Magnifying Eyepiece

[Melkus]

Just checking to see if anyone has used one of these or is using one if so how well dose it work. Because my eyes are not like they was 20 years ago I have problems seeing things clearly when looking though my viewfinder and I can't wear my glasses when doing so. Was reading up on this and was thinking it might help me.

[Mike Buckley]

I can't recommend the Hoodman Loupe highly enough. I would leave home without my American Express card, but not my Hoodman Loupe.

[Colin Southern]

+1 to the Hoodman Loupe.

Keeping in mind though that most camera manufacturers make additional adjustable viewfinder eye pieces available (at a cost) - so that if you can't get enough adjustment out of the standard one that came with you camera, you should be able to buy one that will do the job.

The Loupe also adjusts over only a certain range.

[AB26]

Think the Hoodman Loupe is an attachment that fits to the LCD screen. The Zacuto Z finder seems to be in the same category as the Hoodman Loupe.
I think you have the same problem Paul, most of us with glasses, and even worse, multi-focal glasses have. There where you need to see in the viewfinder is exactly where the rim of the glasses would be. I often shoot without my glasses but then I cannot read the top LCD screen on my camera. In a way it is a good thing, you learn to make adjustments without looking. Problem is when the Alzheimer's start setting in and you can no longer remember exactly how many turns to the left or right.

I would also like to know if there is an attachment that can be fitted to the viewfinder, and not the LCD screen, that will alleviate this problem of a nose stuck against the rear screen trying to see what is going on in the viewfinder. Will an eyepiece extender work - like those made by Canon and Nikon?

[Colin Southern]

Think the Hoodman Loupe is an attachment that fits to the LCD screen.

Not exactly - you can hold it up to the screen - or iphone - or LCD on top of the camera, but it doesn't fit to the screen per se, unless you use the optional mounting frame.

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/

I think you have the same problem Paul, most of us with glasses, and even worse, multi-focal glasses have. There where you need to see in the viewfinder is exactly where the rim of the glasses would be. I often shoot without my glasses but then I cannot read the top LCD screen on my camera. In a way it is a good thing, you learn to make adjustments without looking. Problem is when the Alzheimer's start setting in and you can no longer remember exactly how many turns to the left or right.

I'm in the same boat. Glasses on - glasses off - glasses on - glasses off.

One solutiuon is ...

http://www.hoodmanusa.com/products.asp?dept=1067

I would also like to know if there is an attachment that can be fitted to the viewfinder, and not the LCD screen, that will alleviate this problem of a nose stuck against the rear screen trying to see what is going on in the viewfinder. Will an eyepiece extender work - like those made by Canon and Nikon?

Just shoot with your left eye.

[jcuknz]

Surely Melkus is after something to improve his viewing through the optical viewfinder??? The Hoodman would be completely useless for this. My experience leads me to be suspicious of a loupe for looking at live view or LCD review in that mine showed me the pixels rather than the image until I put it slightly out of focus ... though admittedly it was on a 3.3Mp camera

Didn't Colin post a link to flip-up glasses that might be suitable for those who cannot read info when shooting without glasses?

One day when working in persistent drizzle I gave my glasses away and adjusted the dioptre to suit my eye rather than the glasses I wore in fine weather.

I had a right angle finder for my Pentax, it fits my Canon when you remove the rubber surround, still have it, but I found it quite useless though others give them rave reviews That was when I wore glasses.

I am left eyed and I'm sure that cameras are largely designed for us lefties Though it is very hard, nay impossible, to work controls on the back of the camera down at cheek level like the rocker. The Leica and other similar cameras of lesser standing are wonderful for the leftie in portrait mode.

[Colin Southern]

Surely Melkus is after something to improve his viewing through the optical viewfinder??? The Hoodman would be completely useless for this.

Re-reading the original post, I think you might be right -- not 100% sure though. My Canon angle-finder does offer a 2x magnification, but at the expense of FoV.

My experience leads me to be suspicious of a loupe for looking at live view or LCD review in that mine showed me the pixels rather than the image until I put it slightly out of focus ... though admittedly it was on a 3.3Mp camera

All I can say is the Hoodnam Loupe offers a GLORIOUS view of the review screen - it's really quite lovely. Highly recommended. I haven't had it long and now it's the first thing I hang around my neck at the start of a shoot.

