Which eye do you use with your Cameras Viewfinder?

[lurkalot]

Just Curious. Which eye do you use when looking through your cameras viewfinder?

Also has anyone made the switch from right to left or vice versa, and if so why?

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[gjl711]

I go both ways when using the viewfinder but my shooting style lends itself more to using the back screen. I've done the dominant eye test a few times and there is always one dominant, but i seem to be able to change it or it just changes on it's own. Whatever, it's non-repeatable or more accurately, not consistent.

 

[Honey Monster]

I always use my left eye. I can’t see as well with my right eye

 

[nevermore]

I shoot with both eyes open: the right eye on the viewfinder and the left eye taking in the environment. I did the same thing when I shot DSLRs, but it works out much better on something like a Fuji X-Pro or a Leica rangefinder.

 

[lurkalot]

I have had to switch from right eye to left due to a cataract in my right eye. It feels awkward and unnatural to me, but needs must and all that. That said I did have Cataract in my left eye up until a operation several months ago. The joys of getting old eh..

 

[Lubos-PM]

I had to take the camera in my hand to find out which eye I was looking through and now I know - the right one, I close my left eye.

I had a photographer friend, Pavel, who unfortunately died of cancer a few years ago. Earlier he lost his left eye in an accident. I don't know how it is in other countries, but in the Czech Republic the holder of a firearms licence has to have a regular medical check-up after a few years. The doctor refused to give Pavel a certificate on the grounds that he had only one eye. She gave it to him only after he explained that even if he had both eyes, he would have to close one of them when aiming - and he does not have to close it now .

 

[StephenM]

I use my right eye. On the one hand, it is my dominant eye; on the other hand, it's the one perfectly corrected for distance by my contact lenses; and on my third hand, the lever wind for many of my 35mm cameras is on the right making holding it on that side of my head preferable.

For those who don't know, Exakta cameras were left handed for lever wind and shutter release.

 

[hawaiiboy]

I have had to switch from right eye to left due to a cataract in my right eye. It feels awkward and unnatural to me, but needs must and all that. That said I did have Cataract in my left eye up until a operation several months ago. The joys of getting old eh..

I know the cataract part all too well. I have always used my right eye going way back to my first slr in the 70's. 7Months
ago I noticed that my vision seemed to be getting worse, had trouble telling if the camera was in focus or not. I also
then noticed that when I was editing sometimes it looked fuzzy, had to close the eye to edit. I just had cataract surgery
2 weeks ago and it is amazing how much clearer it is.

 

[Jon]

Always use the right. If I used the left eye, the camera would be stuck in front of my face.

 

[Cubdriver]

I’m left eye dominant (astigmatism in the right one), so left it is.

-Pat

 

[LynMay]

I've been left eye dominant forever. I also keep both eyes open and use my right to observe my environment. It has saved me several times. Literally.

 

[lurkalot]

Votes in the Poll above are quite interesting so far. I know this isn't a very good indicator with so few votes atm, but kind of makes me curious whether Camera Manufacturers will have to rethink the positioning of their viewfinders and how the touch screens react to noses touching them etc. Or maybe as everything goes fully mirrorless the Viewfinder will disappear completely in favour of the rear screen monitor. Wonder if any of them make lefty versions.

 

[savoirferret]

I basically smash my face against the back of the camera to use my left eye. I also wear glasses, so after the smash, I back my face out a bit, fix my gone-askew glasses lens to abut the viewfinder then move my eye forward until I can see something. After I snap, I clean my glasses and start over.

 

[marcial4]

I always used my left eye. I don't even try with the right one.

 

[Well Bonded]

Right eye only, left eye open sometimes. .

 

[Garnerfoto]

The eye tests say I'm left eye dominant, but I refuse to use it, right eye it is.

 

[Skygod44]

For me, it depends which one is less blurry.

 

[ChuckMiller]

I am right handed. I learned to shoot a rifle right handed, closing my left eye and sighting down the barrel with the right eye. This naturally lead to looking through a viewfinder with my right eye. As my vision aged my left eye became my "close-up" eye and it works better for a viewfinder. This also makes room for my right thumb to move around the camera controls.

 

[Mike_d]

Right eye only, left eye open sometimes. .

same

 

[cdifoto]

I go both ways

@TitleFairy