It's good to know that I am not alone in being left eye dominant. I have simply accepted that I will always use my m4 "wrong" and learned to enjoy what I make with it anyway. This is a great topic that(as far as I know at least) hasn't been covered much at all. Thanks for making it!
Really depends on the magnification of the viewfinder. With the M3 this makes a lot of sense as the viewfinder is nearly 1-1 but with all other Leicas this isn’t necessarily the right (or wrong) way.
I have a question. Wouldn't the fact that the magnification of the viewfinder of the camera is not 1X make it harder to use with both eyes open? (Even if used with the "correct eye".)
Garry Winogrand is one of the most prolific/famous Leica users (Leica M4) and he's known for being left eye dominant. There are even videos of him on TH-cam shooting the street using his left eye! People should shoot in a way they feel is most comfortable. When the camera is the least of our concerns we're allowed to focus on the task at hand which is to make a great picture. :)
Oh interesting, I had no idea Winogrand was left eye dominant as well! I will definitely have to study some videos to observe him shoot. Thanks for your comment. :)
Not only was Winogrand left eye dominant, he often used a viewfinder attached to the hot shoe. Which means he didn't even use the Leica's rangefinder system, opting to zone focus instead. The videos of him shooting that way are fascinating.
Thanks for the video! I just got a M240 and was wondering why I couldnt see the framelines as well with my right eye. I then remembered eye dominance and was pretty bummed out. This video helped me realize I'm not alone! I do really like taking portrait photos, and I found I can use the rangefinder with both eyes open that way, using my left eye. So not all is lost!!! I will try training like you did, cheers!!!
Great video Karin. I’m also left eye dominant and I’ve always used rangefinders with my dominant eye. I have people tell me constantly I’m using it wrong, but I disagree. The placement of the optical viewfinder to the far left side of the camera (from the perspective of holding the camera to shoot) was a functional necessity due to the position of the film advance lever. Where else could they put the viewfinder? I do agree it’s more functional to use your right eye and easier to cock the shutter and advance the film, but it’s not easy to switch eye dominance. Some believe left eye dominant people are right brain dominant which means you’re more creative and artistic. I only half believe it, but I’ll accept it :-) Keep up the great work!
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience Take - I appreciate it! Glad to hear I am not the only "leftie" out there haha. Since the M bodies have such a flat design and no "bulk" where the prism would be in comparison to SLRs your theory actually sounds rather logical. Not sure how well studied the relationship between eyedness and creativity really is - but I'll take it as well 😂✌🏻
One problem with this is that M bodies except the M3 has a low viewfinder magnification, which makes shooting with both eyes open not a 1:1 image in both eyes.
Hi, I’m solidly left eye dominant. I blame Leica for not making a “reverse” camera. So I keep on using it the “wrong” way. What you haven’t mentioned is the difference in size of the image, with the most common 0.72 finder. I have tried using the “right” way, but couldn’t fuse the images. Gave me a headache. Both eyes open does work with my other rangefinder, a voigtländer r3a, which is 1.0, but then it still feels like trying to use a hammer with my (non-dominant) right hand: very awkward.
Thanks for this video! Never seen anyone cover this topic as detailed as you did! I noted the same problem several years ago when I tried a Leica M for the first time, and also when using all the digital cameras that have the viewfinder in the left corner of the body (like Fuji X-Pro, X-E etc.). Luckily I am not THAT left or right eye dominant, so I can actually switch easily. But if I have a free choice, I always will use my left eye. What doesn't work for me so well is using the camera with both eyes open, unless the viewfinder image is close to 1:1 magnification. So it works for me on a Leica M3, but not on the M6. But overall I tend to see stuff twice anyway and it just confuses my brain :) so I'll rather squint the one eye anyway.
As a left eye/right hand/mixed dominance photographer- thank you- very useful perspective!!! Tho one important clarification the "right" way to use a rangefinder only/works best when you have a 1.0 (1:1) viewfinder magnification- or at least the closer 1.0 the easier it will be to use the "right" two eyes open rangefinder technique.
I' use this technique on my Canon VIL. It is just a beautiful experience because the camera has a big and bright 1:1 view finder. After just a few seconds the camera vanishes and the frame lines are clearly floating in 3D space in front of me. On my M2 I close my free eye because I find the difference in magnification between the eyes really distracting and irritating. It works too and I still get the picture at the end. It feels more focused somehow so It's a different experience, not better or worse. I've actually never thought about why I'm doing this until now. Thank you very much for the impulse.
Interesting topic. Based on my personal experience, the dominant eye is totally trainable and switchable. It took me about 1 week to completely change from using the left eye to using the right eye after picking up my 1st rangefinder style camera a few years back. Now I can comfortably use both eyes for photography. However for archery I can only use my right eye, but I think that is because I’m a righty and it’s much more natural to pull the string with the stronger side of my body.
Interesting, cool to hear it did not take you long at all to make the switch! :) Probably there are some graduations of eye dominance and eyedness can also heavily depend on the task
I do believe this is true. I shoot SLRs with my left eye but trained my right eye to shoot with rangefinders. I’ve tried shooting an SLR with my right eye but it kept hurting, switching to left eye worked. This was the opposite of rangefinders, which I had to retrain to shoot with my right eye.
Ever since i got my first x100 i fell in love with the rangefinder principle. The fact that you can see outside your frame, have to frame with everything being sharp rather than looking through a bokeh creamy lens. I wish there are more professional range finder systems nowadays like there were back in the day!
I don't think there's a wrong way, it's the right way if it confortable to you :) And I must say that the quality of your videos is getting more and more impressive, I love your videos!
I agree, whatever works is the correct way! :) But I am just to internally curious to see if a longterm experiment can actually change something. Thanks for your kind words, I appreciate it a lot! :)
Hello Karin! How do you use rangefinder with you glasses? Cause I've got my first Leica M and I'm wearing glasses with special lenses (-0.5 and astigmatizm). And this is not so comfortable to use camera with glasses.
a Q2 point of view ! This video was an eye opener, pun intended. With your very clear explanation I have, just, discovered I am left eye dominant. And now by placing the Q2 in front of my face with my left eye now on the EVF and both eyes open, no more squinting!, composition and focus is clearer and quicker! My “object selection” with Q2 manual focus is way better, almost DSLR-like, thanks to your left-eye-dominance revelation! Thanks so much, keep up the great work.
I am left eye dominant but I cannot wink with it, and that is partly what led me to move from a Fuji XE body (range finder style) to an XT body (slr style). Totally agree with the added stability benefit btw.
So apparently I'm left eye dominant and I never knew how to check till you showed us in the video. I've always used my right eye for the viewfinder. Now I'm wondering if I should switch to my left eye. I don't have a rangefinder Leica though I have an SL so the orientation doesn't really matter in that regard.
Your video was posted at just the right time for me. I haven't used my Leica M6 for a very long time. I was considering either selling my M6 or purchasing a diopter so I could use my left eye to look through the viewfinder. However, I seemed to recall that perhaps I should have been using my right eye to look through the viewfinder. I dug out Andrew Matheson's book on how to use Leica Rangefinders. He did not discuss in the text which eye to use to look through the viewfinder. However, from the photos in the book, it appeared to me that I should be using my right eye to look through the viewfinder. I have been looking for TH-cam videos that would confirm this, and yesterday I found your video. Because an eye doctor told me years ago, that I am right eye dominant, I now know that I don't need a diopter. I will keep my M6, and I will practice "using it correctly" I am grateful for your video.
Thanks for the video Karin. I converted to rangefinder shooting about 10 years ago when I bought my first Leica. And will never go back to SLR. Even though I am right eye dominant, It required a bit of time and practice to learn to shoot with both eyes open but once I became comfortable with it, I realized how much more information is visible outside of the frame. I find this technique much more comfortable with less eye strain. I wouldn’t worry about being left eye dominant because theLeica is such a great camera that it allows you to use your own shooting style. Cheers, Dan ✌️🇨🇦
Great video…as a leftie, I’ve been using many items “wrong” my whole life…scissors, ball point pens and range finder cameras too. I embraced it long ago, a quiet rebellion against how things “should” be done. I’ll do it my leftie way because that’s who I am. Course I had to turn the screen off on my Lumix LX100ii because my nose kept moving the focus point, but that’s just the way it is …
Good video. I cam here looking for info about issues with the Leica M rangefinder for glass wearers. Didn't know it was also related with eye dominance. Not sure if you read comments but have you noticed issues seeing framelines with glasses on?
When I started with an SLR, I "naturally" used my left eye (although it is not my dominant eye) and switched to the right eye with the M6. But I still don't like using the M6 with both eyes open, since the magnification is 0.72, which puts me off. Also I cannot really see the rangefinder patch all that well when I have both eyes open...
TBH you may also be struggling with the magnification differential (1:1 in one eye and 1:0.72 in the other). Cameras like the Canon P and Nikon S have a 1:1 viewfinder which might make this process much easier.