Didn't Colin post a link to flip-up glasses that might be suitable for those who cannot read info when shooting without glasses?

Yep - directly above your post

One day when working in persistent drizzle I gave my glasses away and adjusted the dioptre to suit my eye rather than the glasses I wore in fine weather.

That's what I've found works best. Although I can adjust the diopter so that I can see clearly with glasses, the increased distance means I can't see the entire viewfinder without repositioning my head to do it. In reality - for me anyway - it's not a problem to adjust the eyepiece so that I can see clearly without my glasses; the problem is then seeing the camera controls without the glasses (although the hoodman does make that very easy to see, aside from the fact that I feel like "Mr Magoo" when I do it.

Best solution I've found so far is to just stick my glasses on my head when composing.

[Melkus]

Yes I think there was a miss understanding here I have no problem seeing the LCD since I can always put my reading glasses on but not so when looking though the OVF. Here what I was looking at. This also helps with "nose stuck against the rear screen" I hate.

http://www.dealaboo.com/usa/Nikon-DK...FRR7nAodskkAuA

[Prowler]

Hi Paul, I have Nikon gear and use the Nikon DG-2 (2X magnifier).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...op+Nav-Search=
I use it especially for macro work and if I want to shoot film I use it to align the split Image fresnel focus spot (on manual camera).
Eddie

[rpcrowe]

A member of my camera club was wearing a set of Hoodman Flip Glasses and I really like the idea. HOWEVER, his lenses did not stay flipped up while he moved. He mentioned that Hoodman had corrected the problem and that the lenses of later issue Flip Glasses stay put when they are flipped up. That would certainly be the way I would want the glasses to function.

[jcuknz]

Yep - directly above your post

The link I am refering to is for flip-up glasses which you posted a week or so ago Unless I mis-understood what you were linking to back then.

EDIT .. now read Richards comments which suggests I missed seeing them at the Hoodman site.

[HMW12]

I have one on my Pentax k-r. Is it an improvement - yes. But not a spectacular one. I generally wear contact lenses and am at the stage where I am borderline bifocal. I will often wear reading glasses with my contacts if the print is small. So for me the improved magnification of the camera settings within the viewfinder is helpful. And it does put a little distance between your nose and the LCD. Mine is only a 17% increaase so nothing spectacular but every little bit helps.

[xpatUSA]

By chance, I found a small lens (from a lens mount adapter) that was just right for table-top work with my D50. So I magic-taped it to the viewfinder. Then I bought a Sigma SD10 for the table-top work and it had just enough diopter adjustment for my myopic eyes :-)

Helen, I remember the fateful day I went and got my newer prescription (-5 diopter) contacts only to discover I couldn't then read small print. Shortly thereafter, I threw the contacts away . . .

[Manfred M]

The larger viewfinder was one of the main reasons that I went to a full-frame camera. As someone who has worn glasses most of his life and started into photography shortly after getting glasses, I fully understand the shooting with glasses issue; I've been doing so for over 45 years. I find that if I am lucky, I can see perhaps 80% of the viewfinder with glasses on on my crop-frame D90, but almost 100% with my D800. With most of my shooting, I get away simply by using the built-in diopter adjustments in the camera to counter the correction in my glasses. I've been using varifocal glasses for about 15 years, so I certainly understand problems in seeing the camera controls part.

In my case a magnifying loop or similar device is less useful because of astigmatism. I've always been nearsighted but the astigmatism correction is stronger than the distance vision correction.

If I do serious shooting, I always have a strap for my glasses in my camera case, so I attached these to the the temple tips and let the glasses hang on my chest. Having glasses up on my forehead makes me very nervous, because they are so easy to dislodge. I think this comes from scuba diving, as one of the first things that novice divers are taught is to not have their mask up on their forehead, but rather dangling from the neck to reduce the chance of losing them. I readjust the camera's diopter adjustment to shoot without glasses and shoot away, and only put on my glasses occasionally to check out the composition and exposure.

[rpcrowe]

I am trying to remember where I saw this but, I believe that there is a way to mount a prescription lens in or on the viewfinder of a Canon SLR.