Which eye do you use?
p.1 #1Which eye do you use?
For those who still use the OVF or EVF often, which eye do you shoot with?
Mar 02, 2026 at 12:16 AM
p.1 #2Which eye do you use?
Mostly right so that I can look out my left eye to maintain some peripheral vision. Useful when covering sports. This doesn't work with the left eye and most camera designs because they're right-handed.
Back in the DLSR/SLR days I sometimes used my left eye because it was sharper and I could better manually focus, if needed. Less relevant now with mirrorless.
I'll add that I'm left-handed writing and throwing. But play hockey right-handed because when I was a kid, the hand-me-down hockey sticks from older cousins were right-handed. This also means I golf right-handed and bat right-handed. In grade school I was forced to learn use right-handed scissors because of the dire lack of left-handed ones in the classroom. In hindsight, this was for the better as scissors seem by default to be right-handed. Also right-handed computer mouse user.
Edited on Mar 02, 2026 at 12:33 PM · View previous versions
Back in the DLSR/SLR days I sometimes used my left eye because it was sharper and I could better manually focus, if needed. Less relevant now with mirrorless.
I'll add that I'm left-handed writing and throwing. But play hockey right-handed because when I was a kid, the hand-me-down hockey sticks from older cousins were right-handed. This also means I golf right-handed and bat right-handed. In grade school I was forced to learn use right-handed scissors because of the dire lack of left-handed ones in the classroom. In hindsight, this was for the better as scissors seem by default to be right-handed. Also right-handed computer mouse user.
Edited on Mar 02, 2026 at 12:33 PM · View previous versions
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:31 AM
p.1 #3Which eye do you use?
Hmm, well, for day-to-day usage I normally go with both eyes most of the time just to maintain a balance unless I’m 
ing. However, since this reply is in the Canon forum then I’m a righty. 
For Nikon I’m a die-hard lefty, which begs the question as to why this pole was not cross posted in the Nikon forum also?
Wait a minute, what about cross posting into other camera brand forums? Hey Fred?
While I’m at it, what about OM Systems, Panasonic, Sigma, Kodak, DJI and Dylanto, just to name a few, that don’t even have a forum section to themselves here on FM!
ing. However, since this reply is in the Canon forum then I’m a righty. For Nikon I’m a die-hard lefty, which begs the question as to why this pole was not cross posted in the Nikon forum also?
Wait a minute, what about cross posting into other camera brand forums? Hey Fred?
While I’m at it, what about OM Systems, Panasonic, Sigma, Kodak, DJI and Dylanto, just to name a few, that don’t even have a forum section to themselves here on FM!
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:37 AM
p.1 #4Which eye do you use?
I'm right-handed and left-eyed.
AFAIK, this thread is the first time that the left/right eye question has come up in a poll format. This should provide better results than the past times this has been asked, before the poll format was invented by FM; links below. Note that these old threads have not been collated.
Previous threads on left vs. right eye:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1490062/0#14034519
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1129151/0&year=2012#10780883
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/985799/0&year=2011#9353614
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/923072/0&year=2010#8711117
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/632749/0&year=2008#5604629
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/603880/0&year=2008#5311598
AFAIK, this thread is the first time that the left/right eye question has come up in a poll format. This should provide better results than the past times this has been asked, before the poll format was invented by FM; links below. Note that these old threads have not been collated.
Previous threads on left vs. right eye:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1490062/0#14034519
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1129151/0&year=2012#10780883
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/985799/0&year=2011#9353614
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/923072/0&year=2010#8711117
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/632749/0&year=2008#5604629
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/603880/0&year=2008#5311598
Mar 02, 2026 at 05:34 AM
p.1 #5Which eye do you use?
Shooting rodeo or wildlife or kids requires situational awareness so I've learned to use Left eye on view finder , both eyes open for safety. Some how the brain can switch as needed. Im right handed and left eye dominant.
Mar 02, 2026 at 08:00 AM
p.1 #6Which eye do you use?