Thank you for this video! I used to be right-eye dominant, but a detached retina caused damage to the center vision of that eye, and I had to switch to left-eye dominance, which I dreaded. I too shoot with a Leica rangefinder. But it turned out to be easier than I expected. Of course, I wish I could return to right-eye dominance to fully take advantage of the two-eyed approach, but my partial blindness prevents me from fine focusing and I had to adapt, and it’s fine. The primary annoyance is when using a digital M, my nose smears the back screen, but as you noted, my nose gives great stability. Wonderful work you do! All the best!
Thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your story. Sorry to hear about your health troubles with your right-eye. Glad to hear you were able to readjust and use your left eye instead. Everything is better than not being able to use a camera at all anymore, so I am always impressed what our bodies are actually capable of.
I’m right eye dominant and currently using a Leica MDA which has no range finder so I have a voigtlander cold shoe finder on top so I can sort of kinda see out of my left eye like our Lord an savior Joel Meyerowitz intended. I love my blind Leica paired with the 25mm f4 lens ☺️
Interesting! I also like to use my Voigtländer 15mm with an external viewfinder with which I get to "see the world" simultaneously as well haha. It's not that hard to shoot "blind" actually because it forces you to get better at estimating distances. :)
I'm left eye dominant too. The both eyes open technique works in portrait orientation!😄 I have also notices the stabilising effect of my nose btw. It's actually very useful for slower shutter speeds.
Hi ya Karin, I like the way that you have the neon sign of a light bulb above your head in the background!! I find it difficult too keep both eyes open when using my rangefinders.
Hmmm. I've always used my M4-2 and X-Pro2 the "right" way, but I never leave my left eye open. I'm nearsighted, left eye dominant, but my left eye vision is way worse than my right eye, and I don't wear my glasses when I'm shooting. I can see well enough without my glasses that I'm not a danger to myself or others walking around, and lifting the camera to my eye gives me a nice little window of clarity.
Thank you for an informative video. I am also left-eye dominate and wear glasses. Also my left eye is weaker than my right eye. Which eye do you use when you take photos in the portrait mode (when you turn the camera on its side) for portrait shape photos? I can use either eye satisfactorily. As you also said there is really no incorrect way to use our rangefinders. I think once you get used to a Leica rangefinder in particular you are much more non fussed about which way we use it. One take away I got was definitely no one eye blinking in public!
@@KarinMajokaI am right eye dominant, but it's important to take into account viewfinder magnification. I cannot use a Leica with both eyes open because it is disorienting due to the viewfinder magnification. Instead, I prefer either my Konica IIIA or my Canon P, where 1:1 in the viewfinder makes it far easier to use with both eyes open. I actually don't know anyone that shoots their Leica with both eyes open - I suppose if they have a Leica with a 1:1 viewfinder 😊
Nope. If I want to drive an automatic transmission with both feet, I sure can. But I’d be an idiot who isn’t driving it the way it’s designed to be driven. I’m all for relativism when it makes sense. But your argument is silly.
A similar problem for left handers. Shooting never feels right using my right hand so I end up covering the top of my Olympus OM-1 to press the shutter with my left forefinger.
Hi Karin! I have been using my Leica since I acquired it in 1970. I have a mountain of prints that I have created in my darkroom (remember these?) Most are mediocre or of sentimental value; some decent ones I have framed. Am I using my Leica wrong? I have no idea.
2:37 "meant to be used this way": looking with right eye through the finder, whereas the left eye (open) can see what's going on just outside the frame. Of course this logic is well known. But it's hard to change one's eye preference - like I have a left eye preference. I believe I developed a sort of instinct to guess what was going on outside the frame, while my right eye/jowl pressed against the M6's back...
I am left eye dominant, also my left eye is farsighted whereas my right eye is nearsighted. I have corrective lenses, but I don't use them often to shoot. What I have done, evidently intuitively, is learn how to shoot without looking - by using zone focusing or flash with zone focusing - this way it doesn't matter if I deal with framing press. The other thing I do is use my left eye, but in PORTRAIT mode. This way I can focus and if I need to recompose I turn the camera landscape and still have focus. This way my dominant eye sees the best and the image works correctly.
Thanks for your comment! On the street I use zone focusing too but I still feel like my composition is cleaner when I frame with my eye opposed to shooting blind or from the hip which I still sometimes do. The workaround with portrait orientation sounds interesting!
@@KarinMajoka Holding the camera DOWN instead of UP so you have perfect balance, and it's not awkward with an M without a grip. This puts the shutter button downwards your chest too instead of exposed above your head. Also with guesstimating the framing you are dealing with a) knowing your focal length, b) keeping both eyes open. For example, I met with William Eggleston in 2017, he took a portrait of me staring directly at me with a Canon 'Dream Lens" .95 I assume wide open, he didn't look through the viewfinder at all. This is Eggleston! He just KNEW!
I`m not sure that the triangle test is the correct way to figure your dominant eye. If I center the object in the triangle with my left eye, when I switch to my right eye the object pops out if the frame. The same will happen when I center the object with my right eye and switch to the left eye, the object pops out of the frame. Is this not a question of parallax rather than left right dominance?
Interesting. I’m right eye dominant. A recent Leica convert, and I notice that when I use both eyes things don’t match because the viewfinder is smaller than the direct view.
Before having cataracts surgery I was like you, left eye dominant... but really didn't care (probably because never told me about the "right way" to use a Leica). Now, after my surgeries, I am comfortable with both eyes... Even though my impulse when I use my camera(s) is to take them to my left eye. :) Thanks for your video and product recommendation!
What a fantastic video, I've learnt something today. I didn't even notice you were 'using it wrong' in the intro. Have you not thought of a diopter? Interestingly, I need to use glasses for reading, and I can see that they're beneficial for seeing through the viewfinder better, in that the frame lines are sharper, but I just can't get used to it though I have tried. I'm considering the diopter for that reason.
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! Actually I did not think about a diopter yet because I would probably be too lazy to take my glasses on and off only to shoot without glasses. I got pretty used to it by now and don't feel like they get in the way. But I shoot 35mm and with the .72 magnification I am able to see the tramlines for 35mm just fine - maybe I would think differently if I was shooting 28, because that can indeed be a bit tight when wearing glasses.
@@KarinMajoka I’ve also read about a hack for the viewfinder. Using a coloured gel to increase contrast. Something like that. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will chip in with a better explanation.
Interesting video! I use a canon P and I've never really considered which eye is dominant. I've always naturally alternated between both. Granted I haven't been shooting for very long.
I like to use both eyes, although my right is the dominant one. Especially for portrait format I use the left eye or/and one can even support the camera with the left shoulder to keep it steady in certain situations. Always good light!!
Thanks so much for this tutorial. I discovered my left eye was better, but not for the design of most cameras. But I also realized that I could switch eyes as necessary. It depends also on what you are shooting. If you are photojournalist, for example. you mght need to track thing outside you viewfinder. If you're doing shots that are not so mobile (landscape, portrait, etc.), it really doesn't matter. Whatever works for you is most important. Also thanks for demonstrating best usage in holding a camera horizontally (using your nose for extra handheld stabillity).. . Vertical is a whole other story. I use my thumb a lot for those so as to keep my elbows down against my chest.
I'm right eye dominant but I must admit I close my left eye so I'm going to practice keeping it open and see if that makes a difference. However, I'm starting to lose the sight in my right eye a little. Until I can have the surgery to repair this I have been trying to use my left eye more but find this quite hard so I understand why you find using your right eye difficult.
Ohh, its not just me then! Apart from my first camera (late 1970's) I've not used rangefinders, and with SLR film cameras the eye dominance thing wasn't really an issue, except with cheaper cameras with higher (?) eye points where my nose would prevent me from getting close enough to see the whole frame. With digital the biggest problem is touching buttons with my nose, or leaving messy nose prints on the LCD screen....especially on a cold day when I have a runny nose....eugh!
If I look through the comments - there are actually many of us "lefties" haha. I recently got a digital camera for photography and had the same experience you described. I actually had to turn off the touchscreen because my nose would constantly readjust the focus point while shooting 😂
I'm right eye dominant, but I can use my left eye too. The difference I noticed it's that with my left eye I can see better the whole picture, center and borders together, while my right eye it's focusing more on the subject. Also I noticed that (on both EVF and OVF) my left and right eyes have different white balance, which I found quite odd...
I was able to switch from my left eye to my right easily! I've been photographing since 2000 and as a left handed person I am obviously left eye dominant. I started off with SLRs but in 2004/05 I switched to a Contax G2. I never felt the need to switch to my right eye, I always thought having (and still think) the option to have my left eye open didn't do anything for my photography. Fast forward to about 15+ years later (I forget the exact year) I decided to switch to my right eye. This wasn't because of my preference to rangefinders (I now mainly photograph with a Mamiya 7 and sometimes with a M4) but I was hated that the oils (I know, gross) on my face would rub up against my cameras and in particular to my DSLRs and eventually damage the LCD screen. I photograph weddings, taking a couple of thousand of photos each week would do that to your camera. So when I upgraded my DSLR to a mirrorless camera I decided to switch to my right eye. All it took was one wedding and I got used to it. Now I shoot with my right eye exclusively. It didn't change anything with how I shoot and the outcome of my photographs at all...I just prefer it now. But there is no wrong way to use your rangefinder....whatever works for you! We live in a right handed and right eyed world! We have been adapting our whole lives and one day we will rule the world! lol
Same here. Used to be left eyed. My eyesight got worse. Got glasses and switched over to my right eye. No problem. Was more of overcoming a habit. After doing this test, I‘m righteye dominant. Still, wouldn‘t have switched if my eyesight didn‘t get worse…
I noticed when you were trying to shoot with your right eye, you are tilting your head at an angle 4:49 , but when you are shooting with your left eye, you keep your head level. Not having your eye parallel to the camera can make the rangefinder difficult to use.
