Back button focusing when using left eye on viewfinder?

Messages
1,552
Edit My Images
Yes
Being left hand and left footed I also tend to use my left eye as my dominate eye.

I am looking to get back to a dSLR and was looking at getting another Nikon D7000 or possibly a D7100, I found one in my local Currys/ PC world and tried back button focusing, I ended up noticing I was basically poking my right thumb into my right eye! I tried a Canon EOS 70D and no issue as the button is further across due to bigger body size and it is a AF on button, unlike Nikon's where the button is an exposure/focus lock button.

Does anyone else who uses their left eye on the viewfinder find this on using back button focusing? Or would I be better trying to get used to using my right eye on the viewfinder?
 
Fwiw I am right handed but left eye dominant. As a Canon user I do not recall using bbf causing thumb in eye problems. :) of should that be ;)
 
Probably take quite a bit of getting used to, Ian. Maybe having your thumb on the AF-ON before you bring your eye to the camera would help.
Don't think I would care to fight my instinct to use my dominant right eye.
This is a wild shot, but see if any of the Nikons have Menu options that allow you to assign focussing to another button.
 
Some Nikon bodies are better than other for back button use for left eyed shooters. I used to manage with a D90, but the D750 is better for me. Bodies with two back buttons are better still - AF-ON button more to the right.
 
Had a look and the latest crop sensor Nikon body with an AF-on button is the D300s!

Not yet brought a body but just looking into it as I tried back button focusing before and it was better for me for moving subjects.
 
I too am right handed but left eye dominant. I use the D750 which doesn't have a dedicated AF-ON button and uses the AEL button, but I've never poked myself in the eye whilst using it, or even felt close to doing so.
 
Right handed left eye user,had no problems with BBF on Nikon D7100 and D750.
 
After watching the Youtube videos extolling the virtues of BBF I altered my D7000 for that operation and what do you know, left eyed user RIGHT THUMB IN LEFT EYE! I changed it back. My D300 and D700 is brilliant but not my D7000.
 
I had exactly the same problem with my former D3200 and standby D7000, I'm left handed and left eyed and the button is exactly in the wrong place for BBF activation but perfectly placed on my Canon 5D2.
 
I'm also right handed but left eye dominant and I use BBF on both the D810 and D7100 with no problems at all.
 
I use my left eye on a D800 with back button focus and have no issues.
 
Back
Top