I'm very strongly right-eye dominant and need to have that eye to the camera to get my head properly into the composition process. FWIW I'm mostly right handed too, but I write with my left hand.
Mar 02, 2026 at 09:21 AM
p.1 #8Which eye do you use?
Right hand, right foot, left eye (and for the two times I played golf, "left handed" but you can't really call it playing golf)
Mar 02, 2026 at 09:48 AM
p.1 #9Which eye do you use?
Photonadave wrote:
Hmm, well, for day-to-day usage I normally go with both eyes most of the time just to maintain a balance unless I’m ing. However, since this reply is in the Canon forum then I’m a righty.
For Nikon I’m a die-hard lefty, which begs the question as to why this pole was not cross posted in the Nikon forum also?
Wait a minute, what about cross posting into other camera brand forums? Hey Fred?
While I’m at it, what about OM Systems, Panasonic, Sigma, Kodak, DJI and Dylanto, just to name a few, that don’t even have a...Show more →
I had planned on cross posting this but I didn't see an option to cross post a poll? It would be nice to be able to cross post to two other forums so we could have Sony, Canon, and Nikon covered with one post or poll, but the site doesn't allow it. Since it's getting very slow around here, maybe Fred can update it to allow for more cross brand banter.
Also, for some reason this did not allow me to vote for my own poll. With that said, I'm right handed and I would say "both", with about 80% left eye and 20% right eye.
Hmm, well, for day-to-day usage I normally go with both eyes most of the time just to maintain a balance unless I’m
ing. However, since this reply is in the Canon forum then I’m a righty. For Nikon I’m a die-hard lefty, which begs the question as to why this pole was not cross posted in the Nikon forum also?
Wait a minute, what about cross posting into other camera brand forums? Hey Fred?
While I’m at it, what about OM Systems, Panasonic, Sigma, Kodak, DJI and Dylanto, just to name a few, that don’t even have a...Show more →
I had planned on cross posting this but I didn't see an option to cross post a poll? It would be nice to be able to cross post to two other forums so we could have Sony, Canon, and Nikon covered with one post or poll, but the site doesn't allow it. Since it's getting very slow around here, maybe Fred can update it to allow for more cross brand banter.
Also, for some reason this did not allow me to vote for my own poll. With that said, I'm right handed and I would say "both", with about 80% left eye and 20% right eye.
Mar 02, 2026 at 11:11 AM
p.1 #10Which eye do you use?
rscheffler wrote:
Mostly right so that I can look out my left eye to maintain some peripheral vision. Useful when covering sports. This doesn't work with the left eye and most camera designs because they're right-handed.
This is it right here. I’m right handed and can’t even imagine my face being in the way of my hand!
Edited on Mar 02, 2026 at 04:18 PM · View previous versions
Mostly right so that I can look out my left eye to maintain some peripheral vision. Useful when covering sports. This doesn't work with the left eye and most camera designs because they're right-handed.
This is it right here. I’m right handed and can’t even imagine my face being in the way of my hand!
Edited on Mar 02, 2026 at 04:18 PM · View previous versions
Mar 02, 2026 at 11:23 AM
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p.1 #11Which eye do you use?
Didn't vote as there was no option for me.
Most of the time right but there are few times when I needed to use left but the left is only used when I needed to.
I am right handed, but in baseball, hockey and golf left handed but that makes senses to me because my right hand is stronger so when I and left with one hand on the bat or stick the stronger hand (right) and more coordinated is the one remaining.
Tennis and badminton mostly right but I often would switch hands returning a volley to my left hand.
In soccer my left foot has the better control and could place a shot anywhere I wanted, but for pure strength and power the right, a few players went down trying to block my right footed blasts. Kicking a football right only, my left is useless place kicking or punting.
Most of the time right but there are few times when I needed to use left but the left is only used when I needed to.
I am right handed, but in baseball, hockey and golf left handed but that makes senses to me because my right hand is stronger so when I and left with one hand on the bat or stick the stronger hand (right) and more coordinated is the one remaining.
