TXYank Loc: Granbury, TX

After two years of planning, I was all set to photograph the total solar eclipse. I bought a Canon 80D and a Tamron 150-600mm lens for the occasion. I ordered solar filter material from Thousand Oaks about six months ago and had enough material to make a filter to cover my lens and make my own filter "glasses," because I thought the store-bought ones were a little flimsy. I practiced using the filter and Tamron for several weeks and researched aperture and shutter speeds for the various stages. Six other family members joined me in Rexburg, Idaho and we were all set up for a wonderful experience. I was very pleased with the resulting photographs.

In addition to my 80D, I brought along my older 70D outfitted with a nifty-fifty lens so that I could take candid photos of the family during the event. Unfortunately, when I viewed everyone through the 70D + 50mm, all I saw was a blurry image. After several attempts, I could not see clearly through the viewfinder. When I looked at the images on the screen, they looked fine. I reached the "oh, well" moment and abandoned this part of the experience as I wanted to concentrate on the eclipse itself.

It wasn't until the next day that I figured out my problem. I hadn't used my 70D in quite some time. In the interim, I had cataract surgery on both eyes which restored my vision to 20/35 in both eyes. I never changed the diopter setting on my 70D to match my new "eyeballs."

I will be sure to check that in preparation for 2024!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Live and learn. You're better off with "new eyes," and you can try again in a few years. Actually, there's an eclipse about every eighteen months, if you're willing to travel.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html

one shot Loc: Pisgah Forest NC

Thank you so much for this post. I never thought about diopter settings either after I got my wonderful new eyes. Ain't it great!

TXYank Loc: Granbury, TX

Yes, live and learn. By the time 2024 gets here, I will be knocking on the door of 80. As it will come though the Dallas area, I will plan to photograph it from my backyard with my new Canon 100D.

TXYank Loc: Granbury, TX

Yes, I am equally pleased with my new "eyeballs." Glad yours have worked out for you.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

It's all good, the eclipse photos all look the same for any "phase" of it anyway, just pretend any you get in 2024 were from 2017. Whose to know?

Ranjan Loc: Currently Cyber-Nation!

That is rather intriguing. I am a moderately high myopic person (~-6 D) and use progressive corrective lenses to compensate for presbyopia. I have used DSLRs, mirrorless as well as reasonably high end compacts and find that the diopter settings (typically +/-3 D ranges) do not make much of a difference in the viewfinder images including the viewfinder markings and indicators (even when using MF).

It must be because of the fact that my cilliary muscle is still able to change the focal length of the internal lens to compensate. After cataract removal, since the variable focal length, limited though it is, internal lens is gone, the dioptre adjustment becomes more critical.

blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

Well it seems that the post went to cataract surgery. So I will also comment. Both my wife and I had both eyes done. we are doing well after the surgery. I went back to 20/20 vision and after several years I am now at 20/30 with a little hardening in the left eye which we are keep and eye on, pun intended. What I noticed the most was not only the focus was better, the color was improved. As we only did one eye at the time, I went out in the yard and looked at the sky and covered each eye to see the difference, the "new" eye had beautiful blue sky with white clouds, they eye to be next in surgery had a greenish hue to it and I am happy to say that now both eyes are not only cataract free but also color corrected, kinda like photoshop for the eyes...

Still need those pesky readers for up close...

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

You have no idea how many times l have picked up a camera at work and found that the person before me had been "focusing" using the diopter knob. There are a few times l have shot people's photographs for them rather than them doing their own selfies and asked if they minded if l changed their diopter and got the response of what is a diopter. And some were very thankful l "cured" what was ailing their camera.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I, too, have had cataract surgery. However, the new "lenses" are fixed and not really focused at infinity. Furthermore they can't close focus for reading, etc. Consequently I wear progressive lens eyeglasses. I find it unacceptable to use the diopter control on the viewfinder and not wear glasses because I can't then see the screen or controls clearly. With glasses I can see through the viewfinder at 0 and the screen and controls, or anything in between. That way I'll never run into the diopter mis-correction problem.

Smudgey Loc: Ohio, Calif, Now Arizona

I sold cameras and taught basic photography for many years, and with out a doubt one of the biggest reasons that people would try to return DSLRs was the same problem - pictures sharp - view finder fuzzy. It was an easy fix. Your reason was understandable, your eye surgery, thear reason was not reading the instruction book, and just assuming that the camera was defective, when it was the user that was defective.

Pilot

I can only hope you're right about that new Canon 100D!

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I, too, had double cataract surgery this year and I have not regretted it for one nanosecond! It (vision) just gets better!

RodM Loc: SE Virginia

On a recent trip to Peru, I met a physicist who travels the world photographing solar eclipses. After listening to him and reading lots of posts on the HOG (one in particular) I decided to take in the experience with solar glass and I left my camera and 600mm Tamron in the car. I knew there would be lots of great images on the internet soon. What I knew from listening and reading is that I would need to focus on infinity ahead of time, use manual everything, and bracket like crazy. Loved the eclipse with family, worth the drive to the next state and the traffic.