Can't shoot manual focus anymore

kshapero

kshapero

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Last November I had a home repair accident where a steel rod hit me in my left eye. My eyesight is back to normal but the muscle in my eye lid was weakened to a point where I can not close my left eye without closing both eyes at the same time. the result of this situation is that when I look into the Viewfinder (I am right eyed), I can not close my left eye on its own. Consequently I get double vision, which make it near impossible to know if the rangefinder split image is lined up. The proof of the pudding is my latest developments pretty much all suck. (Only a few shots with my short tele (90mm) came in focus).

So now I am on the hunt for camera that is auto focus. Guess I'll need new lenses, too. Want to stay with an Optical View Finder also. Bye Bye Nikon and Leica M manual focus lenses and their sweet bodies. Oh yes the doc says this condition usually does not get better. Life goes on. 😀
 
Sorry to hear about your eye! I recommend highly the Fuji X-Pro2 with M adapter... problems solved! It has an excellent optical AND EVF. And the adapter allows you to use the M glass (cropped of course).
 
Your situation is somewhat similar to shooting a handgun. For various reasons the proper method is to keep both eyes open while focusing on the gun sights with the dominant eye. It takes effort and training but it can be done (and most good target shooters do so). Can't really explain it but the trick is make the brain ignore the non-dominant eye.

Other than that IMHO any AF camera will work fine. I bought the X-Pro2 because of the optical finder but while I love the camera I find my old X-E2 suits me just as well.
 
If double vision still manageable...

Barnack Leica (and some Canon LTM) has 1:1 RF window and SBOOI is also 1:1.
M3 is very close to 1:1 and it will works this way not only with 50, but with goggled 35 lenses.

In both cases it is done for both eyes to be open during focusing and framing.

Even Nikon FG20 with 50E on it gives true 1:1 and allows both eyes to be open for framing and focusing.

R3M is same 1:1 for 40mm lens, if I'm not mistaken.

"1:1" means "one eye : one eye". Both open.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
If double vision still manageable...

Barnack Leica (and some Canon LTM) has 1:1 RF window and SBOOI is also 1:1.
M3 is very close to 1:1 and it will works this way not only with 50, but with goggled 35 lenses.

In both cases it is done for both eyes to be open during focusing and framing.

Even Nikon FG20 with 50E on it gives true 1:1 and allows both eyes to be open for framing and focusing.

R3M is same 1:1 for 40mm lens, if I'm not mistaken.

"1:1" means "one eye : one eye". Both open.
Click to expand...

R3M is same 1:1 for 40mm lens yes a possibility.
 
Sorry to hear about your eye injury. That's nasty, I'm glad you at least have functional vision back.

I can't help with what AF camera to look at; I'm not a big AF user myself. That should be relatively easy: there are a lot of good AF cameras on the marker today.

On the other hand, I generally keep both eyes open when I'm using my cameras. I find I see better and can focus more accurately that way. That's how I've worked for most of my life. If you wanted to try learning that trick, it might be that you don't need to change anything at all. It might or might not work for you, ultimately, but what you tell the brain to do and practice at ... It can be amazing what your brain can do if you push it. 🙂

Good luck however you go with this. Overcoming an incapacity, you just do whatever works until it's done. Stick with it!

best,
G

kshapero said:
Last November I had a home repair accident where a steel rod hit me in my left eye. My eyesight is back to normal but the muscle in my eye lid was weakened to a point where I can not close my left eye without closing both eyes at the same time. the result of this situation is that when I look into the Viewfinder (I am right eyed), I can not close my left eye on its own. Consequently I get double vision, which make it near impossible to know if the rangefinder split image is lined up. The proof of the pudding is my latest developments pretty much all suck. (Only a few shots with my short tele (90mm) came in focus).

So now I am on the hunt for camera that is auto focus. Guess I'll need new lenses, too. Want to stay with an Optical View Finder also. Bye Bye Nikon and Leica M manual focus lenses and their sweet bodies. Oh yes the doc says this condition usually does not get better. Life goes on. 😀
Click to expand...
 
