I find the electronic viewfinder impossible to use in my usual shooting mode: hold camera with right hand (I am right handed, but left eyed), look through finder with left eye and manually focus with left hand. I find that when the sun is to my left, it is so bright, I cannot see the finder with the NEX 7. I have resorted to holding the camera with my LEFT hand cupping the eye piece with my palm, then focusing right handed. Since this is reverse of what I have been doing forever (I am 75), it is awkward. Any right hander/left eyed shooters out there?
Dave
As a left eyed shooter, this is something that I've been worried about. The left side location of the Leica M OVF works for me, because I don't need to seal off light completely with an OVF. With the NEX EVF, you really need a tight eyecup seal to see in bright conditions. Have you considered changing eyes? Assuming your right eye is in good condition, switching comfortably to the other eye shouldn't take too long. I actually switched from right eye to left eye a few years ago, because my left eye is a little better, despite the fact the I naturally want to use my right eye.
Dave, you may have trouble changing, 'handedness' (and 'eye preference') runs deep in our habituation. It is really an EVF issue, so perhaps there is a way to get a better eye seal on the VF, eyecups or similar? All my legacy film cameras work the way you describe: Hexar AF, Fuji 645s...hold in right hand, look through top left VF. It actually suits lefty eye people, the camera is easier to hold near the head's centre line, not off to the right side.
I always use a wide brimmed hat outdoors (fair skin in harsh sun), even with a Sony A900 OVF, to keep sun out - a simplistic solution for you maybe is to get a good one from a bushwalking store and pull it down a little on that side...or can we expect only right side sun photos from you in future, lol.
philip_pj wrote:
Dave, you may have trouble changing, 'handedness' (and 'eye preference') runs deep in our habituation. It is really an EVF issue, so perhaps there is a way to get a better eye seal on the VF, eyecups or similar? All my legacy film cameras work the way you describe: Hexar AF, Fuji 645s...hold in right hand, look through top left VF. It actually suits lefty eye people, the camera is easier to hold near the head's centre line, not off to the right side.
I think the difference is that, with an EVF, a tight seal is necessary. With OVFs, they are bright enough in daylight to allow a little bit of stray light in through the side without issue. With my NEX EVF, I have to press the eye cup up to my eye tight enough to seal off completely. I think the left-sided EVF could be more of an issue for left-eyed shooters than left-sided OVFs are.
As for eye preference, it's actually a lot easier to switch than you may think, and it isn't nearly as complicated as "handedness." I researched it a few years ago, and found that it takes just a little bit of time to get used to it, and I made the switch pretty easily. It maybe took a few days to get used to it. However, I don't want to switch back to right-eyed, because my left eye is a little better (I'm right handed and still do things like shoot guns with my right eye.)
douglasf13 wrote:
I think the difference is that, with an EVF, a tight seal is necessary. With OVFs, they are bright enough in daylight to allow a little bit of stray light in through the side without issue. With my NEX EVF, I have to press the eye cup up to my eye tight enough to seal off completely. I think the left-sided EVF could be more of an issue for left-eyed shooters than left-sided OVFs are.
As for eye preference, it's actually a lot easier to switch than you may think, and it isn't nearly as complicated as "handedness." I researched it a few years ago, and found that it takes just a little bit of time to get used to it, and I made the switch pretty easily. It maybe took a few days to get used to it. However, I don't want to switch back to right-eyed, because my left eye is a little better (I'm right handed and still do things like shoot guns with my right eye.)...Show more →
I was not aware of this. I'm right handed, but shoot lefty because I'm left-eye dominant, which is a real PITA with an M-16. I'm going to try shooting with my right eye on my Nex 7.
edwardkaraa wrote:
I shoot with both eyes on my M6, but I can imagine with an M16 that would be a completely different story
In all honesty, after using the NEX-5 without an EVF/OVF for a year, now that I'm back to using a viewfinder, I find myself switching back and forth between eyes, too.
Thanks all for the tips. I also currently use an A900, and 645d with absoluly no problems because of their bright finders. I must admit I am a bit dissapointed with the EVF. I am so left eyed that I also shoot a rifle and bow and arrow left handed to accommodate my left eye. I write with my right hand.
Thanks again
Dave
gurtch wrote:
Thanks all for the tips. I also currently use an A900, and 645d with absoluly no problems because of their bright finders. I must admit I am a bit dissapointed with the EVF. I am so left eyed that I also shoot a rifle and bow and arrow left handed to accommodate my left eye. I write with my right hand.
Thanks again
Dave
You may want to consider selling the Nex-7 for the Nex-5N with the EVF. I get a solid seal with my left eye with the 5N's EVF, because it tilts, and, as a former A900 and current Hasselblad user, I think the EVF works pretty well.
It depends on whether you wear glasses or you don't, because if you do, I think the designers at Sony didn't do a very good job with the eyecup. It's really rubbish! They should at least sell a deeper replacement!
Another issue for we left eyers...try to look through the finder with your left eye and attempt to get your fingers on the diopter adjustment wheel!!!! Impossible. I resorted to looking through the finder, then removing my eye from the finder, adjusting the diopter one click, then looking through the finder again. Then repeating the process over and over again.
Best to all
Dave
