Those with glasses and an SL2 etc camera

[douglas fry]

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I’m confused perhaps

when you look through a rangefinder and focus on a mountain for example it is obviously far away and you are using your far focus, when something is up close your eye focusses closely. 
 

an SL however is a screen, a short distance from your eye, so the mountain is the same focal point as the up close portrait so would be so would it be easier to focus with reading glasses? Or is there some optical trickery going on inside the camera ?

I say this as I need a new pair of glasses and would like to buy a pair specifically for photography,  presumably Vari focal but open to single lens options 

or maybe none of it matters and I just use my normal glasses and focus with the viewfinder knob? 

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[BernardC]

The screen is optically around 1 meter away, so any prescription that works at that distance will do, and you can fine-tune it with the camera's diopter adjustment.

One issue with progressive lenses is that you need to be looking through the same part of you eyeglass lens every time. It's not a huge issue, but it could become annoying if your progressives have a particularly small "sweet spot."

[Virob]

You can also just fine adjust with the viewfinder diopter. I find it’s different if wearing my glasses or contact lenses. 

[Jeff S]

5 hours ago, douglas fry said:

 

when you look through a rangefinder and focus on a mountain for example it is obviously far away and you are using your far focus, when something is up close your eye focusses closely. 
 

 

Just to clarify, the focus patch on an M is set at a fixed virtual distance, which on the latest M10 (and M240) models is 2m.  One also benefits from clear near and far vision, but any VF corrections (via glasses and/or diopter) should account for optimal focusing.

Jeff

[Jean-Michel]

You are focusing your sight on the screen, nothing else. Simply adjust the eyepiece diopter so that the information display is as sharp and clear as possible. The distance of the subject you are photographing is not all all relevant, you are not looking at it but rather at the display of it. 

[pickerdd]

1 hour ago, Jean-Michel said:

You are focusing your sight on the screen, nothing else. Simply adjust the eyepiece diopter so that the information display is as sharp and clear as possible. The distance of the subject you are photographing is not all all relevant, you are not looking at it but rather at the display of it. 

100% agree. I use bifocals and I'm able to see clearly when using the viewfinder on my SL2. I had a helluva time focusing my M10 rangefinder because of my astigmatism, but with the SL2, it's perfect. One of the lenses I use is the 135mm APO M and it was a bear to focus on the M10, but it is just another manual lens on the SL2.. So cool! I love this camera! 

[Jean-Michel]

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13 hours ago, pickerdd said:

100% agree. I use bifocals and I'm able to see clearly when using the viewfinder on my SL2. I had a helluva time focusing my M10 rangefinder because of my astigmatism, but with the SL2, it's perfect. One of the lenses I use is the 135mm APO M and it was a bear to focus on the M10, but it is just another manual lens on the SL2.. So cool! I love this camera! 

Similarly, for rangefinder focusing  with corrective glasses a diopter may be required for a clear vision. I wear glasses (progressive and even with a prism) and ned a diopter on my M bodies. To select the diopter I simply went to my optician and tried diopters between my over the viewfinder and then purchased the correct ones from Leica. Fo the SL and such that have built-in diopter adjustments one just dials-in the correct + or - o the dial.

[Jeff S]

38 minutes ago, Jean-Michel said:

To select the diopter I simply went to my optician and tried diopters between my over the viewfinder and then purchased the correct ones from Leica. 

+1  

I add a +.5 diopter, which is common for aging eyes, despite wearing glasses, which correct for both distance and astigmatism, the latter being crucial for RF focusing.

Jeff

[presbyopia]

As my user name implies, I am no stranger to the compromises that glasses present.  Imagine that solutions are specific to each photographer.  I prefer framing shots through viewfinder over back panel LCD.  I know it is possible but never have been comfortable using glasses with the viewfinder.  With glasses on my eye is further back from viewfinder and the angle of view is less.  On rangefinder, trialed every combination of diopter and magnifier that Leica makes; struggled to the point that either missed the shot or missed sharp focus.  Ultimately traded in rangefinders for SL and now SL2.  This is a great solution for me - both M and SL lenses.  I still do not use my glasses to shoot; the diopter adjustment works just fine. Do have a (nerdy looking) lanyard so I can place glasses on/off as needed to look at back of camera.  This is what works for me.   Where I have a dedicated set of glasses is for work at the computer while editing files.  Prescription computer glasses are common.  My optometrist was happy to provide the correct prescription.  I think they just add 1.25 diopter to the spherical component of distance correction - please don't hold me to that formula, that's why there are optometrist.

Good luck finding what works for you.

[Ralf]

What works for me perfectly is using a diopter and no glasses with the rangefinder and using bifocals and the EVF with the SL2, never had a problem. I guess it boils down to try and error, there is no perfect setup that works for everybody.

[pickerdd]

6 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

Similarly, for rangefinder focusing  with corrective glasses a diopter may be required for a clear vision. I wear glasses (progressive and even with a prism) and ned a diopter on my M bodies. To select the diopter I simply went to my optician and tried diopters between my over the viewfinder and then purchased the correct ones from Leica. Fo the SL and such that have built-in diopter adjustments one just dials-in the correct + or - o the dial.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I tried several different diopters and was very frustrated with it all. I did use the visoflex, which helped immensely, but for me it was not the experience I wanted. The SL2 fits my workflow needs perfectly. 

[douglas fry]

Many thanks for all the replies, the two metre virtual distance in the SL2 makes perfect sense as I can see the view sharply with my current glasses, but I was initially confused as the literal distance is just a few centimetres. I need a new pair of reading glasses

 

[Jeff S]

6 hours ago, douglas fry said:

Many thanks for all the replies, the two metre virtual distance in the SL2 makes perfect sense as I can see the view sharply with my current glasses, but I was initially confused as the literal distance is just a few centimetres. I need a new pair of reading glasses

 

The focus patch in the M10 is set to a virtual distance of 2m. I don’t know the specs on the SL2, but the built-in diopter makes distance corrections much easier than on an M.  Astigmatism correction is a different, but important issue, especially with RF focusing.

Jeff