Considering “brightness” of an optic is an aspect of critique when evaluating optics, why then shoot with sunglasses and not clear lenses? What are your thoughts?
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Shooting With Sunglasses
- Thread starter FredHammer
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It sucks donkey balls, and I wear prescription sun glasses. Eyepro is required at my home range, but I look over the tops of them when looking through my scope, or just dangle them around my neck when it's my turn. Clear shatterproof is the way to go if you have to wear it when scope shooting. I much prefer no eye pro when shooting a scoped rifle.
Like a condom. Nobody WANTS to, but it's often a good idea.
I HATE wearing eye pro shooting precision rifles, but my eyes have slid a little in the last 3-4 years so I have prescription Oakleys that aren't full blown dark...they are almost like a mid level so unless it's really really overcast, I don't have any issues. I still don't like to have them on my face because it seems like any way I slice it...I'm looking through the edge of the lens instead of the middle.
That said...I'm much more inclined to wear them when I shoot hand guns as eye pro...just cause it helps me see targets, sights, red dots more clear.
That said...I'm much more inclined to wear them when I shoot hand guns as eye pro...just cause it helps me see targets, sights, red dots more clear.
I try to avoid those dirty, road whore matches.
I'm not giving advice. Just giving my opinion. I like to ride street bikes without a helmet too, but I don't advocate that others do it. I also remove the guards from various woodworking and carpentry equipment if they bother me and get in my way. I put the auto-trigger in my framing nailer... I have used a chainsaw in shorts and flip-flops. I have all ten fingers, both eyes, and the bionic leg was not from lack of safety equipment.
I use safety equipment when I feel it's warranted, and I don't if I feel it isn't. I will get up on the roof with no safety harness to clean out the gutters, but I won't go ice skating, or to a trampoline park (both are way too fucking dangerous for me).
What I am certain about is that if it isn't impacting your liberty it ought to be a wise recommendation and not a jussive. We have become a society that fetishizes and worships safety, and you can see the ill results in the kids. When my kid's friends ask him why his dad doesn't wear a helmet when we go bike riding he tells them, "He grew up in the 1970s and basically raised himself."
I'm not giving advice. Just giving my opinion. I like to ride street bikes without a helmet too, but I don't advocate that others do it. I also remove the guards from various woodworking and carpentry equipment if they bother me and get in my way. I put the auto-trigger in my framing nailer... I have used a chainsaw in shorts and flip-flops. I have all ten fingers, both eyes, and the bionic leg was not from lack of safety equipment.
I use safety equipment when I feel it's warranted, and I don't if I feel it isn't. I will get up on the roof with no safety harness to clean out the gutters, but I won't go ice skating, or to a trampoline park (both are way too fucking dangerous for me).
What I am certain about is that if it isn't impacting your liberty it ought to be a wise recommendation and not a jussive. We have become a society that fetishizes and worships safety, and you can see the ill results in the kids. When my kid's friends ask him why his dad doesn't wear a helmet when we go bike riding he tells them, "He grew up in the 1970s and basically raised himself."
Won't get caught dead outside w/o brown colored sunglesses no matter what.
Cataracts show up because of plain old age/not taking care of yourself, and my surgeon told me in my case that because of years and years of being outside w/o eye protection, UV rays did a number cooking the clear portion of my eyes where I ended up w/needing cataract surgery.
I've had one surgery on my rt. eye for cataracts, 2 cataract surgeries on my left, just had laser surgery again on my left eye to remove/"poof" scar tissue that had grown around the original surgery, and also need it on the rt. eye to remove the same kind of scar tissue.
I'll end up having 5 procedures but treasure every drop of benefit Stein has given me in my old age.
If the sunglasses are dark, they'll act like neutral density filters whether they're stuck in front of the scope or on you; if they're on you they're doing the same thing to the light after it comes out of the other end of the scope.
They do help w/glare in some cases obviously, and on a bright, cloudless day, the sky in terms of illumination can be something like 16 times the level of ground illumination where it might make a difference in terms of glare.
Dark sunglasses will knock down light, I guess the question is do some other benefit of wearing them outweigh that in some circumstances.
Cataracts show up because of plain old age/not taking care of yourself, and my surgeon told me in my case that because of years and years of being outside w/o eye protection, UV rays did a number cooking the clear portion of my eyes where I ended up w/needing cataract surgery.
I've had one surgery on my rt. eye for cataracts, 2 cataract surgeries on my left, just had laser surgery again on my left eye to remove/"poof" scar tissue that had grown around the original surgery, and also need it on the rt. eye to remove the same kind of scar tissue.
I'll end up having 5 procedures but treasure every drop of benefit Stein has given me in my old age.
If the sunglasses are dark, they'll act like neutral density filters whether they're stuck in front of the scope or on you; if they're on you they're doing the same thing to the light after it comes out of the other end of the scope.
They do help w/glare in some cases obviously, and on a bright, cloudless day, the sky in terms of illumination can be something like 16 times the level of ground illumination where it might make a difference in terms of glare.
Dark sunglasses will knock down light, I guess the question is do some other benefit of wearing them outweigh that in some circumstances.
LOL....more seriously, I don't wear tinted glasses (sunglasses) when shooting...seems to negate the benefit of all the money I spent on a top tier scope.
But, I do wear clear, shatter proof shooting glasses. Not cheap ass plastic safety glasses but actual shooting glasses which in my case are Randolph Rangers. I do so for the same reason as above...I bought scopes with high end coated lenses so why would I put a cheap pair of plastic glasses between the scope and my eyes.
I had cataract surgery in both eyes over the past few years and so wear plano lenses. Prior, I had lenses for the Rangers made with my prescription.