Actually I need to tilt it in such a way to see anything at all with my right eye. I tried it dozens of times and when I keep my head parallel I simply cannot see anything. Guess that just underlines that right-eye shooting is just not for me haha
😄 I'm right-eye dominant, and I still struggle with keeping both eyes open when using the rangefinder. Thanks for raising awareness of the benefit to shooting this way.
Some interesting observations you’ve made here Karin. I echo a lot of what others have commented, the “correct” way of using the camera is the way that suits you best/most. Whenever I sense that I may be doing something differently, or as perhaps not designed - all fundamentals of creativity - and maybe start to question myself, I always try to remind myself of this quote from Miles Davis: “Do not fear mistakes. There are none.”
The Konica IIIA had a 1:1 rangefinder window. It was brilliant for exactly this reason and a fantastic camera to use (that and the trigger wind, wow). 0.7 mag viewfinders make two eye viewing quite a bit harder. And, I am totally left eye dominant. Ugh. Winking!
Yep.. my right eye is way too weak too, underdeveloped optical nerve. Which is also why I prefer rangefinders, with a center viewfinder my face is mushed into my thumb. Btw of you have another person you can use the hand triangle truck and tell them which eye they see 😅 of course I learned about eye dominance through archery, funny to see you bring it up in the video.
I actually thought about you when researching about eye dominance and arching and hoped you would comment on that in case I missed something. :) That's interesting that also a reversed-version of the triangle test works! How do you do it with arching then, do you shoot cross dominant or do you use your left arm?
@@KarinMajoka i learned right handed (bow in left, string in right), so i kind of had to deal with it! I usually close my left eye, or use a "blinder" which is a little flap attached to my cap's brim that blocks the view of my left eye 😊
I've been shooting with Leica rangefinders since 1968. I am left eye dominant. My high school job was working for a local TV station and I ended up having to shoot sound on film using an Auricon 16mm camera. The problem was the viewfinder for the zoom lens was snugged up to the left side of the camera. There's no way to look through it with your left eye. I trained myself to shoot right eyed, which came in handy when shooting Leica. Now, in addition to my Leica M3, I shoot with Fuji X-E rangefinder style cameras. I still use my right eye.
Great points I have never considered. I tried shooting with a CLE for a while and just couldn’t take to it. Maybe I’d still have the CLE if I’d seen this first.
I'm very left eye dominant myself - just like I'm very right handed and right footed too. I have no problem closing my eyes independently of each other, and I can use my rangefinders with my right eye - if I close my left eye, but I prefer to use my left eye. I too have noticed the extra support, the nose provides. And, I also find, that when I'm out shooting, hiding my eyes behind the camera makes a difference, because people can't get direct eye contact with me. It's not as effective for that as a waist level viewfinder, but It's definitely better than visibly looking at them with my left eye...
As a left eye dominant glasses wearer, i have had this same battle. I have also been trying to go right eye and I don't know if the headaches are worth it. I'll just go right eye for when I take my mirror portraits haha
You can use your left eye in portrait and have both eyes open; it's a little awkward to press the shutter button when it is facing toward your right side, but gives us left eye shooters an option to use both eyes.
I am right-eye dominant and use my right-eye with my X-Pro 3 for Street most of the time (keeping the left exe half closed to monitor the surroundings) but sometimes I switch to my left eye, mostly when I use my other DSLM‘s.
Thanks so much for such a wonderful video, i wondered about this actually and was completely blown away by the dominant eye test; I also realized I was extremely left-eye dominant. However, quite amazingly, after just a few weeks of just using my right eye it became second nature. Somehow what really works for me is actually keeping both eyes open for the most part and just closing my left eye when i really need to concentrate on composition/focus. Before, I typically kept both eyes open anyhow as when using my left eye, the camera just blocked the right which was very comfortable as well. As everyone says, one should just do what is comfortable/works but I definitely appreciate being able to really see the world and not be obscured by the camera.
I’m left eye dominant but I’ve been trying to keep my left open so I can see what’s coming. It’s been working because when I use my canon for weddings. I find myself catching moments due to my left eye available being open.
Really interesting subject to think about, I just realized that I can shift the dominance between my eyes while trying out your test and it really surprised me. I'm a left-handed person and I normally use an F3 with my left eye. However, the other camera that I frequently use is a Rollei 35S and I always use it with my right eye... While watching your video I wondered what could be the case and I tried the triangle test a couple of times. The first time I tried to frame it as tight as I could because otherwise it was shifting in between my two eyes. At the end of the first try, my left eye came out to be the dominant one as expected. Yet when I tried again I put a mental effort into shifting that dominancy and I realized it slowly blurred and shifted as I reframed for my right eye :) It was such an interesting test, after some research I found a condition called Binocular Rivalry and I'm quite wondering if it is the case so I will be looking more into it! Thank you, great video :) Quick edit :) I don't think there is a wrong way to use any camera because it depends on the perception and individuality of the photographer... I think those Leica zealots are far too fanatic and approach the situation rather dogmatic :) We can always think outside the box!
Having both eyes open only works with a high magnification finder. That means using the original M3, M6 or MP with a .85 finder or a Voigtländer Bessa R3m.
I am, too, crossdominant and am using the left eye when using cameras. I always thought about it as being a kind of unique quirk, being right handed (associated with more logical approach to things in general due to the dominance of left hemisphere) but still being left eye dominant using in my more art-y hobby of photography :)
have you considered putting an external finder on the top of the camera? I know a few people who do this, some are left eye dom and some just do it because it gives a clearer view of their surroundings with thier right eye. Maybe give it a try, it could be the perfect solution for you
Good idea, thank you! I have a 15mm lens which requires an external viewfinder which I sometimes use. It's really cool in that regard, however you have to focus and compose separately.
I wish I could use my leica with my right eye, but I can't see well with my right eye even corrected. I think I used to be right eye dominant though, thinking back, because I realized I had a vision issue years ago when I put my eye (right eye) up to my camera and it was blurry. I thought something was wrong with my camera. I've been left eye dominant ever since, so I'm a left eye shooter.
Thanks for this. I've long been conscious that of the fact that I shoot with the "wrong" eye. For me the biggest drawback is the nose print I leave on the rear screen of digital cameras!
Hi Karin - thank you for a very interesting range finder best use lesson. Definitely no wrong way in my opinion and with such strong writing skills, you have nothing to worry about! I will report back here immediately as soon as my new Leica / range finder arrives. Both Leica and a range finder are new to me. - - I just did your hand triangle test, and I am right eye dominant. However, I've always used my left eye with my dslr. Much prefer the "nose tripod" - - lol (less the oily back screen smudges).
Thanks for making this video! Having shot Fuji Xpro, Canon LTM bodies and Leica M, I always felt I was missing something by being left eye dominate. I reserve right-eye shooting for situations when I can anticipate the perfect moment with both eyes open. Like a sharp shooter. But otherwise it causes too much muscle tension and headaches. So 99% of the time it stays to my left eye and I just enjoy the other benefits of having frame lines.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it! :) I truly don't think that the images are suffering a lot from eye dominance, so maybe it's not too much of an issue after all - or at least that's what I want to believe. ✌🏻
What a very informative and helpful article. I tried the experiment you showed and found I was right-eye dominant. This is good not only for the way I use my camera, but my left eye is developing a cataract.
Just tested and it seems that neither of my eyes are dominant? I am able to "switch" dominance with a few seconds of looking through one eye. I guess I default to using my left for my Leica, though!
Dear Karin, I must confess that I too am using my Leica M4 'wrong'. Yes I'm left eye dominant. In addition I'm also a Competitive Archer, a few of my club mates participated in the Tokyo Olympics, and eye dominance is very important with archery. Being right handed, I hold my Bow in my Left Hand and draw the string and arrow with my right, this means that your 'right eye' is the one that sights the target, I did try and learn to shoot the bow left handed with little success. One thing that did work is that I placed one contact lens in my right eye only. Nevertheless, even if I hold my camera in portrait orientation and open both eyes I still struggle.
I've learned to use both eyes, but my instinctive reflex is always to use the left eye. Though I don't care much about this since the right one isn't as good to begin with 😁 so I just use the left one most of the time. But there's one thing you might be interested in checking-out; it's the Voigtländer Kontur viewfinder. The device requires you to keep both eyes open as one eye only sees only the bright lines (no image) and the other looks at the image in a normal way. The brain does the superimposition and it works quite well. Though you don't get to see the rangefinder patch so you need to zone focus.
