using a dslr with bad eyesight - diopter or your glasses?

**angelize** · 10 March 2013, 09:49 PM

I have a Nikon d3100 and I've recently had to get stronger glasses and have gone to progressive lenses. I find that I can manage quite well without my glasses using the diopter on the camera, and it's actually more difficult trying to look through the viewfinder with my glasses on. I am wondering though how others manage?

**steve.ledger** · 10 March 2013, 10:07 PM

If you have used the dioptre adjust when not wearing glasses, then you are correcting what you see for your sight conditions. It doesn't change the camera or lens focusing.
So either re adjust when wearing specs, or pull your specs up.
Of course, if you're using AF, it doesn't matter either way. All you need to do is frame the shot.

**molucca** · 10 March 2013, 10:40 PM

I was shooting close up and Macro. There times when auto focus doesn't work. I set up a target and made shots to set up the dioptre adjustment.

Rich

**steve.ledger** · 10 March 2013, 11:17 PM

AF depends a lot on the camera, the lens and whether it's using phase detect or contrast detect. Macro photography generally always needs manual focusing.
There was a time when all cameras were only manual focus

**ber61** · 11 March 2013, 07:27 AM

For macros I use the drive and manual focus usually get 2 or 3 great shots from a quick 5. I adjusted the diopter on my canon and I feel the pictures got a tad better, just push the lenses up and shoot.

**angelize** · 11 March 2013, 08:28 AM

I've adjusted the diopter for my eyes and I've been either pushing my glasses up or taking them off (they're mostly for reading and computer work and I have to push them up or take them off to see anything farther away than 2 or 3 feet) It sucks getting old

When my husband uses the camera he uses his glasses and the Live view (the LCD screen on the camera works like a monitor and when the live view is switched on the mirror is raised) He also uses the auto focus a lot.

**jon404** · 19 March 2013, 08:55 AM

Bothered by sun glare on the LCD screen, I bought a Hoodman 3.0 loupe, stuck it to the back of my Pentax K-01 with rubber cement, then put strips of gaffers tape around the edges, with some extra rubber cement between the tape and the hard-rubber loupe body. Put back my two rubber bands, and it's done. Easily removable in future, but for now I'm very happy. Easy to see -- the loupe has a diopter adjustment (I wear glasses; I'm nearsighted)... and... FINALLY... I can see without having to take my glasses off, or push my glasses down my nose to see the screen. And, it's easy now to follow moving trains and planes in bright sunlight!

**angelize** · 21 March 2013, 11:59 PM

What are the rubber bands for?

**steve.ledger** · 22 March 2013, 12:23 AM

Belts and braces

**jon404** · 22 March 2013, 08:12 AM

The rubber bands? Just cheap insurance -- I carry the camera around a lot, and it gets bumped around. They will always hold the Hoodman loupe in place if the tape and rubber cement fails. What sledger says is actually a good analogy -- like your pants might fit just fine, but you'll still wear a belt just in case.

The good news? So far, no problems. It works perfectly.