Comments on: Which Eye Do You Look Through the Viewfinder With? [POLL]

By: AE

AE — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 05:27:24 +0000

The important thing for eye health is to make sure BOTH eyes are relaxed and open whenever you look through a viewfinder or scope of any sort. Habitually squinting one eye shut can aggravate or even create a lazy eye. In extreme instances, people who spent many hours squinting through a monocular sight have become legally blind in the abused eye.

As for “right brain/left brain” issues, too much has been made of this in the popular press. In a normal person with a brain that has not been severed for pressing medical reasons (e.g. life-threatening seizures), both sides of the brain are in constant communication and consultation. You do not become more artistic or more analytic by using one eye rather than the other.

Yours in good health!

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:24:54 +0000

I’m a lefty who’s a righty when it comes to the viewfinder. Here’s my major issue. I have a lazy eye, which happens to be my right eye. Macro photography is what my camera is mostly used for. I have the hardest time with my lazy eye to focus, or even work properly with my brain when using the viewfinder. My eye strains constantly, to see the fine details of the subject being photographed. I end up being extremely frustrated, I get a headache 100% of the time using macro, then after attempting macros, my vision is blurry all day!!! So you say, you have two eyes you moron! I’m working on that. LOL

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 08:31:17 +0000

I’ve always used my left eye. I think it’s because as a kid I learn’t to wink with my right eye and find it easier to keep the right eye closed leaving the left eye open for the view finder. Maybe I should try it the other way round.

By: Bill Perry

Bill Perry — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:52:33 +0000

I use the right eye on the view finder but keep both eyes open to see what is out of the frame.

By: Al

Al — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:21:32 +0000

Whichever eye one uses, if one is taking photos regularly or doing any other work requiring just one eye, say using spotter scopes, microscopes, etc., one should leave BOTH eyes open and relaxed. Habitual squinting or closing of one eye while using the other can degrade vision in the unfavored eye.

This problem was noticed during WWII with bombardiers regularly peering through bombsights for long periods. Leaving the eye open solves the problem. It doesn’t matter that your eye is seeing only the back of a camera and you’re ignoring its view. The mind has no trouble paying attention to just one eye’s input. But for the eye, it makes a big difference that it is left open to the light and relaxed.

By: nes sunglao

nes sunglao — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:27:03 +0000

I use my left eye and keep my right open because I’m more relax when doing so when I shoot. After nearly 20 years using point and shoot camera, from manual film to automatic film I use my left eye. Then I got Cybershot used lcd mostly for 4 years use both eyes of course. Then recently (3 months ago) I both my first SLR, Canon 50D with EF-S 18-200mm lens (finally, it’s hard to save when you have kids go to school) I’m back using my left eye. It took me quite a while to get use to using the viewfinder again but I’m enjoying it.
With regards to MIGRAINE, someone mentioned it. I would like to share this if you don’t mind. It’s got nothing to do with your eye problem. IT IS HOW YOU TAKE A BATH. Yes! you here me right. Here is a challenge for those who have migraine, sinusitis, rhinitis and who have frequent headaches & backaches too. Try wetting your feet and arms first and wait 2-5 minutes before you bath normally. Make sure wet your head last. When you shiver the pores on your back & head opens & releases body heat. Letting the body heat go out will keep you from getting these sickness. If we wet our head & most likely your back too closes your skin pores (on head and back) and you trap the body heat. Accumulation of this makes these sickness I mentioned. Let me know after 1 month if there’s improvement. Did I mention I’m a massage therapist for 7 years now? Try and it doesn’t cost you a dime just reverse the way to take a bath. FEET FIRST HEAD LAST!

NESTOR SUNGLAO

By: Brittany

Brittany — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:18:21 +0000

I shoot with my left eye and it can get kind of annoying sometimes. Why? Because when I look through the viewfinder with my left eye, my nose goes to the right and hits all those buttons!! It would really mess up the shot and I would get so aggravated. That was quite the learning curve. I suppose a viewfinder cup would really help.

By: enjaphotographer

enjaphotographer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:53:12 +0000

I am right side dominant (right eyed, right handed, right footed) but sometimes keep the left eye open when taking action shots so I can judge the timing better and keep my bearings when I’m zoomed in close.

By: Hy

Hy — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:01:05 +0000

Very interesting. I never would have thought about this otherwise. I only use my left eye, even though I’m right-handed and my right eye is my “good” eye. I also keep my right eye closed when I shoot.

By: Janak

Janak — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:17:13 +0000

I use both, but primarily I prefer left-eye. I like how I can use the camera to cover up my right eye eliminating the need for me to close it while shooting.