Cool that you are actually capable of switching. :) I have not heard about the Voigtländer Kontur viewfinder before - I will definitely check it out, thanks for the hint! ✌🏻
Thank you for the video. I have the same "problem". My dominant eye was on the right. Then macular degeneration formed there. During a transition period, the dominance switched to the left eye. So my face disappears behind the camera, like yours. With the Q, that's not a problem. It has a Live View that shows me the viewfinder image through the lens. But now I want to take an M240 with me. I tested it in a Leica store and the right eye can't use the Range Finder. But I see that this is not a problem, at best unusual. I hope Joel can forgive me ...
I got out my M6, purchased new in 1989, and put it up to my eye as if I were going to take a photograph. I found that I naturally put it up to my right eye and closed the left eye. I could force my left eye open, but it felt strange. I know that I have done this in the past when I wanted to see what was going on outside the frame. I also tried using my left eye. I found focusing to be easier that way, but my nose was in the way. I went out shooting last weekend with my M6 and my R9. Every time I picked up the R9, I held it off center, as if it were a rangefinder. I just came across your website today. I like your titanium M6. I looked them up in the USA; I couldn't find any used. There was a special edition titanium M-A two years ago for $20,000, but they are all sold out.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am just re-discovering film photography, using my grandfather’s M3 (bought new by him in 1958). I am also left dominant and wrestling with the same challenges.
I shoot with my right eye, but if I have both eyes open I can see nothing of the focus patch, so even though I can see framelines fine, which is cool, it is practically not useful unless I'd zone focus.
Great video. Thank you. I have the same ‘problem’ as you have. Left is dominant and always messing up my screen with my nose. Touchscreen is a handicap when left dominating. I’ll keep continuing my camera the ‘wrong’ way. Maybe it’s time Leica starts making lefties and righties cameras. That would be something spectacular. Just like the guitar industry.
This is the best video I've ever seen on this topic. I am totally dominant in both right eye and right hand. Oddly, I seem to shoot my rangefinder cameras using my right eye, but with the left eye closed, and my SLRs equally between left and right eye focusing/composing. I had never tried the test you demonstrated, and the results were surprising when I saw how right-eyed I am, but how that doesn't seem to affect my shooting. Karin, thank you for your videos, which help even this "old guy" photographer. Andy
By the way, I haven't been able to practice "winking" with one eye in the street, but if you ever winked with one eye at me, I would most definitely wink back! :D
I’m right eye dominated and I did exactly the same thing you’re doing with my left eye when I found out I seemed to have Amblyopia at high school and I did it for maybe two three years. I just tested both my eyes with a viewfinder accessory and turns out I can see the viewfinder frame overlaying in both cases. So maybe it will work on you as well! Great video as always, keep up the good work!
Yep, I'm a left eye Leica user too. The added benefit though I can hold the camera more firmly against my head and use slower shutter speeds with success. 😆 Keep up the good work - great content.
I have never used your Leica wrong. But doing the same thing with my Fuji GW680 and GSW680 so I know the strugle. I look like an idiot when I try to close my left eye. How is it going with your B&W only adventure by the way?
Haha yes I guess the "problem" is universal for all types of cameras that have the viewfinder on the left side. The rainy/gray days have been great but now that the sun is coming out it's a bit harder be left with only black and white. To be fair I have shoot a good amount of rolls so far but have not developed any yet - I will do batch developing after coming back from my next trip to do a proper evaluation.
i was left eye dominant before picking up the leica but have trained to use my right eye moreso now! unfortunately my right eye is still weaker and isnt as sharp as the left :(
Thanks for the interesting video Karin - this is something that us right-eye dominant shooters surely take for granted. I did notice two things in the video that I hadn't paid attention to before: firstly, by using the left eye for the rangefinder the lens is basically in front of the middle of the face, rather than somewhere off to the side. Perhaps this can potentially help with framing and combating parallax error in particular? It also seemed to me that you were keeping your head straighter or more level when using your left eye. I'll have to have a look at that myself to see if it can help combat the crooked horizons I can run into when using a rangefinder. Personally I always shoot with my right eye when making landscape format images, but will often switch to the left with portrait format images. That was never a conscious choice, so I guess it's just more comfortable for me that way.
Thanks so much for making this video. I too am left-eye dominant, and therefore have been using my Leica M's the wrong way for a long time (and don't really care that I do). The only thing I miss is having the my other eye to watch the scene, as was demonstrated in the video. As a pianist who is right handed, I've strengthened my weaker left hand by simply using it more for daily tasks for which I normally use my right hand, like brushing my teeth. There doesn't seem to be any simple tricks in regard to eye dominance, however. But as others have mentioned, I will try shooting my M5 and M11 with my right eye and see if it makes a difference. If nothing else, the experiment could be fun.
It only took me from around 1960 to the 2000s to realize I habitually use my left eye while photographing. I’m right handed, and I had never realized there was left/right dominance. In retrospect, I assume rangefinders, and to some extent, all cameras, were physically arranged to be most comfortable for right handed users. For example, look at the button layout on “pro” bodies, in addition to the slight offset of the viewfinders. As an aside, my mother grew up in an age where it was frowned upon to be left handed and she was “forced” as a child to become right handed. For me, the bigger problem regarding using my various analog and digital Leica rangefinders over the years has been my increasing reliance on eyeglasses. For a long time, I fudged by using the rangefinders without my glasses (which were more needed for close focusing or reading small print), but that gradually became less workable. I also find that contacts are counterproductive because they are meant to work together and, at least for me, do not give a clear view through viewfinders. This has meant it is hard to see the whole Leica M frame without “looking around.” I gave up for awhile, and just used other cameras (Leica and others), but really missed the experience. I bought the M11, which necessitated being even more conscious of maintaining a stable base in order to take advantage of the 60 MP resolution. I still shoot “the wrong way,” glasses and all, but thoroughly enjoy the experience and have no plans to rehabilitate myself in order to conform 😊
I got a Leica M10 recently and have the same problem now, definitely more annoying than on film. But luckily the screen is not much in use for me anyways
Well if you do one focusing and know your focal length and the angle of view it just don't matter. (only when shooting wide open with a specific focus point, I think.)
was ich nach 30 sec. sah und auch sofort schrieb, ich halte diese Kameras ans rechte Auge, die anderen Kameras ans linke Auge...🙂, wie arbeite ich damit? Wenn ich mit RF Kameras fotografiere, halte ich die Kamera bei beiden geöffneten an das rechte Auge und sehe erst mal nix, dann mach ich das linke zu, sehe mit dem rechten plötzlich alles und wenn ich dann das linke auch öffne, sehe ich das Umfeld und auch durch den RF... 🙂 lg BM
As a south paw (left handed), I'm not surprised my dominant eye happens to be my left. Be that as it may - thank you for sharing and it's good to know we're in good company! As for the Leica snooty folk who enjoy pointing out we're using the rangefinder incorrectly - I'd say, people said the same thing to Jimi Hendrix when they saw him play his guitar up side down. Let's keep making art!
Hey, you have a Leica 35mm lens now! How does it compare to your Voigtländer? By the way, I use my left eye too. The preview in the viewfinder is all that I need for composition choices. Love your channel!
I haven't develop any rolls with the Summicron yet - but yet alone the user experience is fantastic! I might actually make a comparison video between the Summicron and the Nokton one day. Also cool to hear that there are more "lefties" out there. :)
Same here. I love Rangefinder-style cameras, but I'm absolutely left-eye dominant and couldn't change it, so I stopped caring. I still like the results and miss nothing, who cares if some photo-snobs wrinkle their noses. :)
It's good to know that I am not alone in being left eye dominant. I have simply accepted that I will always use my m4 "wrong" and learned to enjoy what I make with it anyway. This is a great topic that(as far as I know at least) hasn't been covered much at all. Thanks for making it!
Really depends on the magnification of the viewfinder. With the M3 this makes a lot of sense as the viewfinder is nearly 1-1 but with all other Leicas this isn’t necessarily the right (or wrong) way.
exactly.
Yes, you can shoot with both eyes openes only if 1-1 magnification... (M3)
I have a question. Wouldn't the fact that the magnification of the viewfinder of the camera is not 1X make it harder to use with both eyes open? (Even if used with the "correct eye".)
Garry Winogrand is one of the most prolific/famous Leica users (Leica M4) and he's known for being left eye dominant. There are even videos of him on TH-cam
shooting the street using his left eye! People should shoot in a way they feel is most comfortable. When the camera is the least of our concerns we're allowed to focus on the task at hand which is to make a great picture. :)
Oh interesting, I had no idea Winogrand was left eye dominant as well! I will definitely have to study some videos to observe him shoot. Thanks for your comment. :)
I love those videos where he pretends to fool around with the camera or stare off into space when people become aware he is taking their picture.
Not only was Winogrand left eye dominant, he often used a viewfinder attached to the hot shoe. Which means he didn't even use the Leica's rangefinder system, opting to zone focus instead. The videos of him shooting that way are fascinating.
