Which eye do you use?

[amateuraperture]

Growing up with point-n-shoots, I'm accustom to using my left eye for the viewfinder. Probably because point-n-shoots always locate the viewfinder on the left side of the camera. I'm new to DSLRs, and new to having a camera with the viewfinder located in the middle of the camera. So which eye do you use?

 

[Blitz55]

I think there is a whole thread and poll for this that was posted today.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/232136-eye-thread.html

Right eye.

 

[reznap]

Growing up with point-n-shoots, I'm accustom to using my left eye for the viewfinder. Probably because point-n-shoots always locate the viewfinder on the left side of the camera. I'm new to DSLRs, and new to having a camera with the viewfinder located in the middle of the camera. So which eye do you use?

There is actually already a thread on the front page about this. It has more to do with eye dominance imo.

To find out which eye is more dominant, hold both of your hands together out stretched in front of you but with a little space in between (like a window). Look through it with both eyes and frame a doorknob, or something small. Now close one eye, or the other. If you close your left eye, but you still see the doorknob, you're right eye dominant, or vice versa.

The rangefinder/viewfinder being on the edge of the left side of the camera is actually a good thing if you're using your right eye. It lets you see the scene better with your other eye, unobstructed. This makes these cameras great for street shooting and when you don't want to cover your whole face with a camera. Just my .02 $

 

[amateuraperture]

Grape minds think purple... Sorry about reposting.

 

[Overread]

Each person tends to have a dominant eye, which is most often the opposite eye to your dominant hand. You can easily test which eye is your dominant by holding up your finger infront of your face. Now roughly line your finger up with something in the distance whilst holding both eyes open. Then close one eye, if your finger appears to remain still in relation to the thing you lined it up with then that eye is dominant - however if your finger appears to move out of line with the object then the eye is not so dominant.

Myself I am right eye dominant (left handed as well) however I generally use my left eye for the camera. It partly feels more natural to me to hold the camera in this way and I can't easily handhold a DSLR and big lens and use my right eye. Downside to this is that the right eye can't see anything at all (save the back of the camera) whilst if you use your right eye you can leave your left open and learn to focus on two things at once (or more correctly flick between the viewfinder and the wider angle view of your left eye).

I do sometimes use this method however when the camera is tripod mounted and taking all the weight and I'm just in the steering mode.

 

[jizwood125]

right eye

 

[ASA1]

There really isn't any correlation between hand and eye dominance, but it sure make shooting and throwing sports a lot easier when both are on the same side.