A question about my eyesight

[Kemo53]

I recently had cataracts removed from both eyes and am pleased as punch with everything EXCEPT my ability to focus the camera. The doctor thinks I'm nuts. I used to have the diopter on my D5100 set to minus 1. Since the removal I can't find any diopter setting to my liking and I've tried with glasses off ... Now 20/20 at distance .... And with glasses on.... now just a cheater pair bought at a local walgreens for fine print etc.

Photos seem fine and my tests with manual focus and autofocus point to negligible difference (none per the wife) but I'm convinced the viewfinder used to be clearer. Am I crazy ? Thanks for any ideas or comments

[Downrigger]

Seems strange. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by lack of clarity. I have had the same surgery as you and have not noticed this. I'm 20/20 with glasses and nearly that good without them. I wear my glasses for photography and haven't noticed a problem using my D600. I use an eyecup for the viewfinder to make the glasses less intrusive. If you are using glasses through the viewfinder now, but weren't before, maybe you should check out an eyecup. But I didn't go through the transition when I was doing photography so maybe I'm missing something and don't know it.
If you are wearing graduated lenses I can see how consistently looking through the same portion of the eyeglass lens would be critical, but as I understand your note, that may not be applicable in your case. I trust you are not using your cheaters to sight through the viewfinder.
Good luck with this.

[JR1]

Hate glassers refuse to wear them, I wear MONTHLY contacts, change once a month, sleep in them, 100% A1

[ajohnw]

A friend of mine had the same operation and has commented that they set one eye for distance and the other for close up. I'm not at all sure if this is correct but he commented that after a while his brain got used to it.

Where he initially had problems was using a microscope. Normally it's rather important to make sure that the eyes are focused into the distance when using one.

Pass I am not sure I believe him but as I understand it they do replace the lens and the shape of that does focus the eye.

John
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[skilsaw]

If you are not happy with photography because you can't focus perfectly, sell all your camera stuff and start making beer at home.
It is a very satisfying hobby and blurred vision is part of the experience.

[Stagecoach]

I recently had cataracts removed from both eyes and am pleased as punch with everything EXCEPT my ability to focus the camera. The doctor thinks I'm nuts. I used to have the diopter on my D5100 set to minus 1. Since the removal I can't find any diopter setting to my liking and I've tried with glasses off ... Now 20/20 at distance .... And with glasses on.... now just a cheater pair bought at a local walgreens for fine print etc.

Photos seem fine and my tests with manual focus and autofocus point to negligible difference (none per the wife) but I'm convinced the viewfinder used to be clearer. Am I crazy ? Thanks for any ideas or comments

Kevin,

I do not wear glasses when using the viewfinder on my D300 and recently purchased a Nikon Diopter Correction Eyepiece at a reasonable price as I was at the max adjustment of +2 for me. With the new correction eyepiece fitted I can set this to '0' for perfection.

These are available for the D5100 from what I can see and there's plenty of info for calculating which of the correction values are required.

The only annoying thing about the Nikon item is that it does not have the rubber outer edge as is on the cover that goes over the inbuilt lens so I'm holding on to fitting permanently until absolutely needed.

Grahame

[royphot]

Kevin,


The only annoying thing about the Nikon item is that it does not have the rubber outer edge as is on the cover that goes over the inbuilt lens so I'm holding on to fitting permanently until absolutely needed.

Grahame

That is an old quirk of Nikon. I bought Dioptre correction for the VF on my Nikon FE in the early 80s, and it had nasty ridged edges. These seemed to have been designed with the sole object of scratching the lens of my specs. I really don't understand why they didn't make the accessory lenses with the same rubber edge as the originals.

Roy