Unused eye open or closed? This is as old as the existence of eye-level viewfinders. Should the eye that is NOT at the viewfinder be kept open, or closed? I have read that the unused...

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

This is as old as the existence of eye-level viewfinders.

Should the eye that is NOT at the viewfinder be kept open, or closed?

I have read that the unused eye should be kept open (forgetting the reason), and it seems my mind over many years has trained itself to ignore what the unused open eye is seeing. Fine.

But now that I find myself having to change which eye I view through (vision problem), I'm wondering if I should just close the now-unused eye, or go through a long process of training my mind to ignore the now-unused eye.

What do YOU do?

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

I have a condition called lazy eye or amblyopia which makes this the normal way I see. It is actually hard for me to see through both eyes at the same time. So this makes me choose the eye that works for the camera I'm using. Pentax K-50's viewfinder is in the middle, so whichever eye I want to use. Lumix ZS60 has the viewfinder to the left, so normally use right eye.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Close it, can’t use it to see well

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

If I’m shooting something that’s moving both eyes are open. Left eye to track subject and right eye in viewfinder to compose and keep af dot where I want it. Varying degrees of success usually depending on how much I’ve practiced.
For stationary subject I don’t shoot looking through the viewfinder.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I always close it--conditioned response.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

nadelewitz wrote:

This is as old as the existence of eye-level viewf... (show quote)

I close my unused eye.
Never heard of it for cameras.
In shooting firearms yes you do it and shoot left or right handed based on your dominant eye not whether you are actually right or left handed.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

During biology in HS they taught us to work on keeping both eyes open when using a microscope to avoid eye strain and to be able to write in our notebooks without taking our eye off the subject. When I started shooting open class pistol competitions I was taught to keep both eyes open as it allows one to switch between targets faster. With all the training and practice over the years, I naturally keep both eyes open behind the camera. I can tell you it really helps with tracking BIF. After a while, the mind learns to quickly switch back and forth between eyes.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

nadelewitz wrote:

This is as old as the existence of eye-level viewf... (show quote)

I’m a left eye shooter but I keep them both open. Used a TV camera for ten years. Right eye only. Your eyes will learn.

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

hassighedgehog wrote:

I have a condition called lazy eye or amblyopia which makes this the normal way I see. It is actually hard for me to see through both eyes at the same time. So this makes me choose the eye that works for the camera I'm using. Pentax K-50's viewfinder is in the middle, so whichever eye I want to use. Lumix ZS60 has the viewfinder to the left, so normally use right eye.

Me too.
Bob

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

hassighedgehog wrote:

I have a condition called lazy eye or amblyopia which makes this the normal way I see. It is actually hard for me to see through both eyes at the same time. So this makes me choose the eye that works for the camera I'm using. Pentax K-50's viewfinder is in the middle, so whichever eye I want to use. Lumix ZS60 has the viewfinder to the left, so normally use right eye.

So, do you close the unused eye?

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

For me, the choice is quite simple:

If I want to see what's going on around me while I'm looking through the viewfinder, I keep the other eye open. For example, if there's action going on and I need to know what's about enter into the camera's field of view.

If I don't care what's outside the field of view, then I generally keep the eye shut so that I can better concentrate on what's in the viewfinder.

incognito

Both eyes open. It eliminates accommodation, fatigue, and headaches.

picsman Loc: Scotland

I automatically close the other eye but have found when shooting some sports events that the geography of the place means having both eyes open helps to see a competitor before they enter the frame (usually due to bushes/trees etc) and I shoot a batch, so it gives me an early warning which because of the speed of the athlete is a boon.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

nadelewitz wrote:

This is as old as the existence of eye-level viewf... (show quote)

Personally, I remove my glasses most of the time. I already have my diopter set. With my "good" eye I check the viewfinder. Then, I keep my other eye open to track my subject. Sometimes! Supposedly, with both eyes open you see twice as much. But think about it. When you display a photograph, you often list the camera make and model, the lens focal length, shutter speed and f/stop. I don't recall seeing where one eye or both eyes were used. Perhaps they were listed but I wasn't paying much attention! LOL

I don't think it matters a great deal if one or both eyes are open. The final result is the deciding factor.

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

I shoot with one eye closed. Used to seep both eyes open but my right eye adds distortion to what I see thanks to macular distortion.