Which eye do you use?

[TeT]

"my inner eye"



Normally right, unless I am tracking something off camera as well....

 

[sagittariansrock]

Do you use your dominant eye when composing through the viewfinder or do you force yourself to use your non-dominant eye in order to try to stimulate the other half of your brain?

Sorry, but that's not how it works. The left side of visual space is represented on the right side of the brain (and vice versa), so each eye projects to both hemispheres of the brain.

Ok, it feels weird explaining this to you, but there is something as eyed-ness or ocular dominance (not to be confused with Ocular dominance columns, for others reading this post) (see Porac and Coren, 1976). You can easily test it out by holding a pencil vertically in front of you and having something on the background matching its position. When you close one eye, you see the background shift in reference to the pencil but not so for the other eye. The latter is said to be your dominant eye. Some people don't have this preference.

 

[mackguyver]

I am right eye dominant and right handed.

That sounds pretty weird compared to the rest of us

 

[Click]

Am I right?

;D

 

[dhr90]

I've never even seen someone shoot with their left eye. Although I don't tend to look that closely. Seems a bit almost unnatural to me. Doesn't it squash your nose somewhat?

As to the to question, right handed and use my right eye. Although I do use right or left eye only at times if inspecting certain parts at work, but I'm trying to get out of that habit as it was causing me grief after doing it.

 

[kaswindell]

I always thought I was odd because I am left eyed/right handed. Now I know that isn't the reason I'm odd.

 

[MARKOE PHOTOE]

Left eye to the viewfinder. Left-handed for most things, right handed at most sports. Thankful to all still working in sync. :

 

[dkaiser]

I am right eye dominant and right handed.

That sounds pretty weird compared to the rest of us

So I'm weird too? I'm also right handed and my right eye is the dominant one. Therefore I use my right eye to look through the viewfinder.
Another reason is that I like to close the eye which I'm not using which I only can in this combination (right eye open, left eye closed). Maybe if this also worked the other way round I could try to use my left eye more often

 

[Besisika]

Right hand, right eye. I shoot with both eyes opened at all focal lengths. Sometimes feel weird on longer focal length. I never even tried to shoot with left eye, don't recall.

 

[bdeutsch]

I am strongly right-handed and right-eye dominant, and shoot with my right eye. If I'm trying to get good balance, my left foot is always forward.

Deutsch Photography LLC: NYC Wedding Photographer | Actor and Corporate Headshots NYC | Family and Baby Portraits

 

[CaptainZero]

Do you use your dominant eye when composing through the viewfinder or do you force yourself to use your non-dominant eye in order to try to stimulate the other half of your brain?

Sorry, but that's not how it works. The left side of visual space is represented on the right side of the brain (and vice versa), so each eye projects to both hemispheres of the brain.

Ok, it feels weird explaining this to you, but there is something as eyed-ness or ocular dominance (not to be confused with Ocular dominance columns, for others reading this post) (see Porac and Coren, 1976). You can easily test it out by holding a pencil vertically in front of you and having something on the background matching its position. When you close one eye, you see the background shift in reference to the pencil but not so for the other eye. The latter is said to be your dominant eye. Some people don't have this preference.

I find this whole topic interesting. I would have never thought someone would use their left eye because then your face gets in the way of all the controls. At least mine does. Seems like more people do that than the right eye.

I tried this test, and when I hold it up and look at the pen, I see two things in the background to look at. If I look at the background, I see two pens in the foreground. Seems to not matter for me.

 

[Zv]

I use my right eye as it was how I learned to hold the camera - grip it in your right hand with left hand under the lens and look through the viewfinder with your right eye.

I tried teaching my girlfriend the same technique but she said it felt weird and she preferred her left eye! At first I was like "no no no no! You have to use your right eye!" To which she replied "why?" I mumbled something about proper technique and being able to see your subject fully with the left eye while looking through the viewfinder.

Hmmm good to see that there are other left eye users out there. This will make her happy!

 

[LesC]

I've always used my left eye as due to an accident when I was young, the sight in my right eye is much poorer even with glasses/contact lenses.

Very surprised to see the scores dead level at the moment - always considered that as a left eye user I'd be in a very small minority!

 

[tphillips63]

My left eye, even when I did not know it was my dominant eye.

 

[V8Beast]

I'm right-handed. I have astigmatism on my right eye that hasn't entirely been correctied through contact lenses. so the vision out of my left eye is superior. However, shooting with my left eye feels so awkward that I always shoot with my right eye. Maybe all my camera lenses are out of focus just enough to compensate for my slightly compromised vision out of my right eye ;D

 

[Triggyman]

Formerly left eyed, but one day I started using the right eyes for kicks, then it became my new habit.

