What do you do with your spectacles...

[baci]

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So, I wear glasses now full-time. A couple of years ago I bought an adjustable eyepiece thingy that I was able to set to perfectly compensate for my eyesight and enable me to use my M9 without glasses. It enables me to put my eye against the viewfinder, a better situation than having glasses in the way. But it raises the problem of that do I do with my glasses! I've tried propping them on the top of my head, hanging them over my shirt neckline, or belt, but it I'm always concerned they are going to fall and I'm going to lose or step on them. I tried using a lanyard thing but it gets caught up in the various straps of cameras, gabs etc with me at any given time.

 

Are there any great solutions out there? 

 

Thanks!

 

[250swb]

My solution is to keep my glasses on.

 

I've never really done it any other way, but have experimented with dioptres and found taking my glasses on and off a nightmare meaning I can't properly be ready to catch a fleeting moment, yet not so bad for landscape work. So for wide lenses where I can't see the whole frame in a relaxed way I learned to quickly scan the edge of the frame by moving my eye around. And experience tells you what will be in or out of the frame anyway, you overcompensate in your ability to visualise the edges instead of relying on seeing the edges. So using a 28mm lens on a .72 body I don't really need to see the frame edge if I can take a quick glance at the 'real' scene instead of having the camera planted on my face. I've done it that way for 30 years though. Another thing is I have varifocals which means another problem is overcome, being able to read the speeds, f/stops, and menu's and then distance without taking them on and off.

 

 

Steve

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[TomB_tx]

I agree - simplest just to keep glasses on. I've worn glasses almost 60 years, and probably would have trouble finding them again if I took them off to use a camera, unless I kept searching through the (corrected) VF.

I'll need cataract surgery in a few years, and need to decide if I want far or near vision corrected best with the new lenses. I'm so used to being nearsighted I'll probably keep it that way. It will be nice to eliminate my bad astigmatism, so diopter so would even be an option.

[mikemgb]

I've worn glasses for as long as I have been using a camera, I never take them off, as Steve mentioned above, with wide lenses and cameras with small viewfinders I just scan the edges quickly. I also have varifocals so there really is no need to take them off.

[Herr Barnack]

I keep my glasses on when making images; this works out well for landscape oriented shots.  I've gotten accustomed to shooting with my glasses on so it is normal for me to shoot this way.

 

The only problem is that top of my glasses frames will sometimes activate live view when I am shooting in portrait orientation.  When that happens, I shut off live view and rotate the camera 180 degrees so the LV button is down rather than up.

[LocalHero1953]

I keep them on for the M. I wear contacts most of the time, but use glasses 1 day a week. Keeping them on is not the best experience, but is OK.

My eyesight is not too bad, and on the SL I can adjust the dioptre thingy to match my bare naked eye. In these scenarios my glasses live in their case, as I don't need them for distance.

[pico]

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My eyesight is horrible; not correctible to 20/20. I cannot see full frame with 35mm lenses in any viewfinder. Regardless, I focus as I can and for critical framing I put my glasses on a belt-loop. Yes, I've dropped them a few times.

[Jeff S]

Same as many others here...keep them on, corrected for distance, astigmatism and sun protection for my light sensitivity.  Fortunately my prescription allows me to see the focus patch and distant subjects with single correction lenses.  No need for diopters, magnifiers or any other intrusion.

 

I always bring my camera to the optician when I consider new frames to better ensure fit and flexibility to get close to the VF.

 

As an aside, I often like to wear cargo pants when I'm shooting and wandering around....the extra leg pockets allow for easy storage and quick access...for an extra lens, cleaning cloth, cell phone, etc.....no reason why glasses couldn't be put there if so inclined.  The pockets have the added benefit of covered zippers for peace of mind when busy shooting in crowded environments where pickpockets may linger.

 

Jeff

Edited September 11, 2016 by Jeff S

[pico]

I always bring my camera to the optician when I consider new frames to better ensure fit and flexibility to get close to the VF.

 

I brought my M9 along for a visit to my optician and he looked at me with the sideways glance of a pigeon kicker, "That will be a lot extra." I fired him. Oi! Over $600 for a pair of glasses? Extra? I think not.

.

[Michael-IIIf]

Keep them on.

 

The best thing I did was switch to varifocals. I put them on in the morning and take them off at night, between these two times I don't give them a moment's thought.

 

I keep meaning to buy a rubber surround thingy for my M2; it's viewfinder surround is metal and I don't want to scratch my glasses - which cost more than the M2.

