Should you shoot left or right eye?

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DavidT

DavidT

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I noticed in a thread it was mentioned that those who shoot with their left eye aren't having the issue with the a1 EVF.

I also noticed in a video today by Billie Weiss the Red Sox director of photography that he shoots with his left eye. Moose Peterson does as well. What I don't know is if they are right or left handed and if they are right or left eye dominant.

I am right handed and right eye dominant but when shooting vertical I naturally use my left eye.

Anyone know any science behind if it matters if you shoot with your dominant eye?

PS I do shoot with both eyes open. I learned this with firearms, you are at a major disadvantage if you shoot with one eye closed. I find the same in photography.
 
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I don't know of any science but I'm right handed and shoot with my left eye to the viewfinder and like you say I keep both eyes open which really helps to see things outside the camera frame.
 
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There’s a ton of articles/information out there for shooting firearms. Particularly with a scope, I would think it’s relevant. A lot of articles on cross eye dominance which would be my case - right handed, but left eye dominant. From my experience, left eye to the view finder with right hand on the camera works well. I only have to deal with my nose sometimes activating controls. Both eyes open, while desirable, is more difficult for me.
 
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I'm really backward. I am left handed but right eye dominant. I shoot a rifle and handgun right handed. I swing a golf club right handed and a baseball bat both ways. I play guitar and banjo right handed. I shoot my camera with my left eye to the viewfinder.

The only problem I have shooting with my left eye to the viewfinder is I tend to smudge the right lens of my glasses when I'm pressing the back button focus button (AE/L button). I know, I all messed up. :)
Jefff
 
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I'm right handed and left eye dominate. When I first started shooting a camera I was using my left eye. But I found after about a year, I switched and now I'm shooting with my right eye to the viewfinder but have both eyes open (learned from shooting firearms as well).
 
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It all started out with those scissors in the first grade. Being a lefty, I always thought a left handed camera would be cool. Like so many other things though, not going to happen.
 
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Right-handed and left eye dominant. My nose gets in the way and often moves the focus points around via the joystick when I don't want it to! Annoying and I sometimes have to lock it to stop it doing this. Then, of course, I forget it is locked and swear at the camera when I can't move the focus points around!

I don't think we have much choice in this and these days, it is mostly a minor irritation to be left eye dominant. In the film days, it was more of a handicap because with a 35mm camera, you had to lift the camera away from your face to wind on after every frame was shot. Unless you were rich enough to have a motor drive of course!
 
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You need to use your dominate eye, if you use the eye that is not dominate and keep both eyes open you will not be able to make out what you are seeing in the viewfinder. Quick experiment, hold both arms out and form a circle with your fingers. With both eyes open look at something across the room, close one eye, if what you see is the same the open eye is your dominate eye. If you close the dominate eye you will be looking at something else. The same happens with the viewfinder your brain sees what the dominate eye sees.
 
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Hmmmm... Usually what I see through the viewfinder is different to what I see with the other (naked) eye (e.g. because of the different focal lengths).
If I use my left eye probably my right hand is blocking the right eye.
In many cameras it is already the camera itself that blocks the free eye.
FWIW My dominant is the right one but I can take pictures with the left one whithout problem, when needed.
 
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Viseguy said:
Use your dominant eye. To find it, make an OK sign with your hand, and focus on something in the "O" at arms length, now move your hand to your head while maintaining focus, your hand will go to your dominant eye.
Click to expand...

I tried this. My right hand went to my right eye and my left hand went to my left eye. I guess I'm ambiguous. LOL

I've always shot with my right eye. I'm right handed but Mom said I was born left handed and my grandmother followed me around and forced me to change because "the left hand is the devil's hand". Don't know if I should be grateful or not?!
 
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jeffnles1 said:
I'm really backward. I am left handed but right eye dominant. I shoot a rifle and handgun right handed. I swing a golf club right handed and a baseball bat both ways. I play guitar and banjo right handed. I shoot my camera with my left eye to the viewfinder.

The only problem I have shooting with my left eye to the viewfinder is I tend to smudge the right lens of my glasses when I'm pressing the back button focus button (AE/L button). I know, I all messed up. :)
Jefff
Click to expand...
I'm your mirror-opposite doppelgänger!
I'm strongly right handed, left eye dominant. I shoot a rifle etc., right handed, BUT shoot a bow or a slingshot left handed.
 
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Viseguy said:
Use your dominant eye. To find it, make an OK sign with your hand, and focus on something in the "O" at arms length, now move your hand to your head while maintaining focus, your hand will go to your dominant eye.
Click to expand...
Backdoor Arts said:
I tried this. My right hand went to my right eye and my left hand went to my left eye. I guess I'm ambiguous. LOL

I've always shot with my right eye. I'm right handed but Mom said I was born left handed and my grandmother followed me around and forced me to change because "the left hand is the devil's hand". Don't know if I should be grateful or not?!
Click to expand...

So this was fun. I'm right handed, have always shot with my right eye (is this just habit?) but tried with both hands and each one comes more naturally to my right eye. I do shoot with both eyes open as much as possible but my acuity is stronger in the right eye.
 
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I shoot with my right eye. I have a situation that is a bit unique but not all that uncommon...my right eye sees cool shades of color while my left eye sees them warm.
 
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