Tennis and badminton mostly right but I often would switch hands returning a volley to my left hand.
In soccer my left foot has the better control and could place a shot anywhere I wanted, but for pure strength and power the right, a few players went down trying to block my right footed blasts. Kicking a football right only, my left is useless place kicking or punting.
Mar 02, 2026 at 01:00 PM
p.1 #12Which eye do you use?
Have always been right eye dominant and used my right eye for the EVF. I would typically leave my left eye open to see what's happening. However, I have recently had some right eye issues resulting in progressively worsening vision - currently 20/400 (legally blind in that eye). Early on, when I still had 20/60 or 20/80 vision, I could use the right eye and just trust the camera to get it in focus. However, as the right eye got worse, I had to switch to using the left eye for the EVF. Still adjusting and hoping that eye surgery might be possible to at least improve right eye vision.
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:06 PM
p.1 #13Which eye do you use?
Always been left eye for me, both with OVF, & EVF.
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:10 PM
p.1 #14Which eye do you use?
Both. It depends on the camera/lens position since sometimes moving a few inches blocks the view and the human body can only be extorted so much.
EBH
EBH
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:29 PM
p.1 #15Which eye do you use?
FWIW, from wikipedia: “ Approximately 70% of the population are right-eye dominant and 29% left-eye dominant.”
Mar 02, 2026 at 02:50 PM
p.1 #16Which eye do you use?
Asking which eye is the dominator and which you use are totally different questions though.
A particular eye may be used due to dominance, imaging capability (retina, lens, cornea, etc.), or head/eye position relative to the viewfinder.
EBH
A particular eye may be used due to dominance, imaging capability (retina, lens, cornea, etc.), or head/eye position relative to the viewfinder.
EBH
Mar 02, 2026 at 03:01 PM
p.1 #17Which eye do you use?
jcolwell wrote:
I'm right-handed and left-eyed.
Same for me.
I'm right-handed and left-eyed.
Same for me.
Mar 02, 2026 at 04:17 PM
p.1 #18Which eye do you use?
I'm right-hand dominant, left-eye dominant and a regular-foot surfer!
Mar 02, 2026 at 04:26 PM
p.1 #19Which eye do you use?
EB-1 wrote:
Asking which eye is the dominator and which you use are totally different questions though.
A particular eye may be used due to dominance, imaging capability (retina, lens, cornea, etc.), or head/eye position relative to the viewfinder.
EBH
Well, true. General preference isn't the only issue — as I well know, having my own retina issue in my left eye that sort of decides for me. (I believe I was right eye dominant before that.
I was interested to read why left/right eye dominance is thought to be unrelated to handedness, too.
As to handedness, I'm right-handed but with a twist. I think that I might have naturally been left-handed, but when I was an infant my mother was determined that I would be right-handed and did everything in her power to force me to use the right hand. To this day I can get confused about right and left — for example, when writing I often write left when I mean right and vice versa.
Yeah, I know... too much information. ;-)
Asking which eye is the dominator and which you use are totally different questions though.
A particular eye may be used due to dominance, imaging capability (retina, lens, cornea, etc.), or head/eye position relative to the viewfinder.
EBH
Well, true. General preference isn't the only issue — as I well know, having my own retina issue in my left eye that sort of decides for me. (I believe I was right eye dominant before that.
I was interested to read why left/right eye dominance is thought to be unrelated to handedness, too.
As to handedness, I'm right-handed but with a twist. I think that I might have naturally been left-handed, but when I was an infant my mother was determined that I would be right-handed and did everything in her power to force me to use the right hand. To this day I can get confused about right and left — for example, when writing I often write left when I mean right and vice versa.
Yeah, I know... too much information. ;-)
Mar 02, 2026 at 06:49 PM
p.1 #20Which eye do you use?
I’m left-eye dominant but right-handed. I had an optometrist who thought she’d prove me wrong. I won.
Mar 02, 2026 at 06:52 PM