Right eye focusing

[neway]

Hello all:

Just wanted to ask u guys a question about composing with the Leica M. I've read elsewhere that there are some people that compose with the right eye in the viewfinder while using their left eye to help see what's outside of the frames. Is this something that is very commonly practiced or do most people still keep his or her "non-dominant" eye closed during composition?

I'm asking and it's because I'm a lefty and it's never naturally occurred to me to do that with any of the cameras that I've used. Has anyone trained themselves to compose with both eyes open? Thanks in advance!

 

[Nugard]

Yes, it's helpful, not much... But not so easy to train... Also, it would be nice to train with M3... Cause it has 0.91 magnification...

As you are lefty, you even don't need to think about this...

 

[nickdando]

I can't do it with either the M3 or the M6, but it's dead easy with the Epson R-D1 due to its 1:1 viewfinder ratio. But I still have to catch myself each time I use any camera with a viewfinder to use the right eye, as I'm naturally stronger in the left eye (and it feels more normal to me).

Nick

 

[RichardB]

It's question of which eye is dominant.
Most individuals are right handed and right eye dominant, hence the rewind lever is is to the right on an M and easy to wind without moving the camera from your eye.
For those of us that are left eye dominant, if using the left eye, the camera must be moved to wind the wind the film, hence my use of Motor M's or Leicavit on my M6 and M7's because i am left eye dominant. Even an M3 doesn't help.-Dick

 

[dave lackey]

Hello all:

Just wanted to ask u guys a question about composing with the Leica M. I've read elsewhere that there are some people that compose with the right eye in the viewfinder while using their left eye to help see what's outside of the frames. Is this something that is very commonly practiced or do most people still keep his or her "non-dominant" eye closed during composition?

I'm asking and it's because I'm a lefty and it's never naturally occurred to me to do that with any of the cameras that I've used. Has anyone trained themselves to compose with both eyes open? Thanks in advance!

I have recently gone to right-eye focusing and have lapses due to muscle memory, I suppose. I have found that just sitting around the house and practicing makes it easier.

The neat thing about right-eye focusing with the M3 is that I can follow action with focusing so much better and the extra field of vision with the left eye gives me a whole different way of composing and anticipating the next shot.

Try it and keep practicing!:angel:

 

[baycrest]

With my R3A, the right eye is on the 1:1 viewfinder and my left eye is open to see stuff outside the viewfinder. Takes a bit of getting used to if you're accustomed to closing the left.

For the other rangefinders, I usually, close the left. 😱