Shooting with both eyes open?

[schambers]

I was reading around on some sites that shooting with both eyes open works a lot better if you can train yourself to do so.

Does anyone do this and can provide feedback as to how it works out. I imagine shooting with one eye closed is a hard habit to break.

Anyone?

Sean

[RexK_Cozumel]

I shoot with my left eye most of the time so keeping both eyes open is kind of pointless since I am just looking at the back of the camera with my right eye. However if I am shooting sports and am on the sidelines then I will shoot with my right eye and keep my left eye open so as to see the action better and also not get blind sided by someone plowing into the side lines.

[inkista]

What Rex says is what I was taught in high school--if you need to be aware of your surroundings, you really really want to keep both eyes open. This is most critical if you're shooting telephoto, though, because the long focal length in effect puts blinders on you by limiting your field of view.

I always use both eyes if I'm shooting birds in flight because I'm using a 400mm lens, and you really really want the extra coverage your second eye gives you to scan the area and zero in on your target since you may never find it if you're limited to only 3° as your FoV.

[Jim Poor]

Shooting with both eyes open also cuts down on eye strain especially if you shoot a lot. I shoot for 10-12 hours a day most weekends covering events and I shoot with both eyes open as well as alternate which eye is actually behind the viewfinder.