It was a tactic to look like amateur
Thanks for the video! I just got a M240 and was wondering why I couldnt see the framelines as well with my right eye. I then remembered eye dominance and was pretty bummed out. This video helped me realize I'm not alone! I do really like taking portrait photos, and I found I can use the rangefinder with both eyes open that way, using my left eye. So not all is lost!!! I will try training like you did, cheers!!!
Great video Karin. I’m also left eye dominant and I’ve always used rangefinders with my dominant eye. I have people tell me constantly I’m using it wrong, but I disagree. The placement of the optical viewfinder to the far left side of the camera (from the perspective of holding the camera to shoot) was a functional necessity due to the position of the film advance lever. Where else could they put the viewfinder? I do agree it’s more functional to use your right eye and easier to cock the shutter and advance the film, but it’s not easy to switch eye dominance. Some believe left eye dominant people are right brain dominant which means you’re more creative and artistic. I only half believe it, but I’ll accept it :-) Keep up the great work!
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience Take - I appreciate it! Glad to hear I am not the only "leftie" out there haha. Since the M bodies have such a flat design and no "bulk" where the prism would be in comparison to SLRs your theory actually sounds rather logical. Not sure how well studied the relationship between eyedness and creativity really is - but I'll take it as well 😂✌🏻
@@KarinMajoka have fun on your Berlin photowalk. if I could make it, I would... honestly :-)
One problem with this is that M bodies except the M3 has a low viewfinder magnification, which makes shooting with both eyes open not a 1:1 image in both eyes.
This. On a camera with a lesser magnification,
I wonder if it confuses the brain seeing to different sized versions of the same scene.
@@anthonymiller8979 Yes it does. It’s not natural in the lesser magnified eyes, so the overall image by both eyes is not optimum
Hi, I’m solidly left eye dominant. I blame Leica for not making a “reverse” camera. So I keep on using it the “wrong” way. What you haven’t mentioned is the difference in size of the image, with the most common 0.72 finder. I have tried using the “right” way, but couldn’t fuse the images. Gave me a headache. Both eyes open does work with my other rangefinder, a voigtländer r3a, which is 1.0, but then it still feels like trying to use a hammer with my (non-dominant) right hand: very awkward.
Thanks for this video! Never seen anyone cover this topic as detailed as you did! I noted the same problem several years ago when I tried a Leica M for the first time, and also when using all the digital cameras that have the viewfinder in the left corner of the body (like Fuji X-Pro, X-E etc.). Luckily I am not THAT left or right eye dominant, so I can actually switch easily. But if I have a free choice, I always will use my left eye.
What doesn't work for me so well is using the camera with both eyes open, unless the viewfinder image is close to 1:1 magnification. So it works for me on a Leica M3, but not on the M6. But overall I tend to see stuff twice anyway and it just confuses my brain :) so I'll rather squint the one eye anyway.
As a left eye/right hand/mixed dominance photographer- thank you- very useful perspective!!! Tho one important clarification the "right" way to use a rangefinder only/works best when you have a 1.0 (1:1) viewfinder magnification- or at least the closer 1.0 the easier it will be to use the "right" two eyes open rangefinder technique.
I' use this technique on my Canon VIL. It is just a beautiful experience because the camera has a big and bright 1:1 view finder. After just a few seconds the camera vanishes and the frame lines are clearly floating in 3D space in front of me. On my M2 I close my free eye because I find the difference in magnification between the eyes really distracting and irritating. It works too and I still get the picture at the end. It feels more focused somehow so It's a different experience, not better or worse. I've actually never thought about why I'm doing this until now. Thank you very much for the impulse.
Interesting topic. Based on my personal experience, the dominant eye is totally trainable and switchable. It took me about 1 week to completely change from using the left eye to using the right eye after picking up my 1st rangefinder style camera a few years back. Now I can comfortably use both eyes for photography. However for archery I can only use my right eye, but I think that is because I’m a righty and it’s much more natural to pull the string with the stronger side of my body.
Interesting, cool to hear it did not take you long at all to make the switch! :) Probably there are some graduations of eye dominance and eyedness can also heavily depend on the task
Bull
@@dovetomarcTroll.
I do believe this is true.
I shoot SLRs with my left eye but trained my right eye to shoot with rangefinders. I’ve tried shooting an SLR with my right eye but it kept hurting, switching to left eye worked. This was the opposite of rangefinders, which I had to retrain to shoot with my right eye.
Ever since i got my first x100 i fell in love with the rangefinder principle. The fact that you can see outside your frame, have to frame with everything being sharp rather than looking through a bokeh creamy lens. I wish there are more professional range finder systems nowadays like there were back in the day!
I don't think there's a wrong way, it's the right way if it confortable to you :)
And I must say that the quality of your videos is getting more and more impressive, I love your videos!
I agree, whatever works is the correct way! :) But I am just to internally curious to see if a longterm experiment can actually change something. Thanks for your kind words, I appreciate it a lot! :)
@@KarinMajoka Sounds like a cool challenge, keep us updated how it goes!
Hello Karin!
How do you use rangefinder with you glasses? Cause I've got my first Leica M and I'm wearing glasses with special lenses (-0.5 and astigmatizm). And this is not so comfortable to use camera with glasses.
a Q2 point of view !
This video was an eye opener, pun intended. With your very clear explanation I have, just, discovered I am left eye dominant. And now by placing the Q2 in front of my face with my left eye now on the EVF and both eyes open, no more squinting!, composition and focus is clearer and quicker! My “object selection” with Q2 manual focus is way better, almost DSLR-like, thanks to your left-eye-dominance revelation! Thanks so much, keep up the great work.
I am not using my Leica wrong… Leica designed the camera wrong.
I am left eye dominant but I cannot wink with it, and that is partly what led me to move from a Fuji XE body (range finder style) to an XT body (slr style). Totally agree with the added stability benefit btw.
So apparently I'm left eye dominant and I never knew how to check till you showed us in the video. I've always used my right eye for the viewfinder. Now I'm wondering if I should switch to my left eye. I don't have a rangefinder Leica though I have an SL so the orientation doesn't really matter in that regard.
Your video was posted at just the right time for me. I haven't used my Leica M6 for a very long time. I was considering either selling my M6 or purchasing a diopter so I could use my left eye to look through the viewfinder. However, I seemed to recall that perhaps I should have been using my right eye to look through the viewfinder. I dug out Andrew Matheson's book on how to use Leica Rangefinders. He did not discuss in the text which eye to use to look through the viewfinder. However, from the photos in the book, it appeared to me that I should be using my right eye to look through the viewfinder. I have been looking for TH-cam videos that would confirm this, and yesterday I found your video. Because an eye doctor told me years ago, that I am right eye dominant, I now know that I don't need a diopter. I will keep my M6, and I will practice "using it correctly" I am grateful for your video.
Thanks for the video Karin. I converted to rangefinder shooting about 10 years ago when I bought my first Leica. And will never go back to SLR. Even though I am right eye dominant, It required a bit of time and practice to learn to shoot with both eyes open but once I became comfortable with it, I realized how much more information is visible outside of the frame. I find this technique much more comfortable with less eye strain. I wouldn’t worry about being left eye dominant because theLeica is such a great camera that it allows you to use your own shooting style. Cheers, Dan ✌️🇨🇦
Great video…as a leftie, I’ve been using many items “wrong” my whole life…scissors, ball point pens and range finder cameras too. I embraced it long ago, a quiet rebellion against how things “should” be done. I’ll do it my leftie way because that’s who I am. Course I had to turn the screen off on my Lumix LX100ii because my nose kept moving the focus point, but that’s just the way it is …
Good video. I cam here looking for info about issues with the Leica M rangefinder for glass wearers. Didn't know it was also related with eye dominance. Not sure if you read comments but have you noticed issues seeing framelines with glasses on?
I am left eye dominant. With some practice I am now using my right eye for shooting both rangefinder and other mirrorless cameras.
When I started with an SLR, I "naturally" used my left eye (although it is not my dominant eye) and switched to the right eye with the M6. But I still don't like using the M6 with both eyes open, since the magnification is 0.72, which puts me off. Also I cannot really see the rangefinder patch all that well when I have both eyes open...
What does that say about someone like me that mostly shoots by the hip? Double wrong? :)
TBH you may also be struggling with the magnification differential (1:1 in one eye and 1:0.72 in the other). Cameras like the Canon P and Nikon S have a 1:1 viewfinder which might make this process much easier.
Thank you for this video! I used to be right-eye dominant, but a detached retina caused damage to the center vision of that eye, and I had to switch to left-eye dominance, which I dreaded. I too shoot with a Leica rangefinder. But it turned out to be easier than I expected. Of course, I wish I could return to right-eye dominance to fully take advantage of the two-eyed approach, but my partial blindness prevents me from fine focusing and I had to adapt, and it’s fine. The primary annoyance is when using a digital M, my nose smears the back screen, but as you noted, my nose gives great stability. Wonderful work you do! All the best!