Re-reading this consider photography a minor subject. The fact you have vision in both eyes you should consider a miracle. As you get older you'll find vision is impossible to correct to 20/20 (cataracts, etc). So life becomes learning how to adapt. Not just vision but simple things like tying your shoes, getting out of bed, drinking morning coffee without spilling it.
 
I second the eyepatch suggestion! You'll look cool too.

Wildcard option is a Voigtlander Kontur accessory viewfinder designed to be used with both eyes open. But that's just for framing, not focusing...

The Canon VI-L has a 1:1 finder for 50mm and actually works better with both eyes open.
 
I don't suggest using eye patch.
It could irritate the "hurt" eye..
Try using that eye for focus, can you close right eye?
If not, practice focus with both eyes open.
I mostly use point and shoot digitals, use screen to frame and point focus..
There are many auto-focus out there,esp in DSLR.
The newer models focus better..Canon Rebel, Nikon 3500 etc.
Look at this challenge as new way and door to seeing.
All the best to full recovery.
 
Really sorry to hear about your eye injury :-(

Are you looking for a film or digital camera? I can't help with digital, but if you want an AF film camera with the same quality lenses (or better) than the ones you've been used to, I can recommend the Contax G system. The viewfinder's a bit small, but the system overall is lovely. The AF is relatively slow, but I still find it much faster than manual focus.
 
I too have double vision. While it is benign, it is inconvenient. For about 15 years I have use mono-vision contact lenses, left for close up and right for distance. My brain is trained to switch dominant eyes. Perhaps this played a role in my ability to focus with my right eye at the finder and kept my left eye open recently last summer (for reasons I won't detail here).

I own two cameras - an X100T and X-Pro-2.

I use the OVF with both 90% of the time. I adjust the OVF diopter for my right eye. I use the Electronic Rangefinder Window to confirm focus. I invoke AF manually by using the AFL button. I also use the audio beep (lowest volume) to confirm focus. I use only the center focus point. Essentially I focus as I use to focus my film RF cameras - focus and recompose.

I suspect the AFS focus mode would best for you. In this case focus is invoked using a shutter half press. There are AF menu options that move the focus region around automatically. With the X-Pro2 (and X-100F) it is easy to move the focus region manually. There is eye detection. The size of the focus region can be changed. The Electronic Rangefinder can be set to two different zoom settings. I use red highlighting to indicate what's in focus. If you see red, you have focus for the region in the ERF.

There will be a learning curve to set up the AF system to meet your needs. But I believe the FUJIFILM OVF/EVF system will work for you.

Lastly, I use an eye patch (CVS Pharmacy) for some tasks to avoid double vision. I use this mostly when driving. I don't need one with the X-Pro 2/X100T (but now I keep my left eye closed).
 
You can actually use the left eye for the viewfinder. Garry Winogrand was known for doing that, by the way. It is also less obvious to candid subjects that you are taking their picture. I usually use the right eye but as an experiment on one trip I used the left and I found it very easy to do.
 
I love how just about every disability can be overcome with new gear!
My eyesight is surely failing with age, along with misc. other physical and mental abilities. I would like to buy a used Leica MP. Is there a "linkage" that I can explain to my wife?
 
I close one eye when focusing. For me, either eye works, makes no difference.

Even the auto focus on a camera can get fooled. In business, especially with each group photograph, I had to make sure the camera was focusing on the faces of the people and not some other object. With my Canon SLR’s, a double check was necessary to make sure what was supposed to be in focus was in focus but when pressing the shutter button part way down it would re-focus, a real pita. It got to the point that I turned off the auto focus as it would be another item to mentally check off, to make sure what was supposed to be in focus was in focus.

I had more than enough to think about and having a beautiful photograph out of focus was a big no no for me.
 
Sorry to hear about your vision problems. Since you've apparently been unsuccessful in other avenues, autofocus does seem a logical alternative. For an AF camera with an OVF you either go with an SLR or a Fuji X100 or X-Pro. There might be other options but I'm not aware of them.

Don't worry too much about going to AF. Everyone makes good AF cameras these days. The AF cameras I've used over the last few years have all been able to focus faster and more accurately than I can focus manually.
 
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