[pico]

I keep meaning to buy a rubber surround thingy for my M2; it's viewfinder surround is metal and I don't want to scratch my glasses - which cost more than the M2.

 

Some time ago there was an eBay seller who offered vinyl donuts that stuck on the Leica viewfinder. I don't see them anymore. Andy Barton had a solution, too.

 

In the meantime, out of desperation I use these inexpensive house key pads. They actually work.

Edited September 18, 2016 by pico

[semi-ambivalent]

C

 

My eyesight is horrible; not correctible to 20/20. I cannot see full frame with 35mm lenses in any viewfinder. Regardless, I focus as I can and for critical framing I put my glasses on a belt-loop. Yes, I've dropped them a few times.

Croakies

 

s-a

[Iduna]

Very nice topic...!

 

I wear contact lenses but need then reading glasses. I know the situation of yours quite well. So instead of spoiling my good glasses I take some very cheap glasses from the supermarket where it is of now relevancece whether  they crack, get lost of get scratches. I keep one pair in every rucksack, working place and rooms or in the car. No worries any longer.

[baci]

Very nice topic...!

 

I wear contact lenses but need then reading glasses. I know the situation of yours quite well. So instead of spoiling my good glasses I take some very cheap glasses from the supermarket where it is of now relevancece whether  they crack, get lost of get scratches. I keep one pair in every rucksack, working place and rooms or in the car. No worries any longer.

 

Excellent! On the weekend I tried removing the adjustable eyepiece and shooting with my glasses on but it seems I have become too accustomed to the 1.15x magnification the eyepiece provides. Having a few 'burner' pairs of glasses that I don't have to fret about is a great idea! I was kind of hoping someone might have a cradle or some kind of natty solution but if there ain't, there ain't!

[spydrxx]

I struggled with a solution for over 40 years...glasses on or off, diopter on or off. A constantly changing prescription complicated things. I tried contacts (no go). Then as I got older the near vision began to suffer and I tried bifocals eventually switching to varifocals. In frustration, for a year I actually gave up on my M Leica and switched to a R Leica which had built in diopter correction. Finally came back to the M and after talking with many others, found that a minor modification in the nose piece adjustment on wire frames allowed me to actually enjoy using rangefinders again. My M4 and now my M2 have diopter corrections bringing things to "0", which works with my changing prescriptions very well. Glasses stay on except when I'm sleeping. Problem solved.

[keithlaban.co.uk]

Hand them to my assistant

[wda]

Like many others, I wear mine because I still need to see close dials and settings. It never bothers me and is one less factor to worry about.

[IkarusJohn]

My eyesight is not too bad, and on the SL I can adjust the dioptre thingy to match my bare naked eye. In these scenarios my glasses live in their case, as I don't need them for distance.

 

+1

 

I have recently come to accept that I need to put my glasses on in the morning and take them off at night.  They are rather nice Mykita frames with varifocal, coated transition lenses - they cost almost as much as an M camera (okay, not quite, but they did cost more than my M3).  I use the diopter on the SL, and seeing and focusing an M without them is no problem.

 

I take my glasses off and put them in my pocket, or I just put them in the case and leave them in my camera bag if I'm going out to take pictures.

[Exodies]

I have tried several ways of dealing with spectacles. I have Zeiss butterfly eyes (plastic lenses injected into the eyeball) of -2 and no way of focusing. I see to read but need glasses for anything further than about 40cm.

First attempt was varifocus lenses. I found this slowed me down too much (I'm anyway a slow focuser) as I had to find the spot on the glasses lens which was for 2m.

Second, I bought a dioptre and took my glasses off to take pictures, holding them in my left hand, along with supporting the camera and turning the focus ring - simply hook one arm over your little finger. The problem now is that I can't see the scene apart from through the viewfinder. Taking my glasses off with one hand gave me a lot of broken frames; if I go back to this method I will get spectacles without a right arm.

Third, current situation, I have unifocus lenses, left eye for distance, right eye for 2m. This works fine for walking about and for taking photographs (without the dioptre). I need to take my glasses off to read the menus but I think this is the most convenient solution.

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[Paulus]

I always keep my spectacles on. Normally I have spectacles with thin titanium frame, so that I can press my glas against the camera , slightly disforming my spectacles, but if I finish, because of the titanium it just goes into shape. The frame of the spectacles are not cheap. But so is my camera. The combination makes it perfect to use a 24mm lens without problems. With sunglasses I isn't a problem either, although they break more easily:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/245379-leica-meeting-in-rotterdam-with-photowalk/?p=2866450