topic Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

mglotspeich — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:25:27 GMT

Hi all, I am a eyeglass wearer and just received the R6 Mark ii. I love that there is enough eye relief to see the whole viewfinder. However I noticed that the upper portion of the viewfinder edge has barrel distortion on both the left and right side. It is not severe but present. I am wondering if this is because I wear eyeglasses. When I take my glasses off I cannot determine if the distortion is stil there. I am talking about the edge (frame) of the viewfinder, not the image. Is this a defect with my new camera or has anyone else experienced this? Thanks!

Mike

St. Louis, Mo

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

LeeP — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:46:07 GMT

I would imagine if you are seeing it with your glasses on, that your glasses are causing the distortion. I too wear glasses. Just a theory.

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

mglotspeich — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 23:55:41 GMT

Thank you. Do you see any barrel distortion in the EVF while wearing glasses. Like I said not the image itself, but the edge of frame of the viewfinder? Thanks for the quick reply!

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

LeeP — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:15:59 GMT

I don't see distortion, but my prescription isn't a tricky one. I'm far-sighted--it's up close where I need the help--so it may be dependent on the prescription and resulting curvature that the lens in the glasses causes to be seen. If your pictures come out fine, that's all that really matters.

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

mglotspeich — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:29:20 GMT

Thank you so much! My prescription is for near sighted. I was so concerned that I would not be able to see the full viewfinder with my glasses, before purchase. I was so happy that the eye relief worked out great. I guess I should be happy with what I have. 🙂 Do you like the r6 mark ii?

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

LeeP — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:14:25 GMT

I don't own an R6, but was speaking in general. I shoot with two mirrorless Canons and 8 or so 35mm SLRs. Seeing through the viewfinders with glasses on is to varying degrees challenging so I understood where you were coming from. Enjoy your camera and may it bring you great satisfaction.

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

ivl — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 10:55:49 GMT

Do you have a cylinder to correct astigmatism? I do, and it can cause quite a barrel distortion, but you'll get used to it. I'm now wearing contacts, where the issue is less obvious.

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

mglotspeich — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 02:21:16 GMT

Hello. Thank you for the information. I am starting to think that it is not a defective camera but simply that I am looking through the viewfinder with glasses. I was concerned because I just purchased the camera. I will live with it. 😀

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 13:59:45 GMT

@mglotspeich wrote:

Hello. Thank you for the information. I am starting to think that it is not a defective camera but simply that I am looking through the viewfinder with glasses. I was concerned because I just purchased the camera. I will live with it. 😀

DId you try adjusting the diopter to see if far/near vision deficiency can be corrected by diopter? Won't help with astigmatism but I am able to use camera without glasses after adjusting diopter.

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

SignifDigits — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 20:49:04 GMT

You made me look! I used with and without glasses and with a lens with some barrel distortion (RF 15-35mm f2.8 IS USM) at 15mm the viewfinder showed it. The viewfinder shows barrel distortion in my case because the lens has some barrel distortion at 15mm. That disappears about 22mm or so.

I don't see where you said what lens you are using and what focal length. I apologize if I missed that detail.

So, while it COULD be your glasses, it just COULD be your lens as well - if your lens has barrel distortion the camera viewfinder isn't fixing it, so you're seeing it. The camera processor will correct for distortion for your jpegs or DDP will compensate if you load the lens data in for RAW.

You can try the diopter (I'm more comfortable with my glasses on - get a headache without them), but what you're talking about sounds like a feature of really seeing what the lens is producing to me. If you see it at all focus lengths on L-quality glass at their middle-range field of view, then I'd suspect your glasses more, but for now I'm guessing it's just a feature of your lens and you've never had the full field of view to notice this effect at the edges.

Let us know what you find out and thanks for asking!

Re: Canon EOS R6 Mark ii Viewfinder - Frame barrel distortion at top of screen

Jkarl — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:47:04 GMT

I agree with ivl about the astigmatism. I have astigmatism and the barrel distortion is there with all my cameras.