[percy]

My problem is that I am far sighted and need to wear reading glasses. Although I can use the viewfinder happily enough (which I prefer anyway) with a bit of dioptre correction, I have trouble with the live view screen unless I am wearing glasses, and that's just a pain when I need to keep taking them on and off. Does anybody know of any corrective lens or cover that can be used on the live view screen - one that doesn't look like half a brick strapped to the back of your camera!

[thomasw]

I'm near sighted and have been for so long that I just keep my glasses on all the time as it would be to much of a headache to try to shoot without them! Although I look through the view finder with my left eye and have a heck of a time keeping my glasses clean, right eye mostly.

[Jean Poitiers]

Bonjour,

I need reading glasses now with a minor bifocal ... I do not use with them when shooting and usually keep them round my neck or on top of my head.

I do need these glasses in order to see the capture on the LCD screen, otherwise all is out of focus/blurry ...

Salut, John le Frog

[Kerrowdown]

don't work well with the viewfinder, and not at all with the LCD

Welcome to my world, you do soon learn to adapt.

I've found, as already mentioned, you adjust the diopter setting to the best you can with your glasses on, so that the focus screen lines are as sharp as possible (I use Katzeyes which I think help).

I tend to to shoot mainly fixed ISO, aperture priority, so the shutter speeds can float, hence reading the viewfinder displays are not so important for me.

[RobG]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks! I didn't expect so much! I should have said that the specific situation that was difficult on the weekend was trying to photograph birds, because I needed to spot them without the camera, then try to frame them with the camera. It makes it really hard to take the glasses off. I'm getting a different prescription soon, because this pair isn't right, so I'll have to experiment further.

[janstew]

I couldn't find my camera with out my glasses

[Kerrowdown]

I couldn't find my camera with out my glasses

I'm a bit that way myself.

[bdery]

With my K10 I adjust the diopter setting for the rear optical viewfinder window until it's in focus with my glasses on. And then hope I don't change it when I put the camera back in my travel bag.

My K20D's adjustment never ever moved in the 4 years I've owned it.

I'm very nearsighted and have worn glasses since the 4th grade. For me, photography with glasses has just always been the way it is done...

Ditto. Never knew I should have issues...

[southlander]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks! I didn't expect so much! I should have said that the specific situation that was difficult on the weekend was trying to photograph birds, because I needed to spot them without the camera, then try to frame them with the camera. It makes it really hard to take the glasses off. I'm getting a different prescription soon, because this pair isn't right, so I'll have to experiment further.

Agreed, that really is a PITA.

[monochrome]

WIll be trying to find a -3 eyepiece adjustment lens which I can use on a ME film camera with no diopter adjustment

I think I have one I can help you with.

IIRC the native VF is -1 as a result for some prismatic visual effects.

[TedH42]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks! I didn't expect so much! I should have said that the specific situation that was difficult on the weekend was trying to photograph birds, because I needed to spot them without the camera, then try to frame them with the camera. It makes it really hard to take the glasses off. I'm getting a different prescription soon, because this pair isn't right, so I'll have to experiment further.

I've worn glasses for 50+ years, with the last 20 using progressives, for nearsightedness. I set the camera viewfinder to be in focus using my distance prescription. Then I get the same focus without (finding the bird or other subject) and with (taking the picture) the camera. This makes the locating the image/target and getting the photo much easier, as nothing goes blurry.

Looking at the LCD requires that I use the near prescription of my progressives. Without progressives, or bi/trifocals, you have to take the glasses off for checking out the LCD. Sorry, just a PITA for aging eyes. Make sure that you have a glasses strap when you rip your glasses off to do your chimping. No putting them in a pocket, or dangling them from your fingers. You will drop them. Then step on them. The glasses strap makes the operation swift and secure.

Wear a hat that shades the front of your face to reduce the extra light that can get into your viewfinder when you wear glasses. Otherwise, your exposures may be mysteriously off.

[Miguel]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks! I didn't expect so much! I should have said that the specific situation that was difficult on the weekend was trying to photograph birds, because I needed to spot them without the camera, then try to frame them with the camera. It makes it really hard to take the glasses off. I'm getting a different prescription soon, because this pair isn't right, so I'll have to experiment further.

A moderate power, wider-angle binocular such as a 8x24 works for me as an intermediate step between initial bird spotting and telephoto lens framing. These days 10x binocs have grown more popular, but I find them too powerful and narrow for this kind of use.

For those with bifocals or progressive lenses, the latest version of multifocal contact lenses should be considered. They are a significant improvement over similar solutions from ten years ago. I still prefer monovision--one lens for near vision, the other for farsightedness.

M

[tim60]

I always needed glasses for astigmatism. Then one day I woke up and needed the varifocal geriatric glasses. Glasses in general causes a problem at ambient temperatrues over about 35C: perpiration transfers from eyebrow to glasses making it hard to see and making the glasses need a clean. I need the glasses to see anything clearly so it is a simple case of 'get on with it'. I am not sure if the varifocal glasses are related to challenges I have using MF lenses. I tend to think not, I thik calibration of FF/BF is more likely the explanation, although I did get that as close as I could.

[JimJohnson]

If like me, you wear glasses with multiple diopters (multi-focal), be sure to use the portion of your glasses for viewing distant objects when looking through the optical viewfinder. It does not matter how near or far away the subject is located, because you are not looking directly at the subject, but at its projection on the focusing screen. And the focusing screen optics are set for infinity... the camera's diopter adjustment is just tweaking that setting. Adjust the camera's diopter by looking at the information line below the projected image.

Conversely, when looking at the LCD display (Live View), you will likely use your glasses's near focus portion, no matter how near or far away the subject is, because you are not looking at the subject, but its projection on the LCD.

I also wear contacts and I find those more difficult than glasses because my contacts are for distance and I have to pull a pair of reading glasses out of my pocket to clearly see the rear LCD panel.

[MRRiley]

I was so tired of dealing with this for decades that I finally broke down and had iLasik! Best decision I ever made. Now I just have to keep track of my reading glasses. LOL