Gregger Loc: Phoenix area

I have three cameras and am diabetic (PZ70, PZ400, Pen-5. I had an optometrist appt. last week and was told my eyes are fine. No diabeties in my eyes. I took each of my cameras and all three were not sharp looking through the view finder. Better using the screen. I took my blood sugar and it was 183. Right now the doctors are more concerned about my putting on weight rather than taking insulin or any more medication. So it is usually high though out the day. I know high bs reading can cause blurriness. But, I don't seem to have blurriness when watching tv or reading. So I am in a quandary. I use the diopter dial and it doesn't make my photos extremely sharp. I know I am unusual in the fact I am not overweight rather underweight. Honestly I am 135 and would just as soon stay this at the weight. Maybe to up to 140 would be fine. Does anyone of the members have problems with taking photos from time to time. Thank you for advice or reply.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm not familiar with the cameras you listed, but most view finders have a fine tune adjustment to correct for your vision. Check your manuals for viewfinder focusing, or something along those lines. Or, wait a bit and someone familiar with those cameras will post a solution.

Best to you on your health issues.
--Bob
quote=Gregger]I have three cameras and am diabetic (PZ70, PZ400, Pen-5. I had an optometrist appt. last week and was told my eyes are fine. No diabeties in my eyes. I took each of my cameras and all three were not sharp looking through the view finder. Better using the screen. I took my blood sugar and it was 183. Right now the doctors are more concerned about my putting on weight rather than taking insulin or any more medication. So it is usually high though out the day. I know high bs reading can cause blurriness. But, I don't seem to have blurriness when watching tv or reading. So I am in a quandary. I use the diopter dial and it doesn't make my photos extremely sharp. I know I am unusual in the fact I am not overweight rather underweight. Honestly I am 135 and would just as soon stay this at the weight. Maybe to up to 140 would be fine. Does anyone of the members have problems with taking photos from time to time. Thank you for advice or reply.[/quote]

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

Do you wear bifocals, if you do some times it can cause a problem if you are looking through the wrong part of of your lens. I have a problem when I shoot at a high angle, especially the moon or the other day the eclipse. If you have your diapolar adjusted properly that can be your problem.

JR45 Loc: Montgomery County, TX

I am also diabetic and have some vision problems. It may be a good idea to see an eye
doctor that specializes in diabetic retinopathy. It also helps to get the A1c to 6.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

The image in the viewfinder is affected by the dioptre - but the focus of the photograph is not altered by the dioptre. using the viewfinder puts the image close to your eye whereas using the LED adds a certain distance. most people have a 'usable' distance for fine print - which gets further away for some of us,. see an optician rather than your doctor.

Your eye test is at a short distance (photography wise) so how far are you deciding to look when adjusting the dioptre. you simply need to be able to put your focus point where you want it. Unless you are using manual focus - switch to auto focus,,,,,

check out Depth of Field.....using the wrong f stop can cause 'less sharp images'. as can focusing on the 'wrong' bit of what you see.

Personally I would look at getting a thorough eye examination before blaming the cameras, if that proves ok look at technique.....

hope you find a solution.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

The image in the viewfinder is affected by the dioptre - but the focus of the photograph is not altered by the dioptre. using the viewfinder puts the image close to your eye whereas using the LED adds a certain distance. most people have a 'usable' distance for fine print - which gets further away for some of us,. see an optician rather than your doctor.

Your eye test is at a short distance (photography wise) so how far are you deciding to look when adjusting the dioptre. you simply need to be able to put your focus point where you want it. Unless you are using manual focus - switch to auto focus,,,,,

check out Depth of Field.....using the wrong f stop can cause 'less sharp images'. as can focusing on the 'wrong' bit of what you see.

Personally I would look at getting a thorough eye examination before blaming the cameras, if that proves ok look at technique.....

hope you find a solution.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

What is your A1C? (You should have it checked regularly) It's not unusual to have an occasional glucose reading of 183 or even 200. You should be testing at least twice a day....once before breakfast and once before dinner about 6 p.m. An optional third time would be before bedtime. Other important labs to know are your creatinine and your GFR.

Exercise during the day will also help to bring your glucose numbers down.

It would really take glucose much higher than 183 to blur your vision....like consistently high 200's or 300.

