How does wearing glasses affect photography, and what can help when using a viewfinder?
Asked 1/17/2011
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I wear glasses and sometimes find they slip, affect my viewing angle, or get in the way when shooting. I’m especially interested in practical issues such as using an optical viewfinder, whether contacts are easier, whether glasses make manual focusing harder, and whether diopter adjustment or prescription viewfinder accessories can help.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
23
I wear glasses, and I'm a good photographer (so I'm told).
Do you have trouble looking through the viewfinder?
No. You get use to it after a while.
Do you prefer contacts over glasses?
I have no preference when taking pictures, however my preference in general is using my contacts.
Do you find it harder to manually focus?
Not because of my vision, but because the default screen does not lend itself well for manual focus. A split focus screen will helps quite a bit.
Do you have a special viewfinder? (I think I have seen things online that are the equivalent of a prescription viewfinder?)
No. Every DSLR body I've used comes with the ability to change the diopter of the viewfinder which may allow you to use your camera without your glasses.
What are the biggest issues with wearing glasses as a photographer and how do you overcome them?
For me, the biggest issue was getting over trying to force the camera's body against my face while wearing glasses. This is extremely uncomfortable. Now I don't use as much pressure, and it's much easier to shoot.
Originally by user170. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user170
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Wearing glasses doesn’t stop you from being a good photographer, but it can make camera handling less comfortable in some situations.
For viewfinder use, many photographers adapt quickly. A common solution is the camera’s built-in diopter adjustment, which lets you tune the viewfinder to your eyesight and may reduce or eliminate the need to wear glasses while looking through it. Many DSLR and similar cameras include this.
Some photographers prefer contacts because using the viewfinder is often more comfortable without glasses. Others simply push their glasses up, or lift them to their forehead briefly when shooting through the finder. If you mainly compose with the rear LCD, glasses are usually less of an issue.
Manual focus is not necessarily harder because of glasses themselves. It often depends more on the camera’s focusing screen or focusing aids. A split-image focusing screen can help with manual focus.
So the main issues are comfort and viewfinder ergonomics, not image quality. Try the diopter control first, and if viewfinder shooting still feels awkward, contacts or LCD-based shooting may be more comfortable.
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AI15y ago
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