Eye eye.

[Reds]

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Who shoots with both eyes open? How long does it take to get used to it?

 

I've had my M about 18 months now. I'm left eye dominant and coming from SLRs always shoot with left eye in the finder and right eye closed. I got a -1 dioptre this week, my -1.5 was a little too strong I think and in swapping them over and testing, I thought I'd try my right eye.

 

Very weird at first. And double weird when I tried both eyes open. Brain is now seeing two different sized images, felt a bit like being boss-eyed. I could, however make out the focusing patch images now & again, and see how the frame lines related to the 'outside world'.

 

Anyone been through this, and care to share their experiences either way?

 

What's it like with harder to focus glass, say a Nocti, or a 90/2 when used wide open?

 

Many thanks, Nick.

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[menos I M6]

This is simple.

If you want to learn, to shoot both eyes open (very nice), just do this:

 

- test your eye dominance

- start to shoot with your right eye, instead your left eye (left eye closed)

- test your eye dominance

- when your eye dominance shifts (it will naturally after a certain time of training), proceed to the next step

- shoot with both eyes open

 

It depends form person to person, how long this process takes, but it works.

 

I have been right eye dominant and shot with both eyes open with an 0.72 M6 and a R-D1 - straight forward and simple.

I then recognized focus errors and eye strain with my right eye, forcing me, to switch entirely to left eye shooting.

 

I am now left eye dominant.

I can though easily switch back to right eye only or both eyes shooting with any camera - SLR/ RF/ iPhone ;-)

[Reds]

So it's only really do-able if you're right eyed?

[farnz]

If you have access to one, a useful intermediate step would be to use an M3, whose viewfinder at 0.91 is closest to what the eye naturally sees I believe.

 

Pete.

[stunsworth]

So it's only really do-able if you're right eyed?

 

Try it using your left eye, you may see the problem.

[Guest Kolame]

If you want something comfortable, you might also get a Bessa R3, or just one of these. x1.25 for x0.85 and x1.4 for x0.72.

[Reds]

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I've got 1.25 & 1.4 magnifiers, but I've seen differing opinions (like everything), on whether it's necessary - some even say having the two fields of view close, but not quite the same is a hindrance.

 

Tried left eyed - not so good! Big view of the back of an M9 and nose jam all over your screen! That's my usual view of things.

 

It's interesting that the brain can adjust relatively quickly and switch dominance. Although I have kind of experienced this before, when I started learning bass guitar - I got a right handed one and had to 'switch' my preference from being left handed. Took some time, but now it feel 'wrong' left handed.

 

I think if you can nail it, regardless of whether having to switch dominant eyes first - you'd be able to make good use of one of the benefits of using a Rangefinder.

 

p.s. Steve - what I meant was, that it's only really do-able properly if you're right-eye dominant, as opposed to using your right-eye when you're still left eye dominant.

[stuny]

As a child doing target shooting with a rifle I was taught to shoot with both eyes open. I applied that to pohtography, along with other target shooting techniques to hold the firearm (camera) steady.

 

My advice is to just do it, and keep reminding yourself of it.

[spydrxx]

It is a learned skill for many, and to be successful does require practice, not just occasional use. I switched years ago from one dominant eye to the other eye (which today is a good thing as I'm going blind in what was once my dominant eye). Like Stuny mentioned, I also switched as a marksman.