Eyes - Right or left?

[vicmortelmans]

Originally left, but training the right eye. For SLR with centrally positioned viewfinder, it doesn't really matter. For Rangerfinders with viewfinder positioned at the left, right eye is more convenient, so the camera doesn't cover the face.

Nice feature of the Oly 35RC: I can hold it in one hand, push it against the side of my nose and the viewfinder will align perfectly with my right eye. This improves stability of the camera. I should check, but I don't think I can do this with any of the other camera's I have.

Groeten,

Vic

 

[Ikonta]

right. its just what ive always naturally used.

 

[nikon_sam]

Left-eye, right-handed...Had never even thought about it in the beginning, I just naturally shot with the left eye.
Having read similar threads on this forum I tried to compose with the right eye and had a tough time with it.
In December of last year I was hit with Bell's Palsey again, first time about 25 years ago. It hit me on the same side of my face, my left side...
This worked out fine for me since I shoot with my left eye and I could close my right eye while shooting. If I were a righty this would have been really TOUGH!!
Today I'm about 95% back to normal, closing the left eye still not as strong as the right and the left side of my mouth not strong enough to gargle with without spitting out something...also still can't whistle...but can still shoot...

 

[lewis44]

Left Eye. Thanks to Tom A. for making it one heck of a lot easier and cheaper.
Randy

 

[cpborello]

right-handed and right-eyed

 

[landsknechte]

I'm right handed and very left eye dominant to the point where I don't really have much in the way of depth perception naturally.

 

[Tom Harrell]

I'm right handed but the left eye is my dominant eye when it comes to photography. I have tried the right eye but it does not feel comfortable to me.

Tom

 

[otaku]

I almost always use my left eye its the stronger eye I also tend to close my right eye for some reason. Also of note I wear glasses to which sort of annoy me when shooting.

 

[nrb]

Rangefinders are made to be used with the right eye.

 

[ruben]

Only recently, upon testing, I noticed my right eye used for focusing is quite weaker than my left one.

Then I tryied to use the left one, but my nose......

So I am in a kind of deadlock. Any advice will be welcomed

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[rxmd]

Rangefinders are made to be used with the right eye.

Unfortunately!

And looking at the results of this poll, there seems to be no real reason for it either.

Only recently, upon testing, I noticed my right eye used for focusing is quite weaker than my left one.

Then I tryied to use the left one, but my nose......

Get used to it! I've been shooting left-eyed all the time, and while my nose does get in the way sometimes it's better to have images that are in focus rather than unsharp ones, even if you need to squash your nose a little bit every now and then... After all, what would beauty be without a little suffering? 😉

Philipp

 

[Brennotdan]

I am left eye, right handed. I always used my left eye without much thought untill I started using a rangefinder and realized it is more comfortable with the right, so I am trying to create a more subordinate right eye. Unfortunately I don't have any cameras with 1:1 finders, so I need to close my left eye resulting in a strange expression.

Ruben - I have the same problem when I use my left eye😱

 

[peterm1]

I realize this is off the wall but I wonder if it makes any difference to photography. The left eye connects to the right side of the brain and visa versa. I think its the left side of the brain that is more in charge of creative activities. (The right side is in charge of more logical pursuits.) I have sometimes wondered if this makes a difference - i.e. can we see and compose better photos by using one eye rather than the other??

 

[LeicaTom]

I realize this is off the wall but I wonder if it makes any difference to photography. The left eye connects to the right side of the brain and visa versa. I think its the left side of the brain that is more in charge of creative activities. (The right side is in charge of more logical pursuits.) I have sometimes wondered if this makes a difference - i.e. can we see and compose better photos by using one eye rather than the other??

ahhh ok that explains it, why I shoot all those chics using my right eye, must be trying to get creative and I guess falling on the left side of my head all the time also contributes to the chaos! 😀

Tom

PS: I`m right eyed and right handed.....I normally close my left eye when using my LTM`s (to compose better) and I leave both eyes open when I use my M6

 

[peterm1]

I should have added it might explain why I take so many cruddy photos.🙁

 

[LeicaTom]

I should have added it might explain why I take so many cruddy photos.🙁

Well, the right eye still works WELL for me! 😀

Enjoy!

Tom

 

[peterm1]

Well, the right eye still works WELL for me!

Me too except that picture just made both of my eyes pop.😱

Hoochi Momma!

 

[Johnmcd]

I found out as a teenager starting archery that I am left eyed dominant even though I am right handed (and footed).

Eye dominance has nothing to do with what necessarily feels right (like handedness) - one of your eyes does all the 'pointing work'. Someone else gave a link to an archery site. It's worth looking at if you want to know your real eye dominance. I have heard that a small number of the population do not have a dominant eye, but it is rare.

Basically one of the eye tests involves pointing at something across the room with both eyes open, say a book on a shelf. Your dominant eye will be lining your finger up beneath your that eye (this can sometimes be noticed by a person you may be pointing at). You will notice a 'double image' but just approximate. Then close your right eye. If your finger remains pointing at the book. You are left eyed. If it jumps to one side, you are right eyed.

The 'dominance' only matters if both eyes are open. If you close one you are forcing the other to do the work. Therefore the left eye (in my case) must be the 'rear' eye when 'instinctively shooting' a bow. Instinctive shooting was developed for bow hunting without sights and mastered by guys like Howard Hill (he did all the archery in the Errol Flynn Robin Hood Movie). I imagine it would be the same when shooting a shotgun with both eyes open - whether you like it or not, the gun will have to rest on your left shoulder if you are left eyed dominant. If you have your none dominant eye at the rear (with both eyes open) you will consistantly shoot to one side.

Back to cameras 🙂 I use my left eye and close my right because that feels more comfortable because I have to concentrate to only close my left.

If I used my R-D1 with both eyes open it would have to be my left that looked through the finder and, off course, this would defeat the purpose of doing so.

John

Edit : Sorry, guys just repeated a lot of stuff that was talked about in another thread on eye dominance.

 

[LeicaTom]

Well, the right eye still works WELL for me!

Me too except that picture just made both of my eyes pop.😱

Hoochi Momma!

Hahahahhahaa!!!!!! Yep 😎

She`s a Cutie Patootie!

Tom

 

[peterm1]

I found this further interesting thread on this topic here -

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001144


One of the posts says that I got it wrong - yes the left eye connects to the right hemisphere as I said but it also says that is the "creative" side of the brain. (I thought the left brain was the creative bit.) It does not change my question though - which is whether using one eye or another is better for creativity.