Thanks so much for your comment and for sharing your story. Sorry to hear about your health troubles with your right-eye. Glad to hear you were able to readjust and use your left eye instead. Everything is better than not being able to use a camera at all anymore, so I am always impressed what our bodies are actually capable of.
Not so great when the screen is touch-sensitive 😂
I’m right eye dominant and currently using a Leica MDA which has no range finder so I have a voigtlander cold shoe finder on top so I can sort of kinda see out of my left eye like our Lord an savior Joel Meyerowitz intended.
I love my blind Leica paired with the 25mm f4 lens ☺️
Interesting! I also like to use my Voigtländer 15mm with an external viewfinder with which I get to "see the world" simultaneously as well haha. It's not that hard to shoot "blind" actually because it forces you to get better at estimating distances. :)
I'm left eye dominant too. The both eyes open technique works in portrait orientation!😄 I have also notices the stabilising effect of my nose btw. It's actually very useful for slower shutter speeds.
Hi ya Karin, I like the way that you have the neon sign of a light bulb above your head in the background!! I find it difficult too keep both eyes open when using my rangefinders.
Hmmm. I've always used my M4-2 and X-Pro2 the "right" way, but I never leave my left eye open. I'm nearsighted, left eye dominant, but my left eye vision is way worse than my right eye, and I don't wear my glasses when I'm shooting. I can see well enough without my glasses that I'm not a danger to myself or others walking around, and lifting the camera to my eye gives me a nice little window of clarity.
Thank you for an informative video. I am also left-eye dominate and wear glasses. Also my left eye is weaker than my right eye. Which eye do you use when you take photos in the portrait mode (when you turn the camera on its side) for portrait shape photos? I can use either eye satisfactorily. As you also said there is really no incorrect way to use our rangefinders. I think once you get used to a Leica rangefinder in particular you are much more non fussed about which way we use it. One take away I got was definitely no one eye blinking in public!
There is no wright or wrong. There is only our own best way of using a camera.
Well said! :)
Surely you mean right or rong! 😁
@@KarinMajokaI am right eye dominant, but it's important to take into account viewfinder magnification. I cannot use a Leica with both eyes open because it is disorienting due to the viewfinder magnification. Instead, I prefer either my Konica IIIA or my Canon P, where 1:1 in the viewfinder makes it far easier to use with both eyes open. I actually don't know anyone that shoots their Leica with both eyes open - I suppose if they have a Leica with a 1:1 viewfinder 😊
Nope. If I want to drive an automatic transmission with both feet, I sure can. But I’d be an idiot who isn’t driving it the way it’s designed to be driven. I’m all for relativism when it makes sense. But your argument is silly.
A similar problem for left handers. Shooting never feels right using my right hand so I end up covering the top of my Olympus OM-1 to press the shutter with my left forefinger.
Hi Karin! I have been using my Leica since I acquired it in 1970. I have a mountain of prints that I have created in my darkroom (remember these?) Most are mediocre or of sentimental value; some decent ones I have framed. Am I using my Leica wrong? I have no idea.
2:37 "meant to be used this way": looking with right eye through the finder, whereas the left eye (open) can see what's going on just outside the frame. Of course this logic is well known.
But it's hard to change one's eye preference - like I have a left eye preference. I believe I developed a sort of instinct to guess what was going on outside the frame, while my right eye/jowl pressed against the M6's back...
I am left eye dominant, also my left eye is farsighted whereas my right eye is nearsighted. I have corrective lenses, but I don't use them often to shoot. What I have done, evidently intuitively, is learn how to shoot without looking - by using zone focusing or flash with zone focusing - this way it doesn't matter if I deal with framing press. The other thing I do is use my left eye, but in PORTRAIT mode. This way I can focus and if I need to recompose I turn the camera landscape and still have focus. This way my dominant eye sees the best and the image works correctly.
Thanks for your comment! On the street I use zone focusing too but I still feel like my composition is cleaner when I frame with my eye opposed to shooting blind or from the hip which I still sometimes do. The workaround with portrait orientation sounds interesting!
@@KarinMajoka Holding the camera DOWN instead of UP so you have perfect balance, and it's not awkward with an M without a grip. This puts the shutter button downwards your chest too instead of exposed above your head. Also with guesstimating the framing you are dealing with a) knowing your focal length, b) keeping both eyes open. For example, I met with William Eggleston in 2017, he took a portrait of me staring directly at me with a Canon 'Dream Lens" .95 I assume wide open, he didn't look through the viewfinder at all. This is Eggleston! He just KNEW!
I`m not sure that the triangle test is the correct way to figure your dominant eye. If I center the object in the triangle with my left eye, when I switch to my right eye the object pops out if the frame. The same will happen when I center the object with my right eye and switch to the left eye, the object pops out of the frame. Is this not a question of parallax rather than left right dominance?
Yes, I’m right eye dominant! However, I’m trying to figure out how to use the viewfinder with glasses (.72 with 28mm).
Can you shoot with the camera upside down and use your dominant left eye? Would this work?
In the past, were there any rangefinder cameras made for left-eye dominate photographers?
Interesting. I’m right eye dominant. A recent Leica convert, and I notice that when I use both eyes things don’t match because the viewfinder is smaller than the direct view.
Before having cataracts surgery I was like you, left eye dominant... but really didn't care (probably because never told me about the "right way" to use a Leica). Now, after my surgeries, I am comfortable with both eyes... Even though my impulse when I use my camera(s) is to take them to my left eye. :) Thanks for your video and product recommendation!
Hi Karin, Is your M6 a .58 finder? I find it very hard t se the lines on a .72 finder with glasses when using a 35mm
What a fantastic video, I've learnt something today. I didn't even notice you were 'using it wrong' in the intro. Have you not thought of a diopter? Interestingly, I need to use glasses for reading, and I can see that they're beneficial for seeing through the viewfinder better, in that the frame lines are sharper, but I just can't get used to it though I have tried. I'm considering the diopter for that reason.
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! Actually I did not think about a diopter yet because I would probably be too lazy to take my glasses on and off only to shoot without glasses. I got pretty used to it by now and don't feel like they get in the way. But I shoot 35mm and with the .72 magnification I am able to see the tramlines for 35mm just fine - maybe I would think differently if I was shooting 28, because that can indeed be a bit tight when wearing glasses.
@@KarinMajoka I’ve also read about a hack for the viewfinder. Using a coloured gel to increase contrast. Something like that. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will chip in with a better explanation.
I’m left eye dominant but I always shooted with the right eye. That means that all my pictures are
off-center compared to what I saw?
Interesting video! I use a canon P and I've never really considered which eye is dominant. I've always naturally alternated between both. Granted I haven't been shooting for very long.
I like to use both eyes, although my right is the dominant one. Especially for portrait format I use the left eye or/and one can even support the camera with the left shoulder to keep it steady in certain situations. Always good light!!
Thanks so much for this tutorial. I discovered my left eye was better, but not for the design of most cameras. But I also realized that I could switch eyes as necessary. It depends also on what you are shooting. If you are photojournalist, for example. you mght need to track thing outside you viewfinder. If you're doing shots that are not so mobile (landscape, portrait, etc.), it really doesn't matter. Whatever works for you is most important. Also thanks for demonstrating best usage in holding a camera horizontally (using your nose for extra handheld stabillity).. . Vertical is a whole other story. I use my thumb a lot for those so as to keep my elbows down against my chest.
I'm right eye dominant but I must admit I close my left eye so I'm going to practice keeping it open and see if that makes a difference. However, I'm starting to lose the sight in my right eye a little. Until I can have the surgery to repair this I have been trying to use my left eye more but find this quite hard so I understand why you find using your right eye difficult.
Ohh, its not just me then! Apart from my first camera (late 1970's) I've not used rangefinders, and with SLR film cameras the eye dominance thing wasn't really an issue, except with cheaper cameras with higher (?) eye points where my nose would prevent me from getting close enough to see the whole frame. With digital the biggest problem is touching buttons with my nose, or leaving messy nose prints on the LCD screen....especially on a cold day when I have a runny nose....eugh!
If I look through the comments - there are actually many of us "lefties" haha. I recently got a digital camera for photography and had the same experience you described. I actually had to turn off the touchscreen because my nose would constantly readjust the focus point while shooting 😂
I'm right eye dominant, but I can use my left eye too. The difference I noticed it's that with my left eye I can see better the whole picture, center and borders together, while my right eye it's focusing more on the subject.
Also I noticed that (on both EVF and OVF) my left and right eyes have different white balance, which I found quite odd...
I was able to switch from my left eye to my right easily! I've been photographing since 2000 and as a left handed person I am obviously left eye dominant. I started off with SLRs but in 2004/05 I switched to a Contax G2. I never felt the need to switch to my right eye, I always thought having (and still think) the option to have my left eye open didn't do anything for my photography. Fast forward to about 15+ years later (I forget the exact year) I decided to switch to my right eye. This wasn't because of my preference to rangefinders (I now mainly photograph with a Mamiya 7 and sometimes with a M4) but I was hated that the oils (I know, gross) on my face would rub up against my cameras and in particular to my DSLRs and eventually damage the LCD screen. I photograph weddings, taking a couple of thousand of photos each week would do that to your camera. So when I upgraded my DSLR to a mirrorless camera I decided to switch to my right eye. All it took was one wedding and I got used to it. Now I shoot with my right eye exclusively. It didn't change anything with how I shoot and the outcome of my photographs at all...I just prefer it now.
