What’s Your Preference?

witt.yao · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 07:17 AM

Hello everybody! I've been poking around on the site and the forums for some time and started experimenting with photography for some time. I have had problems with focusing my shots properly for some time and couldn't figure out why. However, it occurred to me that this may be because of my astigmatism. I shoot without my glasses on, as I can't see through the viewfinder properly when I keep them on, and it seems to be affecting my ability to properly assess what is in focus. Does anyone have an idea as to how I can correct this? Or would it basically require that I either start wearing contacts or have LASIK surgery? Thanks in advance!

OsmosisStudios · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 12:22 PM

I wear glasses to drive, but it's not so bad. If you look at the right side of the viewfinder, there should be a small wheel or a slider bar: thats the diopter control. Try turning/sliding it and looking through the viewfinder and see if it gets any better. Most cameras come with about a +/-2 prescription adjustment, so you may be able to shoot without the glasses at all. Thats how I get away with it.

If you still cant, then you'll either have to wear contacts or get used to using your glasses with your camera.

sfisher · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I wear glasses to drive, but it's not so bad. If you look at the right side of the viewfinder, there should be a small wheel or a slider bar: thats the diopter control. Try turning/sliding it and looking through the viewfinder and see if it gets any better. Most cameras come with about a +/-2 prescription adjustment, so you may be able to shoot without the glasses at all. Thats how I get away with it.

If you still cant, then you'll either have to wear contacts or get used to using your glasses with your camera.

The dioptre adjustment won't help with astigmatism.

Canon sells eyepieces with more than the +/- 2 dioptre adjustment which is built into the camera, but those won't help with astigmatism either. The reason I mention them is that perhaps someone does sell eyepieces for your camera with astigmatism correction. You'd probably have to go for a custom-made one for your prescription, and that might not be cheap.

dcclark · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 12:51 PM

Do your glasses correct your astigmatism?

jdepould · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 04:41 PM

I just suck it up and wear my glasses to shoot. Once you get used to it, it's not a big deal.

Seltzer · #6 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 05:16 PM

I'm in the same boat.. I just use the autofocus and make sure it's focusing where I want.. Tho I wear contacts they never seem to completely fix my astygmatism.
The diopter will get you close enough for most cases.

Been looking into Lasik or PRK tho...

OsmosisStudios · #7 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfisher

The dioptre adjustment won't help with astigmatism.

Mine must be two weak for me to notice I guess.

inkista · #8 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 08:50 PM

I wear contacts. I have severe myopia (as in, I can't tell what the top thing on the chart is without some form of vision correction) and astigmatism. Toric lenses corrected my astigmatism a treat. I had 20/20 for a good two decades or so with 'em. Too bad I'm now so old I'm going presbyopic, and gotta start doing the bifocals thing--that diopter wheel suddenly made a ton of sense to me ...

witt.yao · #9 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 11:01 PM

Indeed, my glasses correct my astigmatism. I have tried using the diopter control, but it still is insufficient. I can get parts of the viewfinder to be in focus, but not the whole thing. As for shooting with my glasses on, I can't get the entire shot into my field of vision when I do so. I was mostly hoping to find a relatively cheap/simple solution, but it doesn't look like that will be possible. Thanks anyways!