anyone else wear glasses?

[Fordo]

Last year was the first time I needed glasses, and i find im still struggling with glasses and photography. anyone else in a similar boat?

Its a pain for my job too, as a video cameraman, but its not so bad- if im working on my shoulder, i just dont wear my glasses, adjust the diopter for my eye, and if i need to see something in the distance, i just use the camera.

And if im doing filming on location, im using the lcd screen or a production monitor 80% of the time anyway.

But I still struggle with photography. I shot an event at the weekend, and my framing is slightly off- i didnt have time to have glasses on/ glasses off, so i was just squidging the viewfinder up to the glasses, but think this was causing me to not quite see 100% of whats in the viewfinder, causing me to mis-frame.

Im not keen on live view, cant afford laser surgery, and i dont like the idea of contacts either (im a fussy old soul, arent I?_

I was wondering how other glasses wearer get on?


edit: maybe i should get a monocle for one eye, leaving the other eye free for viewfinder?

Edited by Fordo on Thursday 24th December 13:26

[thatone1967]

have you actually tried contacts lenses... I use them almost daily and have done for years and they really are very comfortable and in-expensive.....

[AdamGP86]

Ive worn glasses for several years, however for the last 4 years Ive worn contacts for the majority of the time. Everyone I speak to who hasn't tried contacts (including myself befure i took the plunge) was against the idea of putting them in their eyes etc but after a month of wearing them you get so used to them that you forget they are even there.
A lot of opticians give out free trials I'd give them a try, Ive tried using my dslr with my glasses and i hated it although if your determined to stick to glasses perhaps you could get a larger eyecup for your camera so it fits over the glasses a bit?

[paul911]

I’ve worn specs for many many years, and found that the rubber eye piece on the camera got in the way. So removed it, problem solved.

[CivicMan]

Your stills camera SHOULD have the same diopeter adjustment as your video, yes?

[beano500]

After 35 years of glasses I went for laser surgery - so have gone the other way.

It's a revelation to be able to see all four corners of the viewfinder, not getting fogged up, etc etc. So I sympathise.

Of course, if you are within +/- 3.0 dioptre or so, it's relatively easy to correct (I was about -9.5 in each eye!) with an eyepiece change or dioptre adjustment in camera.

But I had already added an eyecup and a magnifying eyepiece to the D2X before I had the treatment and that was a big improvement over the standard viewfinder. Generally digital SLR viewfinders are just crap when compared to the olden days though, aren't they!?

[Fordo]

thanks for all the posts guys. maybe i should stop being stubborn and try contacts in the new year. Im from the 'i dont want to touch my eye' club!


beano - what was laser surgery like? and if you dont mind me asking, how sterling much did it set you back?

I wish dslr's had bigger viewfinders and eye cups. Ive never quite understood the ergonomics of dslrs. it just seems to have carried over the same form factor from film days.

civicman - i know my stills cam has dioptre, but then id be glasses off, glasses on all day which = headache. With my video work, im either glasses off all day doing on-shoulder work, or glasses on and using the lcd viewfinder and just using viewfinder on the odd occasion. And even then, i can use viewfinder easily with glasses on- the 'finder and eye cup i like to use are quite generous in size. With stills, im keeping glasses on, but cant whats in the viewfinder very well


think i'll have to man up and see how contacts go

Edited by Fordo on Thursday 24th December 18:18

[Simpo Two]

Fordo said:

maybe i should stop being stubborn and try contacts in the new year. Im from the 'i dont want to touch my eye' club!... think i'll have to man up and see how contacts go

Indeed; as you know, every glass/air interface reduces image quality!

[Super Slo Mo]

I don't find my glasses a problem, I don't even notice them most of the time, but then I first needed them 25 years ago so I guess I'm probably used to them! The only issue is that repeated use of an SLR (or video camera monocular for that matter), is that the glasses lens becomes dirty, usually from when the lens touches my face when pressed up against a viewfinder.

I'm really short sighted, so am pretty much blind without them, so much so that I can't read magazine/news print from any more than about 12 inches away. I certainly can't see my laptop on my knee, or a video monitor unless I get really close to it.

Contacts/laser surgery are a no-no for me too, so I understand exactly where you're coming from.

I think that over time you'll get used to it. Either that or you'll be able to use contacts.

[beano500]

Fordo said:

beano - what was laser surgery like? and if you dont mind me asking, how sterling much did it set you back?

(£2500 - less than a new D3!) You should know there's a whole (famous) PH thread on the subject: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

That'll keep you amused/occupied/informed for ages!!!

Fordo said:

I wish dslr's had bigger viewfinders and eye cups. Ive never quite understood the ergonomics of dslrs. it just seems to have carried over the same form factor from film days.

With Nikon, you have to be quite inventive sometimes in finding old parts for eyecups that fitted Fs many years ago!!! I did for the D70 anyway! The '2X is a lot easier. Otherwise there's some sort of conspiracy against the fact that kit is used in the real world with bright sunlight, imperfect eyesight and people who want to actually compose pictures - true we now have decent gridlines and lots of lovely LEDs / LCDs and horizons, but that's all irrelevant when you can't see it properly!

[g3org3y]

Fordo said:

I was wondering how other glasses wearer get on?

Totally understand, it's a mission (plus if I shoot for more than 2 hours I get a headache).

With the glasses I just try to press up against the view finder as much as possible - framing is still difficult though

Recently got myself contact lenses, haven't really had a chance to try them out yet.

[Simpo Two]

Here you go Fordo & Beano, the current issue of RNIB's Vision magazine is headed 'Focus on Photography'

'Photography has become more than just a hobby for some blind and partially sighted enthusiasts'



http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/membership/memb...

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 25th December 22:32

[Fordo]

Simpo Two said:

Here you go Fordo & Beano, the current issue of RNIB's Vision magazine is headed 'Focus on Photography'

'Photography has become more than just a hobby for some blind and partially sighted enthusiasts'



http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/membership/memb...

Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 25th December 22:32

nice link, cheers