Seeing the readout through the eyepiece is difficult on my 50D. Will the eyepiece extender help?

[dean_nash]

I am a legally blind photographer. I have severe tunnel vision. I have a hard time seeing the settings through the eyebpiece on my EOS 50D. Will the eyenpiece exterder help me? Is there a canon body that is better with high eyepoint? I want to move on to a 5D markIII butbI am afraid that I will experience the same problems. I sure miss my F3HP.
My thick glasses sure dont help the situation much. Any help woukd be very appreciated.

[Skirball]

Not sure if a viewfinder enlarger will help or not.  They're not very expensive, give it a go.  You could also try a diopter adjustment lens and not use glasses, but of course you wouldn't be able to chimp.

Also not sure if the larger viewfinder in a full frame would be benificial or not considering your tunnel vision.  I'd definitely try one before buying.

But now that you mention it, I guess I don't really look at the setting in the viewfinder that much.  I'm mostly on the back LCD, though I'm transitioning to the top display now that I have one.

[dean_nash]

Thanks for your reply. You are correct that I shoukd order and try it. I am so old school. I love shooting in Manual mode and I keep my eye to the eyepiece. Old habits are hard to break. I do have trouble with glare on the LCD back screen though. Have you tried a viewfinder eye piece that puts a hood around the LCD screen?

[Skirball]

I haven't, but I've never really had too much trouble seeing the LCD.  I'm new school I guess, I chimp constantly and I'm always checking my histogram.  Probably why I don't use the figures in the viewfinder. 

[dean_nash]

I should spend some time learning some new school methods like using the histogram. I think this woukd help not having so much post production lightroom work.
Here again I sure miss the magic of film. thanks for your reply and insights.

[Skirball]

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@dean_nash wrote:
I should spend some time learning some new school methods like using the histogram. I think this woukd help not having so much post production lightroom work.
Here again I sure miss the magic of film. thanks for your reply and insights.

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The histogram is the single most underused tool in the digital photographer's arsenal.  If used properly you shouldn't have to do more than minor exposure adjustment for mood.

[amfoto1]

The Eyepiece Extender will not help... in fact it might make matters worse for you.

You should do as suggested and get an accessory diopter so that you can shoot without glasses. There are various strengths diopters available, which then can be fine tuned with the built-in adjustability. You might need to have one made (not sure where you can get that done) but Canon seemed to have quite a selection. Your optometrist might be able to tell you what strength you'll need to get in the ballpark (then fine tune with the adjustable diopter).

Yes, I have tried one of those folding hoods over the camera's LCD. I lost it the second or third time out... .it fell off while I was carrying the camera. So, needless to say, I wasn't impressed. It did shade the LCD pretty well, though.

I've seen magnifying loupes that might work, too... sort of look like an old "chimney finder" for a twin lens reflex camera.

There are bigger and brighter accessory LCD screens available, too. They are pretty expensive, though.

60D or one of the other models with an articulated LCD screen might be easier to see, too... since you can adjust the screen's angle as needed.

I shoot with glasses on, too... and can't see the readout normally, but can when I shift slightly (with 50D, 5DII, 7D). I don't have any tunnel vision issues, though.

I'd suggest you check out 5DIII in a shop before purchasing. I believe it's a 100% viewfinder (the 5DII's isn't). That might help a little. 7D also has a 100% viewfinder.

[dean_nash]

Thank you for your responces. The nsights are very helpful to me. These days each penny spent is hard to recover. I will make an appointment with my eye doctor and see what correction I should start with. Of coyrse this leads to new problems...I become blind as a bat when I take my glasses off. oh well..the prce of admission is high sometimes.
I look forward one day to getting my hands on a 5DIII. I know that I will want one along with an 85mm 1.2 and a 70-200 2.8L IS and on and on. The list never ends.
again, Thanks for your reply and suggestions.