 

[GammyKnee]

I'm right-eye dominant and use this exclusively when looking through the VF. In fact I'm pretty much right-side dominant with everything (even hearing 'cos my left has tinnitus!), although just to be awkward I write with my left hand.

 

[surapon]

Do you know what your dominant eye is? Do you use your dominant eye when composing through the viewfinder or do you force yourself to use your non-dominant eye in order to try to stimulate the other half of your brain?

Dear Friend , Mr. StudentOfLight .
Well, I use both eyes open and see ( I am Right hand User), I use the right eye see at the viewfinder fro make sure that the AF spot on the right target, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING = The Left eye on the Most beautiful lady , who just walk pass me, And I will take only 1 mili-second , move the camera, point the right eye and viewfinder to her best spot and press the shutter.
Yes, In the past when I were young, I was the Marksman/ Sharpshooter in my University Team, And I have learn from my Great Teacher ( The Army Sniper) that, When we Aim the target, OPEN BOTH EYES---Never Close one eye, and that make the open eye see the distortion view( Because the squeeze muscle on the closed eye), and we will miss the target.
YES, In another IDEA, Open both eyes for difference functions, and We ( Young man like us, Yes, I am 66 years young) will never miss the beautiful target---Ha, Ha, Ha.
Have a great night, Sir.
Surapon

 

[sagittariansrock]

LOL, Surapon! This post once again justifies Rusty's signature line' "Yes, but what would Surapon say?" ;D ;D ;D
It is a funny post which nevertheless accurately describes the science behind it. You are a genius, sir!

I am also right eye dominant. However, I use my right eye in the VF because (1) it keeps my nose away from the LCD screen but more importantly (2) it allows me to keep my left eye open and help compose. I was trained to use both eyes in a scope from using old-style microscopes in medical school. Also, as Surapon said your vision is affected if you keep an eye closed, which is why during eye testing at the optometrists the non-tested eye is kept open but shielded.

CaptainZero:
The test is not quite what you did. You need to keep looking at the pencil- it helps if the background is close enough so it is reasonably well in focus. For example, line up a point on your computer screen with the pencil, and look at the pencil with both eyes open. Make sure the pencil isn't too close to the screen or else the effect will be too negligible to notice. Let's say pencil at 25 cms, and the screen at 3 feet. For right eye dominant people, the point on the background and the pencil are still lined up when you close your left eye, but when you close your right eye the background seems to shift to the left. It is still possible you are in the minority without a preference for either eye.

I am right eye dominant and right handed.

That sounds pretty weird compared to the rest of us

So I'm weird too? I'm also right handed and my right eye is the dominant one. Therefore I use my right eye to look through the viewfinder.
Another reason is that I like to close the eye which I'm not using which I only can in this combination (right eye open, left eye closed). Maybe if this also worked the other way round I could try to use my left eye more often

I believe right eye dominance is much more common that left eye dominance. This trait is completely independent of right or left handedness (and here too, right handedness is much more common). Therefore, as a combination of independently sorted traits, right eye-right hand dominance is more common, although in lesser frequency.

 

[Hjalmarg1]

Do you know what your dominant eye is? Do you use your dominant eye when composing through the viewfinder or do you force yourself to use your non-dominant eye in order to try to stimulate the other half of your brain?

Dear Friend , Mr. StudentOfLight .
Well, I use both eyes open and see ( I am Right hand User), I use the right eye see at the viewfinder fro make sure that the AF spot on the right target, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING = The Left eye on the Most beautiful lady , who just walk pass me, And I will take only 1 mili-second , move the camera, point the right eye and viewfinder to her best spot and press the shutter.
Yes, In the past when I were young, I was the Marksman/ Sharpshooter in my University Team, And I have learn from my Great Teacher ( The Army Sniper) that, When we Aim the target, OPEN BOTH EYES---Never Close one eye, and that make the open eye see the distortion view( Because the squeeze muscle on the closed eye), and we will miss the target.
YES, In another IDEA, Open both eyes for difference functions, and We ( Young man like us, Yes, I am 66 years young) will never miss the beautiful target---Ha, Ha, Ha.
Have a great night, Sir.
Surapon

Very good statement Surapon! I also use my right eye 100% when looking through the viewfinder. Yes, we can use the left one to see the entire sorroundings.