Long exposures, covering the eye piece

[Gad-Westy]

When I first got my Nikon, I remember looking at the little plastic lump that was included and wondering what the hell it was for. After a little google leg work it seemed like it was for covering the eye piece during long exposure to prevent light entering.

Now I have used this thing for it's intended purpose and experimented with and without it and I can't say I notice any difference at all.

So to put me out of my misery, is there any benefit to using this? I've heard it can help when metering but I generally shoot in manual so that wouldn't concern me much. Would it affect the exposure itself once the shutter is open?

And whilst on the subject, why is it so bloody fiddly to swap over? Is there no way Nikon could have made the eyepiece with a flip down cover or at least make them easily interchangeable? Do you Canonists suffer this as well?

Edited by Gad-Westy on Monday 17th January 15:09

[Gemm]

Gad-Westy said:

Do you Canonists suffer this as well?

Here's what Canonists do.... they need to stick their thumb out (or any other finger available) and turn this lever next to the viewfinder downwards. It's a bloody hard job. (But not all the Canon models has this...)

[AndWhyNot]

Never noticed a difference, even when shining a light in through the viewfinder when I wondered what difference it would make.

[itsnotarace]

Providing you are not shining a torch down your viewfinder during long exposures you may as well bin it for all the use it is.

[Rude-boy]

Was out I Iceland over Christmas and although cloud cover meant we didn't get the Northern Lights we were hoping to see did a fair old bit of long exposure shooting.

Made not one scrap of difference that i could see.

[Gad-Westy]

Gemm said:

Gad-Westy said:

Do you Canonists suffer this as well?

Here's what Canonists do.... they need to stick their thumb out (or any other finger available) and turn this lever next to the viewfinder downwards. It's a bloody hard job. (But not all the Canon models has this...)

See, now this sounds sensible and very simple. But judging by the other replies, I may as well not bother. That should make life a little easier.

[Speed addicted]

Budget models of Canon (ie my 500D) have a rubber thing on the strap and you have to remove the eyepiece surround to fit it.
After some experimentation I've also found that not bothering is the way forward.

[Ledaig]

Gad-Westy said:

Gemm said:

Gad-Westy said:

Do you Canonists suffer this as well?

Here's what Canonists do.... they need to stick their thumb out (or any other finger available) and turn this lever next to the viewfinder downwards. It's a bloody hard job. (But not all the Canon models has this...)

See, now this sounds sensible and very simple. But judging by the other replies, I may as well not bother. That should make life a little easier.

If you up to the D3 range you can have a little lever......

Now I realise this may be a little thin in the justification stakes, but it's a start

[Gad-Westy]

Ledaig said:

Gad-Westy said:

Gemm said:

Gad-Westy said:

Do you Canonists suffer this as well?

Here's what Canonists do.... they need to stick their thumb out (or any other finger available) and turn this lever next to the viewfinder downwards. It's a bloody hard job. (But not all the Canon models has this...)

See, now this sounds sensible and very simple. But judging by the other replies, I may as well not bother. That should make life a little easier.

If you up to the D3 range you can have a little lever......

Now I realise this may be a little thin in the justification stakes, but it's a start

I don't need much persuasion!

[ad551]

Speed addicted said:

Budget models of Canon (ie my 500D) have a rubber thing on the strap and you have to remove the eyepiece surround to fit it.
After some experimentation I've also found that not bothering is the way forward.

I've always wondered what that was.

[14-7]

Although I've never used it for actually taking a photo that little cover does make a difference when metering for the shot.

For example, I was taking some macro shots of a flower so focused then moved away to look at the top panel for f stop and shutter speed to set the exposure. Moving my hand and covering the eye piece made a two stop difference in metering than when metering with the eye piece allowing light in.

[Simpo Two]

Gad-Westy said:

And whilst on the subject, why is it so bloody fiddly to swap over? Is there no way Nikon could have made the eyepiece with a flip down cover or at least make them easily interchangeable?

You clip it to the neckstrap, then just slide the thing in place while still attached.

Nikon do make cameras with VF blinds but they're the expensive ones!

I'm sure Canon and all other SLRs have the same issue.

I've never done any tests with/without but always cover the VF with my hand on long exposures, almost as a susperstition!

[Elderly]

If we are talking SLR, I can't see how light entering the viewfinder can have any effect on the image once the mirror has flipped up.

IIRC my Nikon F3s had internal red shutter blinds - so why were they fitted????

[Major Bloodnok]

Elderly said:

If we are talking SLR, I can't see how light entering the viewfinder can have any effect on the image once the mirror has flipped up.

It doesn't - the effect is on metering just prior to the mirror flipping up.

Elderly said:

IIRC my Nikon F3s had internal red shutter blinds - so why were they fitted????

My F90X has an internal blind.

[Elderly]

Major Bloodnok said:

Elderly said:

If we are talking SLR, I can't see how light entering the viewfinder can have any effect on the image once the mirror has flipped up.

It doesn't - the effect is on metering just prior to the mirror flipping up.

I was responding to the OP who wrote: "After a little google leg work it seemed like it was for covering the eye piece during long exposure to prevent light entering."

[Gad-Westy]

14-7 said:

Although I've never used it for actually taking a photo that little cover does make a difference when metering for the shot.

For example, I was taking some macro shots of a flower so focused then moved away to look at the top panel for f stop and shutter speed to set the exposure. Moving my hand and covering the eye piece made a two stop difference in metering than when metering with the eye piece allowing light in.

Yeah, I think I'm ok with this as I generally set my exposure while looking through the eyepiece therefore using my head to block light entering

By shooting in manual and manual iso, once I step away, I know that nothing will change even if the camera thinks it should. So it sounds like once the shutter is open, it doesn't matter whether the eye piece is open or not?