But there is no wrong way to use your rangefinder....whatever works for you! We live in a right handed and right eyed world! We have been adapting our whole lives and one day we will rule the world! lol
Same here. Used to be left eyed. My eyesight got worse. Got glasses and switched over to my right eye. No problem. Was more of overcoming a habit. After doing this test, I‘m righteye dominant. Still, wouldn‘t have switched if my eyesight didn‘t get worse…
I noticed when you were trying to shoot with your right eye, you are tilting your head at an angle 4:49 , but when you are shooting with your left eye, you keep your head level. Not having your eye parallel to the camera can make the rangefinder difficult to use.
Actually I need to tilt it in such a way to see anything at all with my right eye. I tried it dozens of times and when I keep my head parallel I simply cannot see anything. Guess that just underlines that right-eye shooting is just not for me haha
😄 I'm right-eye dominant, and I still struggle with keeping both eyes open when using the rangefinder. Thanks for raising awareness of the benefit to shooting this way.
Some interesting observations you’ve made here Karin. I echo a lot of what others have commented, the “correct” way of using the camera is the way that suits you best/most. Whenever I sense that I may be doing something differently, or as perhaps not designed - all fundamentals of creativity - and maybe start to question myself, I always try to remind myself of this quote from Miles Davis: “Do not fear mistakes. There are none.”
The Konica IIIA had a 1:1 rangefinder window. It was brilliant for exactly this reason and a fantastic camera to use (that and the trigger wind, wow). 0.7 mag viewfinders make two eye viewing quite a bit harder. And, I am totally left eye dominant. Ugh. Winking!
Yep.. my right eye is way too weak too, underdeveloped optical nerve. Which is also why I prefer rangefinders, with a center viewfinder my face is mushed into my thumb.
Btw of you have another person you can use the hand triangle truck and tell them which eye they see 😅 of course I learned about eye dominance through archery, funny to see you bring it up in the video.
I actually thought about you when researching about eye dominance and arching and hoped you would comment on that in case I missed something. :) That's interesting that also a reversed-version of the triangle test works! How do you do it with arching then, do you shoot cross dominant or do you use your left arm?
@@KarinMajoka i learned right handed (bow in left, string in right), so i kind of had to deal with it! I usually close my left eye, or use a "blinder" which is a little flap attached to my cap's brim that blocks the view of my left eye 😊
I've been shooting with Leica rangefinders since 1968. I am left eye dominant. My high school job was working for a local TV station and I ended up having to shoot sound on film using an Auricon 16mm camera. The problem was the viewfinder for the zoom lens was snugged up to the left side of the camera. There's no way to look through it with your left eye. I trained myself to shoot right eyed, which came in handy when shooting Leica.
Now, in addition to my Leica M3, I shoot with Fuji X-E rangefinder style cameras. I still use my right eye.
Great points I have never considered. I tried shooting with a CLE for a while and just couldn’t take to it. Maybe I’d still have the CLE if I’d seen this first.
I'm very left eye dominant myself - just like I'm very right handed and right footed too. I have no problem closing my eyes independently of each other, and I can use my rangefinders with my right eye - if I close my left eye, but I prefer to use my left eye. I too have noticed the extra support, the nose provides.
And, I also find, that when I'm out shooting, hiding my eyes behind the camera makes a difference, because people can't get direct eye contact with me. It's not as effective for that as a waist level viewfinder, but It's definitely better than visibly looking at them with my left eye...
As a left eye dominant glasses wearer, i have had this same battle. I have also been trying to go right eye and I don't know if the headaches are worth it. I'll just go right eye for when I take my mirror portraits haha
You can use your left eye in portrait and have both eyes open; it's a little awkward to press the shutter button when it is facing toward your right side, but gives us left eye shooters an option to use both eyes.
I am right-eye dominant and use my right-eye with my X-Pro 3 for Street most of the time (keeping the left exe half closed to monitor the surroundings) but sometimes I switch to my left eye, mostly when I use my other DSLM‘s.
Thanks so much for such a wonderful video, i wondered about this actually and was completely blown away by the dominant eye test; I also realized I was extremely left-eye dominant. However, quite amazingly, after just a few weeks of just using my right eye it became second nature. Somehow what really works for me is actually keeping both eyes open for the most part and just closing my left eye when i really need to concentrate on composition/focus. Before, I typically kept both eyes open anyhow as when using my left eye, the camera just blocked the right which was very comfortable as well.
As everyone says, one should just do what is comfortable/works but I definitely appreciate being able to really see the world and not be obscured by the camera.
I’m left eye dominant but I’ve been trying to keep my left open so I can see what’s coming. It’s been working because when I use my canon for weddings. I find myself catching moments due to my left eye available being open.
Really interesting subject to think about, I just realized that I can shift the dominance between my eyes while trying out your test and it really surprised me. I'm a left-handed person and I normally use an F3 with my left eye. However, the other camera that I frequently use is a Rollei 35S and I always use it with my right eye... While watching your video I wondered what could be the case and I tried the triangle test a couple of times. The first time I tried to frame it as tight as I could because otherwise it was shifting in between my two eyes. At the end of the first try, my left eye came out to be the dominant one as expected. Yet when I tried again I put a mental effort into shifting that dominancy and I realized it slowly blurred and shifted as I reframed for my right eye :) It was such an interesting test, after some research I found a condition called Binocular Rivalry and I'm quite wondering if it is the case so I will be looking more into it! Thank you, great video :)
Quick edit :)
I don't think there is a wrong way to use any camera because it depends on the perception and individuality of the photographer... I think those Leica zealots are far too fanatic and approach the situation rather dogmatic :) We can always think outside the box!
Having both eyes open only works with a high magnification finder. That means using the original M3, M6 or MP with a .85 finder or a Voigtländer Bessa R3m.
I am, too, crossdominant and am using the left eye when using cameras. I always thought about it as being a kind of unique quirk, being right handed (associated with more logical approach to things in general due to the dominance of left hemisphere) but still being left eye dominant using in my more art-y hobby of photography :)
have you considered putting an external finder on the top of the camera? I know a few people who do this, some are left eye dom and some just do it because it gives a clearer view of their surroundings with thier right eye. Maybe give it a try, it could be the perfect solution for you
Good idea, thank you! I have a 15mm lens which requires an external viewfinder which I sometimes use. It's really cool in that regard, however you have to focus and compose separately.
@@KarinMajoka yeah thats the only downside, unless you are zone focusing of course
I wish I could use my leica with my right eye, but I can't see well with my right eye even corrected. I think I used to be right eye dominant though, thinking back, because I realized I had a vision issue years ago when I put my eye (right eye) up to my camera and it was blurry. I thought something was wrong with my camera. I've been left eye dominant ever since, so I'm a left eye shooter.
Thanks for this. I've long been conscious that of the fact that I shoot with the "wrong" eye. For me the biggest drawback is the nose print I leave on the rear screen of digital cameras!
Hi Karin - thank you for a very interesting range finder best use lesson. Definitely no wrong way in my opinion and with such strong writing skills, you have nothing to worry about! I will report back here immediately as soon as my new Leica / range finder arrives. Both Leica and a range finder are new to me. - - I just did your hand triangle test, and I am right eye dominant. However, I've always used my left eye with my dslr. Much prefer the "nose tripod" - - lol (less the oily back screen smudges).
I am left eye dominate as well so it’s little difficult me to change the preferred way these range finder cameras are
Thanks for making this video!
Having shot Fuji Xpro, Canon LTM bodies and Leica M, I always felt I was missing something by being left eye dominate.
I reserve right-eye shooting for situations when I can anticipate the perfect moment with both eyes open. Like a sharp shooter. But otherwise it causes too much muscle tension and headaches. So 99% of the time it stays to my left eye and I just enjoy the other benefits of having frame lines.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it! :) I truly don't think that the images are suffering a lot from eye dominance, so maybe it's not too much of an issue after all - or at least that's what I want to believe. ✌🏻
What a very informative and helpful article. I tried the experiment you showed and found I was right-eye dominant. This is good not only for the way I use my camera, but my left eye is developing a cataract.
Just tested and it seems that neither of my eyes are dominant? I am able to "switch" dominance with a few seconds of looking through one eye. I guess I default to using my left for my Leica, though!
Leica put the viewfinder on the wrong side for me as well.
Dear Karin, I must confess that I too am using my Leica M4 'wrong'. Yes I'm left eye dominant. In addition I'm also a Competitive Archer, a few of my club mates participated in the Tokyo Olympics, and eye dominance is very important with archery. Being right handed, I hold my Bow in my Left Hand and draw the string and arrow with my right, this means that your 'right eye' is the one that sights the target, I did try and learn to shoot the bow left handed with little success. One thing that did work is that I placed one contact lens in my right eye only. Nevertheless, even if I hold my camera in portrait orientation and open both eyes I still struggle.
