I started to need reading glasses about a year ago and one of the biggest pains when not using an evf is having to get the glasses out sometimes when reading a camera screen or other info before taking a shot. I thought it would be good to have cheap/disposable varifocals that are uncorrected for far vision but corrected for reading. This, I guess, is too much to hope for. Does anyone else have solutions they use for this situation?
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Hello,
Iāve been wearing glasses since I was very young and progressive lenses for over 15 years. At first it was a nightmare; I was using my old glasses, and the optician advised me to adjust the cameraās eyepiece to account for my new lenses. With Pentax, itās fairly easy to adjust.
You might be able to adjust your cameraās eyepiece to cancel out the correction from your glasses.
Greetings from the Luberon, 
Christian,
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Hi,
I have 2 glasses, one for far vision, used for driving and the second for reading and computer work. They are called ādepth-of-field lensesā but itās a litteral translation from French. With these glasses, I can read clearly from 30 cm through the half bottom of lenses to ca 130 cm through the top of lenses.
Unfortunately, they arenāt cheap.
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Gee, it must be nice to be young! 
I use varifocals almost all the time. But when shooting I only use the evf. So I push my glasses up or take them off when shooting. Iāve tried using the evf wearing glasses, but I get a narrow field of view and light leakage around the eyecup. And sometimes I smudge my glasses that way.
Yes, itās a little inconvenient, but such is life sometimes. I get better photos when I slow down and compose with the evf.
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I am unsure of the strength of your correction. My viewfinder is adjusted for my eyesight without glasses using the cameras diopter adjuster. My vision is good enough to see with or without glasses the information screen on the back of the camera so I am lucky. If needed I would just use my glasses to read the back of the camera, push them up on my head and use the viewfinder without glasses, although the viewfinder could be adjusted to work with your glasses.
My general glasses are transition glasses from close up to distance. However, for editing I have had single vision glasses made up that work great for the distance of my computer screen. The first pair supplied had to be returned to get them clearer as they were not correct, but that was done at no extra charge and being single vision the cost was very small. Better than buying off the shelf glasses.
Ha. I think I was mainly kidding myself and holding menus further and further away for some number of years.
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I donāt wear glasses except for reading and mostly I can read without them in bright light. Iām typing on my phone now without glasses but sometimes itās hard to compose because the screen isnāt clear. If Iām using the evf, itās fine because I adjust the diopter. First world problemsā¦
I would suggestā¦
As you only need glasses for reading, donāt think about varifocals, as you donāt need the either the mid or distant components. Go for old-fashioned bifocals. You can have zero correction for distant, and reading correction for the, ahem, reading part of the lens.
When buying your frames, get something that you can hinge up with the evf frame.
I use the adjustment to set the evf for use without glasses.
I push them up and put the evf to my eye; they slip back to my nose when I take the camera away.
I use the glasses for looking at the screen.
It is much simpler than it sounds and I barely notice it.
After some years of using ācomputerā glasses (set to focus at almost arms length) I currently mostly use the computer without glasses except for small print. Thatās because Iām developing cataracts, which are changing my prescription, but thatās another story.
Iāve tried varifocals a couple of times and they absolutely do not suit me. Iām happy with bifocals. And only wear them when I go out anyway.
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Thanks. That sounds like a good plan.
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Right now I have my diopter unadjusted, and I keep my glasses (+2) on. Yeah, the light bleed is a pain sometimes. Maybe I should adjust the diopter and try lifting my glassesā¦
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Have you tried flip up readers? The frame stays put like regular glasses, but the lens flips down/up. You can usually get them on amazon. OR get cheap non-prescription āblue light filterā glasses and cheap clip on + flip down attachment?
I have the same issue and just put a pair of readers on a neck cord. They sometimes get in the way, but I deal with it lol
I use a third-party hood on my camera. This is partly because my Sony stock eyepiece is so hard and partly because I adjust white balance on the fly, for quick-and-easy-sharing jpegs and excluding the ambient matters.
Such a personal thing: what works for one might be unbearable for another. I can do my thing with the evr under the glasses because it is the nth-thousandth time!
Having the dioptre adjusted on the camera means I can pick it up any time, glasses or no glasses, and even if I forget the glasses (I can see well enough to drive, but donāt ask me to read the bumper stickers) I can still use the camera. But I have to squint if I use the screen or need to use menus.
Iāve been putting off such signs of aging, I guess. If only my face wasnāt such a give away.
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The way I see it, I earned every grey hair, wrinkle, and scar. Anyone who reaches my age without such things, probably has not lived a life I would find very interesting.
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I wore glasses for 30 years and now, after cataract surgery still wear readers up close (basically anything short of distant).
The best (?) solution Iāve been able to come up with is simply to hang readers around my neck on a glasses ālanyardā . I prefer the fishermanās stiff plastic type with silicon ends that slip over the earpieces. When needed, pop then on. When not, let them dangle.
Not perfect but so far, workable.
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@TonyBarrett My situation is similar to yours, but Iāve needed readers for a little longer than you. My eyes are fine for anything that isnāt close, and Iām nowhere near needing glasses to drive.
With the diopter, I have perfectly clear vision of the EVF, but using the LCD is at best pants. This is why I am so insistent on a camera having an EVF. Last time I took my glasses with me to cover the possibility that I would shoot low to the ground and need to use the LCD, my glasses came home in pieces (long story), costing about as much as an economical manual prime lens.
My answer/solution is to use the EVF with the diopter set up properly. The fringe benefit is that your camera is a little steadier when rammed into your eye socket.
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Yep, what started me on this was liking the idea of easily shooting from a low angle when required but it may be easier to just stick with an evf. I need to do some experimenting
So, went out with the idea of shooting without glasses, with an adjusted diopter. Well, two adjusted diopters, as I brought two cameras.
I really, really prefer to have my eye snugly against the cup, thatās for sure. No light seeping in, and I could use the EVF on itās full coverage again. So in that respect, a win.
Iām not entirely sure I like having to lift my glasses all the time and either park them on top of my head (where Iām afraid theyāre going to fall off) or keep a leg between my teeth (which no doubt looks intense but eh). I happen to have an eye measurement planned tomorrow, anyway, so I think Iāll see if I can try contacts, that might also be a solution.
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My reading glasses are so loose from various sitting down incidents that they wonāt stay on top of my head these days.
I donāt trust them to stay on the top of my head. A photographing female friend of mine does this. She has enough hair to stick them in (and looks rather stylish!).
Pushing the specs upā¦ first, the fit must be right. There must be enough of a hook and the arm length must be right. I forgot I was wearing a different pair of specs one day, and they flew to the ground. Which got a laugh, but heyā¦ Duh!
When the fit is right, and one is used to it: it doesnāt even take a thought.
I guess I was lucky with my usual frames. I had no trouble developing the technique. So now, if I was going for new frames, Iād take the camera with me!
String or not, I do not want to be putting them on and off when taking pics. And I know my propensity to loose/forget stuff that I just put down for a minute.
When I wore glasses only for reading I used a string. What I call Librarian style. But I wasnāt doing much camera stuff then.
I usually use a camera strapless. But not always: I donāt think Iād up to coping with glasses string and camera strap!
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