Shooting with Leica eyes open

[arseniii]

I recently found out that it's possible to focus my 0.85-M6 without closing my second eye. I can produce sharp images at f4 with no problem. It feels kind of weird to shoot it this was. But, when you do it the vision range is much wider and it feels like you take pictures with your eyes. So, I'm wondering if someone here shots the same way?
Now, I try to force myself not to close my left eye, since I got used to the "classic" way...

 

[Roger Hicks]

I recently found out that it's possible to focus my 0.85-M6 without closing my second eye. I can produce sharp images at f4 with no problem. It feels kind of weird to shoot it this was. But, when you do it the vision range is much wider and it feels like you take pictures with your eyes. So, I'm wondering if someone here shots the same way?
Now, I try to force myself not to close my left eye, since I got used to the "classic" way...

It's the traditional way to shoot with Leicas. As you say, it feels weird at first, but the rewards are worth it. You can do it with other VF magnifications to: it's just that the further they are from 1:1, the harder it gets.

Anti-snobs get really bent out of shape by Leica users who master this one.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rafael]

If you add a 1.25x magnifier, you can convert your vf to a magnification very close to 1:1 (1.06:1 actually). As Roger writes, the closer you get to 1:1, the easier it is to keep both eyes open.

 

[hans voralberg]

I shoot both eyes open on my M3 as well, some thing I carry over from SLR use

 

[Nando]

I love shooting with both eye's open using my CV 50 and 75mm external VF's mounted on my Bessa-T or IIIf. Unfortunately, I'm left-eyed so I can't do it with my M3. You right-eyed people are so lucky.

 

[hans voralberg]

Train it, it wont take long, just have to be determined, I can use both eye fluently, so with my hands

 

[pvdhaar]

Train it, it wont take long, just have to be determined...

I tried time and time again to switch from left to right eye. I just can't manage to adapt though, despite that my right eye sees better than my left. And I don't seem to be alone in that.

It might have to do with an evolutionary peculiarity.. the left brain hemisphere, where the right side of your vision is processed is best at screening the static environment for food, like coloured fruit in a see of green leaves. While the right brain hemisphere processing the left eye information is more adept at spotting motion of a predator..

Long story short, I've given up on fighting millions of years of evolution, and I'll do without the floating framelines..

 

[alexz]

I shoot both eyes open most of the time, and used to with my M3, M6 and even my former SLRs...BUT, I shoot by left eye..🙂, so that the other one gets blocked by camera body which naturally shuts the light to it helping to keep it open without any strain....

 

[oscroft]

I can't really manage it with my unaided 0.72x M6, but with a 1.25x magnifier it's easy (though it only really works for 50 and 75 lenses - with the magnifier I can't see the wider framelines)

 

[c.poulton]

I have a weak right eye so shooting with both eyes open is not really an option for me - oh hum.....

 

[Steve Litt]

I found this technique after buying a voigtlander kontur finder as they are opaque you dont have any other choice.After a while it becomes second nature using the cameras own viewfinder.As Roger says the nearer to 100% the viewfinder is the easier it gets.The RD-1 is a great camera to use this way.
Regards
Steve

 

[varjag]

I used Kontur too, all the time on Contax II with 50mm. However the VF of M4 is so luxurious that am trying to avoid external finders whenever possible.

Can't really use 0.72 with both eyes open all the time, my brain didn't get around that yet. But I do it sometimes when peripheral vision is desirable.

 

[Nando]

Train it, it wont take long, just have to be determined, I can use both eye fluently, so with my hands

I tried to. Unfortunately, not only am I left-eyed but I also sustained an injury to my right eye. After the injury a cataract developed. I can still see fine with a healthy left-eye. When using the external VF's, I look through them with my left eye and keep my right eye open and it works fine. If I see through the vf with my right eye and keep the left eye open, I don't see the bright-lines very well - they look blurry. I also have a great deal of difficulty lining up my right eye with the vf. I will eventually get the cataract removed and hopeful my eyesight will be restored.

 

[peter_n]

I've found it very useful when the framelines are a bit too close to the edge of the VF. It gives you the context you are missing. 🙂

 

[vrgard]

I found this technique after buying a voigtlander kontur finder as they are opaque you dont have any other choice.After a while it becomes second nature using the cameras own viewfinder.As Roger says the nearer to 100% the viewfinder is the easier it gets.The RD-1 is a great camera to use this way.
Regards
Steve

I recently acquired one of these old external viewfinders (or, I guess more precisely, one of these old frameline finders). I, too, am left eye dominant and have been unable to shoot with my right eye and both eyes open. So, I am glad to hear that you have found the Kontur finder works for you. I was skeptical myself but after mounting it on my camera it does seem to work well so I'm looking forward to using it. Of course, it doesn't have any focusing ability but I'm hopeful that it's useful in a grab-shot type usage relying on depth of field to cover the needed focusing range.

-Randy

 

[Stoneaxe]

Note HCB in these shots where you can see his l. eye apparently shut as he shoots.

http://bongolia.com/bongostreet/hcb/index.html

I notice that microscopists and telescopists keep both eyes open as constantly squinting is quite tiring which makes sense. I do find that it helps me to close one eye to picture a composition without too much confusion from the surroundings. With my M3 or .85 MP, by the way.

 

[bessasebastian]

Note HCB in these shots where you can see his l. eye apparently shut as he shoots.

Thanks for the links

His hand holding technique seems a bit "risky" to me...

Check this out ->

http://bongolia.com/bongostreet/hcb/slides/cartier15.html
http://bongolia.com/bongostreet/hcb/slides/cartier16.html

 

[Paul C. Perkins MD]

Rapidly - he extends his elbow while dorsiflexing the wrist. . .
And a couple thousand dollars worth of rangefinder camera slams smartly onto the pavement. . . .

 

[Paul C. Perkins MD]

Note HCB in these shots where you can see his l. eye apparently shut as he shoots.

It is probably similar to "flash shooting" in night fire exercises . . .

My target always got nailed.