8/M9, is my nose smudges the LCD screen each time I shoot :) So the costs of purchsing multiple lens cleaning cloths has to be considered :)

Dave (D&A)
 
I've always shot with my left eye (right eye closed), including with the M8. No problem. Sometimes my nose leaves a mark on the LCD (so I have a cover on it).

Now that my left eye is having problems, I'm learning to use my right (dominant) eye. That is working out okay, as well.

Reed
 

mathomas

Active member
I shot with my left eye until I got the M8. I forced myself to switch (only because it felt awkward to shoot the M8 with my left eye) and am comfortable with it now -- I even shoot my SLRs with my right eye these days. I suppose it wasn't too tough because, though I'm left-handed, I shoot a rifle right-handed (not that I shoot rifles daily).
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I'm weird in that I shoot cameras right eyed and rifles left eyed normally (unless an optic is on them.) I'm left eyed dominant myself.
 

ramosa

Member
Hi Jason,

The one major pain though of using my left eye to focus a Leica M8/M9, is my nose smudges the LCD screen each time I shoot :) So the costs of purchsing multiple lens cleaning cloths has to be considered :)

Dave (D&A)
Haha. Man, this RF habit never gets any cheaper ;)
 
Top