Note: One food that you should eliminate from your diet in any form is white potatoes. Yep. No more potato chips or mashed potatoes. Stay away from saltines and other high carb snacks as well. If you have not been to a dietician, do so. They will give you a chart showing how many carbs you are allowed at each meal. Stick to it.

fireorgan

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1991, although I think I had it prior to that time. At one time, I was a professional News Photographer, prior to diabetes. After that, I'm just an advanced amateur. I have had a succession of Miranda, Pentax and (currently) Canon cameras. I am on numerous pills and insulin, have had cataract surgery and lens implants. In other words, going to hell in a waste basket. My sugar is more or less under control. OK, enough of the old geezer discussion, out of the way. I have had minimal problem with sharpness and clarity through the view finder. I prefer the view finder to the screen. I have been able to correct mine with the diopter in the view finder, both before and after the implants. Prior to the implants, I was extremely near sighted, ie 20/2000 in one eye and 20/2500 In the other, practically blind. I am one month away from 79. I suspect that your difficulty might be from astigmatism, which is unevenness in the curvature of the eyeball. That's just my opinion, not a diagnosis. I wish you well, and as Rick Steves says, (altered) "Keep On Shooting". A footnote, contact lenses go a long way in correcting astigmatism.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

I have Type II diabetes. I have no damage to my optic nerve from the diabetes, so in that sense my vision is fine. However I do have cataracts and that does affect my vision, so I rely on AF to get my photos sharp. My cataracts will be removed sometime in the next year or so, and I'm looking forward to better vision as a result.
Good luck.

blackest Loc: Ireland

[/quote]

For the viewfinder you need to adjust the dioptre for things in the viewfinder e.g shutter speed f-stop not the scene through the viewfinder. Then you should be ok. You're not looking at the scene really but the projection at the viewfinder. Where i have issues is the lcd screen on the back i need glasses or a magnifying glass to view that in focus, but it's just my eye behind the viewfinder.

jmvaugh Loc: Albuquerque

I'm a Type I diabetic for 52 years so I'm just offering a few suggestions.

When you saw the ophthalmologist, how did your vision check out before your eyes were dilated? Do you wear glasses normally? No diabetic retinopathy so far is a fabulous thing but keeping a bg reading of 180 or more most of the time isn't good for your internal organs.

Speak to your endocrinologist or whichever doctor takes care of your diabetes and tell them about the blurriness you see and take a meter reading and track it in your log book. See if fine print seems blurry at the same time. Track the blurriness with your blood sugar and also see if it just the viewfinder or if fine print is also affected.

You can change the diopter settings on many viewfinders but IMHO it sounds like you might have some more serious health issues going on.

I wish you the best - please take care of health.

Gregger Loc: Phoenix area

[/quote]

Bob, I wear progressive lenses. They are similar to trifocals. A number of years ago I had glasses just for taking photos. Now they are don't seem to work correctly. So I totally use my progressive lenses. I haven't taken any photos since the heat and I usually sit out in my back yard looking for birds when the weather is cooler. I used to go up to Sedona, Prescott, but now I walk down the street in our subdivision taking photos. Bob, can a not so sharp photo be made to be sharp using a editing program such as Lightroom or Photoshop? Oh, those cameras are Panasonic FZ70, FZ400, then a Olympus Pen- EP5.Greg

Gregger Loc: Phoenix area

Hi Old Timer,
Adjusting the dipolar doesn't seem to help. One minute it does then later it is out of focus. I just saw my Optometrist last week. She told me eyes were in good shape. My last A1C was 7.2 last month. I have had this for twenty five years. I sure am having a problem putting on weight. My cardiologist told me going on insulin will put weight on me. But now that they are wanting me to gain weight and not worry about my readings. I exercise an hour every afternoon. This brings it down most of the time. Last night it was over 200 at lunch and 124 at supper. I've been told everyone is different. I eat nuts, avocados, low carb, tying to gain weight, but don't seem to be gaining weight. Honestly I don't want to gain. Maybe ten pounds, but if I go on insulin I guess one really gains the weight. I know nothing about using insulin. I suppose I will learn.

Gregger Loc: Phoenix area

Thanks Steve! What you stated about my reading would have to be higher than 200 to cause vision problems tells me it is not my eyes. I thought maybe it was. I thought maybe high blood sugar would cause the blurriness. You have ruled that out for me. It seems I will be focused, reading to shoot, the suddenly what I am focusing on isn't as sharp as it was. I thought it might have something to do with the blood flowing though the vessels in my eye. I just had a Optometrist examination I believe two weeks ago. She told me everything was fine. Thanks so much for letting me know about the readings would not be the cause.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

You don't get diabetes in your eyes... what you get is complications in your eyes as a result of uncontrolled diabetes and high blood sugars. You mentioned a reading in the 180's. What does that mean in relationship to your day? if it is a reading in the morning after fasting overnight... that's higher than the 80-130mg norm. But if it's an hour after eating a meal, that's good. Are you type 1 or 2 diabetic or are you considered pre-diabetic?