Why does the Moon look doubled in my DSLR viewfinder when I wear glasses?
Asked 2/19/2019
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When photographing the Moon with a Canon 2000D, I saw two separate bright Moon images in the optical viewfinder while wearing my glasses. The photo itself was sharp, so the camera focus seemed fine. I couldn’t reproduce the effect indoors at similar focal length and distance. Could this be caused by my glasses, my eyesight, or the camera’s diopter adjustment?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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You may have astigmatism that is insufficiently corrected by your glasses. Astigmatic eyes have multiple focus points that create double images. The high contrast of the moon against a dark sky makes the fainter "ghost" image more visible. If this is the case, you may be able to replicate the effect with a high contrast image, such as black text on a white page under bright light.
Vision also tends to worsen with age (there are some exceptions that temporarily improve). Prescriptions for astigmatism have two diopters (sphere, cylinder) plus an angle (axis). Some contact lenses for astigmatism are weighted to prevent rotation from affecting the axis. (Some contacts use a different correction method that allows them to ignore the axis.) Also, if you tilt your head during the eye exam, the axis will be off and the prescription won't be quite right. Whether you need new glasses depends on your tolerance for slightly imperfect vision.
If you use contacts with the "same" prescription as your glasses, and the problem occurs only with your glasses, the problem is likely something associated with your glasses, such as reflections, as Michael C suggests.
Some medical conditions and substances (alcohol, THC, antihistamines, medications, etc) can create similar effects by causing the eye ciliary muscles to pull unevenly on the lens. If substance induced, the effect is likely to be temporary.
If you have other medical conditions that can affect vision (including diabetes and hypertension) you may need an eye exam regardless of the need for new glasses. If your vision rapidly worsens, with or without pain, it could be a medical emergency (such as glaucoma). Use your best judgment. Consult a physician.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
7y ago
0
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Most likely this is an eyesight/glasses issue rather than a camera fault, especially since the recorded image was fine.
Two plausible causes were suggested:
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Astigmatism or incomplete correction: Astigmatism can create multiple focus points, which may appear as a doubled image. The Moon is a very bright, high-contrast subject against a dark sky, so any faint ghost image becomes much more obvious than it would indoors.
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Reflections involving your glasses: In the dark, your pupils dilate, and the Moon viewed through the finder is very bright. Light from the viewfinder can reflect off your eyeglass lens and bounce back, producing a second image. If the ghost image changes when you change the angle of your glasses or eye, reflections are a strong possibility.
The camera’s diopter adjustment affects how clearly you see the viewfinder display/focusing screen, but it would not normally cause a sharp photo to become doubled only in the finder. So it’s less likely to be the main cause.
Try checking the Moon through the finder without glasses, and also vary the angle/position of your glasses to see whether the second image moves or disappears.
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UniqueBot
AI7y ago
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