I've learned to use both eyes, but my instinctive reflex is always to use the left eye. Though I don't care much about this since the right one isn't as good to begin with 😁 so I just use the left one most of the time.
But there's one thing you might be interested in checking-out; it's the Voigtländer Kontur viewfinder. The device requires you to keep both eyes open as one eye only sees only the bright lines (no image) and the other looks at the image in a normal way. The brain does the superimposition and it works quite well. Though you don't get to see the rangefinder patch so you need to zone focus.
Cool that you are actually capable of switching. :) I have not heard about the Voigtländer Kontur viewfinder before - I will definitely check it out, thanks for the hint! ✌🏻
Thank you for the video. I have the same "problem". My dominant eye was on the right. Then macular degeneration formed there. During a transition period, the dominance switched to the left eye. So my face disappears behind the camera, like yours. With the Q, that's not a problem. It has a Live View that shows me the viewfinder image through the lens. But now I want to take an M240 with me. I tested it in a Leica store and the right eye can't use the Range Finder.
But I see that this is not a problem, at best unusual. I hope Joel can forgive me ...
I got out my M6, purchased new in 1989, and put it up to my eye as if I were going to take a photograph. I found that I naturally put it up to my right eye and closed the left eye. I could force my left eye open, but it felt strange. I know that I have done this in the past when I wanted to see what was going on outside the frame. I also tried using my left eye. I found focusing to be easier that way, but my nose was in the way. I went out shooting last weekend with my M6 and my R9. Every time I picked up the R9, I held it off center, as if it were a rangefinder. I just came across your website today. I like your titanium M6. I looked them up in the USA; I couldn't find any used. There was a special edition titanium M-A two years ago for $20,000, but they are all sold out.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am just re-discovering film photography, using my grandfather’s M3 (bought new by him in 1958). I am also left dominant and wrestling with the same challenges.
I shoot with my right eye, but if I have both eyes open I can see nothing of the focus patch, so even though I can see framelines fine, which is cool, it is practically not useful unless I'd zone focus.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing! :)
Great video. Thank you. I have the same ‘problem’ as you have. Left is dominant and always messing up my screen with my nose. Touchscreen is a handicap when left dominating. I’ll keep continuing my camera the ‘wrong’ way. Maybe it’s time Leica starts making lefties and righties cameras. That would be something spectacular. Just like the guitar industry.
This is the best video I've ever seen on this topic. I am totally dominant in both right eye and right hand. Oddly, I seem to shoot my rangefinder cameras using my right eye, but with the left eye closed, and my SLRs equally between left and right eye focusing/composing. I had never tried the test you demonstrated, and the results were surprising when I saw how right-eyed I am, but how that doesn't seem to affect my shooting. Karin, thank you for your videos, which help even this "old guy" photographer. Andy
By the way, I haven't been able to practice "winking" with one eye in the street, but if you ever winked with one eye at me, I would most definitely wink back! :D
Hi Andy, thanks so much for your comment, I appreciate it a lot! Cool to hear you are able to switch eyes besides being more dominant on one.
I’m right eye dominated and I did exactly the same thing you’re doing with my left eye when I found out I seemed to have Amblyopia at high school and I did it for maybe two three years. I just tested both my eyes with a viewfinder accessory and turns out I can see the viewfinder frame overlaying in both cases. So maybe it will work on you as well! Great video as always, keep up the good work!
Thanks for sharing your story and thanks for your kind comment, I appreciate it a lot. That's also rather encouraging actually. :)
Yep, I'm a left eye Leica user too. The added benefit though I can hold the camera more firmly against my head and use slower shutter speeds with success. 😆 Keep up the good work - great content.
I have never used your Leica wrong. But doing the same thing with my Fuji GW680 and GSW680 so I know the strugle. I look like an idiot when I try to close my left eye.
How is it going with your B&W only adventure by the way?
Haha yes I guess the "problem" is universal for all types of cameras that have the viewfinder on the left side. The rainy/gray days have been great but now that the sun is coming out it's a bit harder be left with only black and white. To be fair I have shoot a good amount of rolls so far but have not developed any yet - I will do batch developing after coming back from my next trip to do a proper evaluation.
@@KarinMajoka jup, I recognise that, in the gray short days I shoot much more b&w. But on sunny days b&w can be very nice too
i was left eye dominant before picking up the leica but have trained to use my right eye moreso now! unfortunately my right eye is still weaker and isnt as sharp as the left :(
Thanks for the interesting video Karin - this is something that us right-eye dominant shooters surely take for granted.
I did notice two things in the video that I hadn't paid attention to before: firstly, by using the left eye for the rangefinder the lens is basically in front of the middle of the face, rather than somewhere off to the side. Perhaps this can potentially help with framing and combating parallax error in particular? It also seemed to me that you were keeping your head straighter or more level when using your left eye. I'll have to have a look at that myself to see if it can help combat the crooked horizons I can run into when using a rangefinder.
Personally I always shoot with my right eye when making landscape format images, but will often switch to the left with portrait format images. That was never a conscious choice, so I guess it's just more comfortable for me that way.
There are a a few voigtlander RFs that are left eye dominant. Notably the Bessa and Vito III.
Ahh cool, I did not know. Thanks for the info! :)
Thanks so much for making this video. I too am left-eye dominant, and therefore have been using my Leica M's the wrong way for a long time (and don't really care that I do). The only thing I miss is having the my other eye to watch the scene, as was demonstrated in the video. As a pianist who is right handed, I've strengthened my weaker left hand by simply using it more for daily tasks for which I normally use my right hand, like brushing my teeth. There doesn't seem to be any simple tricks in regard to eye dominance, however. But as others have mentioned, I will try shooting my M5 and M11 with my right eye and see if it makes a difference. If nothing else, the experiment could be fun.
It only took me from around 1960 to the 2000s to realize I habitually use my left eye while photographing. I’m right handed, and I had never realized there was left/right dominance. In retrospect, I assume rangefinders, and to some extent, all cameras, were physically arranged to be most comfortable for right handed users. For example, look at the button layout on “pro” bodies, in addition to the slight offset of the viewfinders. As an aside, my mother grew up in an age where it was frowned upon to be left handed and she was “forced” as a child to become right handed. For me, the bigger problem regarding using my various analog and digital Leica rangefinders over the years has been my increasing reliance on eyeglasses. For a long time, I fudged by using the rangefinders without my glasses (which were more needed for close focusing or reading small print), but that gradually became less workable. I also find that contacts are counterproductive because they are meant to work together and, at least for me, do not give a clear view through viewfinders. This has meant it is hard to see the whole Leica M frame without “looking around.” I gave up for awhile, and just used other cameras (Leica and others), but really missed the experience. I bought the M11, which necessitated being even more conscious of maintaining a stable base in order to take advantage of the 60 MP resolution. I still shoot “the wrong way,” glasses and all, but thoroughly enjoy the experience and have no plans to rehabilitate myself in order to conform 😊
The part where you get to rest your nose on the body is my problem with my M11, it creates smudges on my screen. Left eye dominant too
I got a Leica M10 recently and have the same problem now, definitely more annoying than on film. But luckily the screen is not much in use for me anyways
Well if you do one focusing and know your focal length and the angle of view it just don't matter. (only when shooting wide open with a specific focus point, I think.)
was ich nach 30 sec. sah und auch sofort schrieb, ich halte diese Kameras ans rechte Auge, die anderen Kameras ans linke Auge...🙂, wie arbeite ich damit? Wenn ich mit RF Kameras fotografiere, halte ich die Kamera bei beiden geöffneten an das rechte Auge und sehe erst mal nix, dann mach ich das linke zu, sehe mit dem rechten plötzlich alles und wenn ich dann das linke auch öffne, sehe ich das Umfeld und auch durch den RF... 🙂 lg BM
Gut gesehen! ✌🏻
As a south paw (left handed), I'm not surprised my dominant eye happens to be my left. Be that as it may - thank you for sharing and it's good to know we're in good company! As for the Leica snooty folk who enjoy pointing out we're using the rangefinder incorrectly - I'd say, people said the same thing to Jimi Hendrix when they saw him play his guitar up side down. Let's keep making art!
Hey, you have a Leica 35mm lens now! How does it compare to your Voigtländer? By the way, I use my left eye too. The preview in the viewfinder is all that I need for composition choices. Love your channel!
I haven't develop any rolls with the Summicron yet - but yet alone the user experience is fantastic! I might actually make a comparison video between the Summicron and the Nokton one day. Also cool to hear that there are more "lefties" out there. :)
@@KarinMajoka I will be happy to see that comparison video!
Same here. I love Rangefinder-style cameras, but I'm absolutely left-eye dominant and couldn't change it, so I stopped caring. I still like the results and miss nothing, who cares if some photo-snobs wrinkle their noses. :)
Very well said, I could not agree more! Thanks for your comment. :)