Shooting with glasses

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andrewteee

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I just picked up my first pair of glasses today to correct for astigmatism and whoa what an improvement! I can already tell this will help with my photography, even in simply viewing prints.

So what do I need to know about taking pictures with glasses on? Do I just look straight through the viewfinder on my Ikon as always, or is there anything I should put on it to keep my glasses from coming in direct contact with it?

Thanks.
 
It depends on what the viewfinder's like. Some viewfinders won't affect your glasses too much. However, some will absolutely destroy your glasses, and you'll end up with scratches all over the lens for your shooting eye (anyone who's used a Fed with glasses will testify to this).

If your camera falls into the latter category, you can either put an eyecup or some rubber around the viewfinder, or have "shooting glasses" that you don't give a damn about scratching. I've inadvertently (and possibly foolishly) gone for the latter.
 
andrewteee said:
I just picked up my first pair of glasses today to correct for astigmatism and whoa what an improvement! I can already tell this will help with my photography, even in simply viewing prints.

So what do I need to know about taking pictures with glasses on? Do I just look straight through the viewfinder on my Ikon as always, or is there anything I should put on it to keep my glasses from coming in direct contact with it?

Thanks.
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keep your glass on your nose and shot as usually
 
I find that I have to push my glasses lens fairly hard against the viewfinder to get a clear view of the framelines. If I had the rubber thingy attached to the VF, could I still do that?

My glasses lenses are glass, as opposed to plastic, and don't scratch easily, so I have not worried about that too much.

Randy
 
Eye cups don't work well, as you'll never be able to frame accurately with glasses on. I usually find ways to put a bit of rubber or foam on my metal VF's. Glasses and RF viewfinders just don't get along great, and glass lenses are definitely the smart move.
 
I'll just go without the glasses when picture taking. My eyes are not that bad anyway. And it's still very easy to see the rangefinder patch, which is the key thing.
 
If its just for astigmatism that may be ok but if there is also some diopter correction as well you may find that the formula you need for reading or viewing long distance (depending on if you are short oor long sighted) is diferent from what you need for your camera viewfinder. Most finders are set to give an apparent image range of a couple of meters or so - which is neither "fish not fowl" so far as corrective glasses are concerned. I ended up having to use a cheap pair of chemist shop reading glasses for the purpose. The advantage is that if they become scratched you can throw them away and buy a new pair for a few bucks. The disadvantage is that any glasses between you and the finder puts you further away from the normal viewing position and so less of the frame is visbibe. I eventually bought a screw-in diopter adjustment lens. But then again I dont think I have any astigmatism to speak of so its a slightly different issue. I am not clear how this plays out in your case.
 
The newer rangefinders have a rubber ring around the viewfinder; that's minimize the scratches on my glasses. DAG and, I think, Cameraquest, sell rings that go around the viewfinder of older Leicas. I have one of DAG's on an older M6 and it works fine but I can't mount a magnifier on that camera. Glass lenses help a lot; my prescription is so strong that glass is too heavy. A pair of plastic lenses last me about two years - longer if I learn to look around or through the scratches.
 
I wind up squishing my eye into my glasses and smudging the glass, often making it harder to see than if I never had glasses. :bang:
 
Op Tech is making eyeglass frames that pivot the shooting lens up 180 degrees, so that you have full VF view. They are on my wish list.
 
If you can still shoot without your glasses, why not just do that. I wear glasses but most of the correction is for reading and I can see pretty well taking my glasses off. I have to squint a bit if I have to look to change a setting, usually do it by feel, but I prefer that to trying to look through the viewfinder with my glasses on. I have not tried this but don't some glasses shooters go for the .58 viewfinders? I have used diopters on some cameras. Jim
 
I've never had a problem with my glasses getting scratched but I've had quite a few issues with viewing the full frame on any camera while wearing them; unfortunately, if I take off my glasses I can't see anything but the framelines or edges of the viewfinder. I've gotten used to moving my eye around the viewfinder so it's not a big problem anymore, but it's definitely a relief to shoot with the LCD screen on my GRD III.
 
zauhar said:
I find that I have to push my glasses lens fairly hard against the viewfinder to get a clear view of the framelines. If I had the rubber thingy attached to the VF, could I still do that?

My glasses lenses are glass, as opposed to plastic, and don't scratch easily, so I have not worried about that too much.

Randy
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I agree completely... new lenses for glasses when needed are worth it if you are going spend crazy money on photography gear.
 
Originally posted by, tom.w.bn

And what do you do with your glasses while shooting? Wear it up in the hair like the cool guys do? When I do this I always fear I might drop it from there.

When you have to remove your glasses to be able to shoot you are really slow in taking pictures.
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I usually have a jacket or shirt with a upper chest pocket and my glasses go in there while i am walking around with my camera. I sometimes I leave my glasses in the car until I return and ready to drive someplace else. I am lucky that my eye sight allows me to walk around and shoot this way. No taking them off and putting them on again for every shot. It's just makes it a lot easier for me. Jim

Edit: I guess it would depend on if you are farsighted or nearsighted. Lucky for me I am farsighted.
 
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Lately, I have been using the cord like retainers that slip over the ear pieces. Just let my glasses dangle when shooting. Works OK, but not much good for any action type shooting.
 
If I can't be bothered with contacts, and end up with glasses, I simply walk around half blind and zone focus.
 
andrewteee said:
I'll just go without the glasses when picture taking. My eyes are not that bad anyway. And it's still very easy to see the rangefinder patch, which is the key thing.
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see the desicive instant, remove the glasses, put them somewhere, take your camera, shoot.

Quite long imho.
 
About to test shooting with glasses on again, from looking at stuff in my flat I can already see a huge difference. Glasses are a royal pain.
 
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