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Poll: Which eye do you use? Do you close the other?

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jhein01

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I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to "see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
 
Depends on the orientation of the camera.

Horizontal I generally use my right eye (left occasionally, don't really know why)

If the camera is in portait orientation, rotated counter clockwise - right eye, clockwise - left eye.
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
 
I track the subject with the other eye; I have been able to see both scenes simultaneous (takes a little practice) and works great for tracking birds etc, if the lens isnt too big and gets in the way of the left eye.
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
--



http://www.pbase.com/nowhereatoll
http://www.nowhereatoll.com
 
What a great question!

I hadn't even considered eys as an option! I was surprised to find I used my left eye with my right eye closed. Having just done a small experiment I can see now that with fast moving subjects, using my right eye and keeping my left eye open is going to be a great improvement.

Thanks for bringing the subject up.
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
 
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
I use my right eye all the time because I have better vision with it.

I never close my left eye.

Philip
 
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .
Click to expand...
Primarily my right eye with my other one closed.

But if I'm shooting vertically I'll switch between eyes depending on which way up I happen to have held the camera.

Also, when the camera is on a tripod I switch between eyes depending on which one gives the clearer view - using my left eye might help to keep more sunlight out of the eye-cup and make the view-finder clearer.
 
I use my left eye, while closing my right. I am also left handed, don't know if being left handed has anything to do with that!

I play golf right handed but deal cards the opposite way to a right handed person

I also wear blue pants on a friday but only if it's raining in jerusalem
--



The leading cause of death among photographers is exposure.
 
when that picture of yours was taken. You have whole blue suit on. :)

Juma
diabolic said:
I use my left eye, while closing my right. I am also left handed,
don't know if being left handed has anything to do with that!

I play golf right handed but deal cards the opposite way to a right
handed person

I also wear blue pants on a friday but only if it's raining in
jerusalem
--



The leading cause of death among photographers is exposure.
Click to expand...
 
I'm left-handed, and use my left eye often. I also use my right when I need to see the rest of the scene similtaneously. I find that when I'm using my left eye, my face gets in the way of the AE/L AF/L button. So I move to my right eye when I need to use that button in a shoot.

Lee Johnson
Kelowna/Burnaby
http://www.fridge.com/d70.htm
 
Left eye, right one closed (most of the time).

If I remenber correctly (when learning to shoot with gun in the army), usually the eye you use to aim should be the left one if you are lefthanded and the right one if you are right handed.

Some challenged people, like me, may have a problem and end-up being righthanded but using the left eye to aim (or lefthanded and using the right eye).

Now I am thinking about it, it is good excuse for all my bad pics! :-)
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
--
Manu
http://www.pbase.com/eemanu
 
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?

I usually use my right eye. It's just how I naturally started, and
it turns out that it's my "dominant" eye. However, I started to
experiment with my other eye and I strangely like it. I seem to
"see" the photograph differently. Also, the right side of the
camera blocks my other eye enough that I can keep it open to see
around me, yet not be too destracted from the image. Lastly, with
my left foot forward, the angle is better for bracing against my
face . . .

I realize this is pretty esoteric, but I think as photographers we
seem to like this kind of stuff . . . so what the heck.
Click to expand...
I use my right, (dominant) eye and I close my other eye simply because it would be looking at the back of my camera at very close range. I find that disconcerting if not unpleasant so closed it is.
 
Normally my right eye but I keep my left eye open. I am interested to photograph birds mid-flight and find, especially with longer lenses, that I can track them with my left eye but frame them with my right eye. Even so, I have many pictures of empty sky in my collection!

David
jhein01 said:
I'm interested to know which eye you use in the viewfinder? why?

Do you shut the other eye, or keep it open? why?
Click to expand...
 
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