Spectacle wearers and reduced frame cameras.

preilly79

I'm having huge difficulties with my EOS 400d. I wear specs and because of this I can't see the whole viewfinder. I have to peek 'around' the viewfinder to see everything I need; I can never see the exposure info and the image at the same time.

My eyesight goes beyond what the dioptre adjustment corrects, so that's a non-runner. I was thinking maybe moving up to a 5D would make it a lot easier as it has greater eye relief. Does anybody have experience of this?

Cheers!

duffarama

Maybe live view on the 450D may be a decent solution for you, or a magnifying eyepiece?

Sure the 5D would give you a bigger viewfinder, but a magnifying eyepiece on the OVF would be a cheaper solution!!

ThOnda

I have found that using camera without glasses (spectacles) is much better. You need correction for your viewfinder (most SLRs do have that feature). And after that it is only matter of experience getting used to the information in the viewfinder.
I had opportunity to enjoy Borderofxes 5D and the size, quality and brightness of the viewfinder is just stunning. 5D is well worth trying, in my opinion.

Fajitas!

preilly79 wrote: »

My eyesight goes beyond what the dioptre adjustment corrects, so that's a non-runner. I was thinking maybe moving up to a 5D would make it a lot easier as it has greater eye relief. Does anybody have experience of this?

I'm the same as, my eyesight without glasses is disgraceful. I've used both cropped cameras and currently use a 5D, and still find it difficult to see the whole viewfinder without actively 'looking' up and down... Though I guess I've compensated by just checking my settings the whole time.

ThOnda

Advantage of Pentax (film)SLR.
You know the ISO, saturation and white balance by loading the film. There is aperture ring on the lens so you have mechanical (and not only visual) information what aperture is set.
And if the exposure is going to longer than 1/mm, the letters in viewfinder will change colour, so I know the most important information by colour and I don't have to read the digits.
I will miss all this. Hopefully sooner than later :-)

soccerc

Fajitas! wrote: »

I'm the same as, my eyesight without glasses is disgraceful. I've used both cropped cameras and currently use a 5D, and still find it difficult to see the whole viewfinder without actively 'looking' up and down... Though I guess I've compensated by just checking my settings the whole time.

^^ same here except I'm Nikonian.

As a varifocal lens wearer I can have great fun through the viewfinder rely on checking settings all the time

Have tried to use contact lenses but found it more hassle than it was worth

Fajitas!

I can't use contacts, can't touch my eye

4x5 ftw!

CabanSail

I thought the same about contact lenses & had a bad time doing the eye touching thing. It really looks worse to an observer than it is for yourself looking out. It only took a couple of days to overcome that & really like using them. The first time I enquired about contacts was not able to get them for my prescription due to astigmatism, but a few years later that was not an issue.

Why not give them a try again?

Mellor

preilly79 wrote: »

My eyesight goes beyond what the dioptre adjustment corrects, so that's a non-runner.

The adjustment on the standard eyepiece is +1/-3
So guessing you are -4 or -5.
You can get an improved dioptric eyepiece that goes to -10, much cheaper solution than new camera. My eyes are only slightly off, but i find is much easier to shoot without glasses via adjustment

smelltheglove

I have a minolta and the view finder goes - / + 1. I also have 2 pieces to attach one is +3 one is -3. I need the minus 3 one but if it would fit and the other suits you are welcome to it. Maybe if you did a search to see.

I have to say though I prefer using my glasses. I wear contacts but my view isnt as sharp with the contacts - always the same no matter what contacts I wear I just see better with glasses so if I know I'm taking shots I will always wear my glasses. I have a similar problem though I find it hard to see the bottom unless I push right up against my frames which means little eye makeup

I just find that with the attachments it actually slows you down if youwant to catch a spur of the moment event. I covered a boxing night and after the first fight reverted to my glasses as I kept missing the sweat flying moment.:o

smelltheglove

Sorry for the second post but maybe fellow specs wearers might know this, I read somewhere before that having a stigmatism effects photography, I can't find the article anywhere even when I google it and I was just wondering if this is actually true! Sometimes I find that I need to crop a picture I though was perfect in the frame but I dont know if this relates to it at all!

tnkrbell

preilly79 i had the exact same problem with my 400d, kept having to take off my glasses which was pretty annoying.Invested in one ofthese and it really has helped. Very very very rarely have to take my glasses off

preilly79

thanks to all of you for the suggestions. I had heard bad things about the quality of the dipotre attachments and so ruled them out, but maybe i'll give them a try. I also don't like the idea of taking off my glasses all the time. tnkrbell, that eyepiece also looks promising, i'll see if there's one in a camera shop I can try out. cheers!

I'll be making a trip to the US in September so you never know, i may still go with a 5D if it's all that much better