I'm a right-handed, left-eyed shooter. I wonder, how any left-handed, right-eyed shooters are out there ? How about the others (aka, the "normals") ? There's no doubt that some shooters are ambidextrous or ambisinisterous for eyes, and/or hands, but I'm not about to post a poll with that many response categories, so here it is.
Thanks to timnosenzo's comment about left & right-eyed photogs on https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/632645, for reminding me that I've been meaning to ask this question for some time (but I can't remember why).
P.S. here's a question for the combinatorially-minded: how many response categories would be required to cover the "other" responses, assuming each respondent has two eyes and two hands ?
I switch to left eye if the right starts to get tired or sore from being pressed up against the not-so-cushy-for-extended-periods-of-times viewfinder pad.
In the good old days when teachers used to hit left handers with a blackboard ruler for writing with their left hand (yes, I witnessed that) it created real problems for for the army in training.
A right handers right eye is his "master" and the converse is true. This was important because a left hander, who had been "converted" by one of these brutal teachers could not shoot straight!
The test applied by the Army was for the recruit to point with his finger at a fixed object with both eyes open and alternately close one eye and then the other. If the left eye is the master/dominant eye there will be no shift when you close the right eye and of course the converse is true.
Could it be in your case, that although you are right handed, that your left eye is your dominant/master eye?
Just something to confuse your issue further
Tim
Like you, I'm right eyed, left handed. I believe it's from shooting film for many years. If I shot with my right eye, the film advance lever wasn't in the way. However, I shoot a rifle left handed and sight it with my left eye.
floris wrote:
If the sun's point in from my left I'll switch to left eye (better contrast), otherwise right eye, right handed.
I have a big, floppy rubber eye cup thingy for that situation, but I almost always forget to use it. Most times, I do the one-handed, hold-the-camera and shield-the-eye with the other hand thing. Works fine with the camera on a tripod...
Christ, Tim, I'm starting to doubt my photography thanks to your explanation. Right-handed, shooting a gun with right eye, right eye dominant according to your army test, BUT looking through a viewfinder with my left eye. I've tried a few times looking with my right eye though the viewfinder but I guess I'm spoilt forever - it just doesn't click.
Glad to see I'm not alone though with my quirks as eos-m42guy has the same "problem". Anyone else care to join the club?
Tim Ashton wrote:
In ...further
Tim
My first experience with skeet shooting I had that problem. left eye dominent and I was shooting right handed, couldnt hit a bird to save my life.
Switched and hit 4/5 in a row. :shrug:
For wildife photography it is important to be able to follow a subject with the eye that is not on the viewfinder. If you are right-handed, the only way to do this is to use the right eye on the viewfinder with the left eye open.
I am right-handed, yet shooting with my right eye just doesn't feel natural. It's kind of a drag, since I always leave nose prints on the LCD and marks on my right glasses lens from the back of my right thumb that rests on the (*) button, but I can't ever see myself using my right eye. I guess I'll have to just suck it up and deal with it.
This may also be the reason that I find myself occasionally turning the camera clockwise for a portrait, rather than counter-clockwise. That way I can use my right eye to track the subject while shooting with my left.
I'm left handed with left eye dominant. But I snowboard "regular". ...Adding to the mess is that I wear glasses and with my left eye on the VF most of my face and my large eye glasses make it uncomfortable. I can't shoot right eyed for the life of me. I envy those who can!
GeneO wrote:
For wildife photography it is important to be able to follow a subject with the eye that is not on the viewfinder. If you are right-handed, the only way to do this is to use the right eye on the viewfinder with the left eye open.
... and if you are left handed, there's any other way? Isn't it purely a question of being able to see over the camera "hump" in front of you, which is independent of handedness?
I am right handed and left eyed, and there's no way I can look with my right eye thru the viewfinder and actually capture something
GeneO wrote:
For wildife photography it is important to be able to follow a subject with the eye that is not on the viewfinder. If you are right-handed, the only way to do this is to use the right eye on the viewfinder with the left eye open.