Oh, and another reason I like to wear glasses is that I have small stick on read glass type magnifiers on the bottom of the lenses so I can see the dang numbers on turret. Getting old ain't no gift! haha
I find that I’ve got plenty of brightness during the day (more than I need for good observation) and typically shoot with Oakley flak jackets.
It’s those early morning / right before sunset hunting shots where you need all the light gathering, and I shoot without eye pro there.
It’s those early morning / right before sunset hunting shots where you need all the light gathering, and I shoot without eye pro there.
Modoc and Baron 23...
A lot of folks don't know UV is a motherfucker.
After enough years in the sun, it'll take the paint job off a car.
A lot of folks don't know UV is a motherfucker.
After enough years in the sun, it'll take the paint job off a car.
I'm always wearing sunglasses outside, including when I'm shooting. The UV will beat up your eyes, I personally prefer to preserve what eye sight I have.
I'm so used to wearing sunglasses, that it doesn't bother me. Currently I use Costa's. Get a brand with good quality optics, and keep them clean.
I'm so used to wearing sunglasses, that it doesn't bother me. Currently I use Costa's. Get a brand with good quality optics, and keep them clean.
Well yes...and I wear sunglasses most often when outside and have for many decades. Like when I started flying as a civilian at about 20 and then into the USAF. Sunglasses (or tinted helmet visor) always.
I particularly dislike idiots who don't keep sunglasses in their vehicle and cause bottlenecks in traffic due to glare in early morning or night.
But, behind a scope...nope. I wear a ball cap with a visor and clear (actually light lemon) glasses. Seems to work for me.
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I'm an operator so I wear a quality welding helmet.
It ain't a Ferrari, but it is mine
Wife... "What in the hell did you buy it for?... all you do is wash it, wax it, and drive back into the garage!!."
Arguing w/the wife can lead to serious consequences, especially around dinner time, so I just shrug.
Wife... "What in the hell did you buy it for?... all you do is wash it, wax it, and drive back into the garage!!."
Arguing w/the wife can lead to serious consequences, especially around dinner time, so I just shrug.
I have always been told that sunglasses limit clarity and may induce parallax. Whether the parallax theory is real or not, I don't care, and have yet to observe any error because of sunglasses. I will never not wear sunglasses (amber lenses) when shooting outside, aside from extreme weather events.
Get some quality sunglasses and I highly doubt it will limit the clarity of your optic.
Get some quality sunglasses and I highly doubt it will limit the clarity of your optic.
I think so; I’ve had no issues with them and they have held up for 3-4 years for me so far
This isn't the end all, be all of examples, but this is the issue I run into most often when shooting precision rifle with glasses.
It never fails. I'm always looking through the top corner of the lens and occasionally the frame gets int he way and I have to adjust my face or glasses or both. I think the Oakley Tombstone is a great design for reducing this.
Tombstone don't have a traditional frame...I'm sure they have others like this as well, but the Tombstone is marketed as shooting glasses.
I've been wanting to test them out for a while.
Yes have those. Brightens up they view a little for me. But I wear contacts, and have keratoconus and contact lenses usually folds in half. So when sighting in on target it gets blurry. Wish they made Tombstone lenses in prescription cause I do like those glasses. But they don't so looking into oakley for new prescription sunglasses
The biggest problem I see with those is that you are now wearing Oakleys...in public...where other people can see you...including maybe even women...
And both Randolph Rangers and Decots....both shooting glasses worn widely in clay target sports (along with very high dollar Pilla)...are made to sit up on your face a bit (and the better frames have adjustable nose pieces) to get any little bit of frame out of the way of your vision.
The Oakley's you posted look nice.
I wear the Wiley X Sabre glasses. They have options for Rx if you contact them. They are not as dark as regular sun glasses and they have other colored lenses if you like. They do not have the coatings like some sun glasses and are not polarized. I have found sun glasses with all the coatings tend to take away from the scope coatings and dull the brightness. The Wiley X glasses do not have that effect, glass is still bright. They are not expensive either.
Roka may be worth a look as well. Made in America, and one of the few brands these days not owned by Luxxotica.
www.roka.com
Safety and Protective Eyewear - Z87+ Ballistic rated | ROKA
ROKA's Z87+ rated protective eyewear merges our patented retention and fit technology with ballistic rated lenses to offer the ultimate solution for those who demand the most from their personal protective equipment.
www.roka.com
Went to your Roka link and if you go to this page...
www.roka.com
Then click on the "Full Sun" button....
Then "Full Sun" ---"Dark Carbon" shows up.
Whatever they want to call these, photographers will pick up on it immediately this is a Neutral Density filter cutting the illumination in half 3 times or cutting down the illumination 3 stops (8x the illumination).
If you're looking in the direction of ground illumination w/o dark glasses, on a bright sunny day, where the sky has 8 times the illumination vs the ground, putting these "Dark Carbon"/essentially Neutral Density filters on, and looking up at the sky will essentially knock that illumination down 3 times so you're looking at the same level of illumination as the ground.
You're not wearing dark glasses, you run into a situation where you suddenly have to look into an extremely bright situation, these will knock down that illumination halving the light 3 times--3 stops--8x the illumination.
If/assuming the illumination of the sky is 100%
half of that is 50%
half of that is 25%
half of that is 12% (fuck the "loose change")
gives you the 12% figure for these glasses They are neutral density filters and I'd say these folks are trying to give you your "money's worth".
Nice
GP-1x Tactical - ROKA
GP Tactical Shield Sunglasses: protective eyewear for military, first responders, hunting, or anything requiring increased eye protection. Ballistic-rated lenses.
www.roka.com
Then click on the "Full Sun" button....
Then "Full Sun" ---"Dark Carbon" shows up.
Whatever they want to call these, photographers will pick up on it immediately this is a Neutral Density filter cutting the illumination in half 3 times or cutting down the illumination 3 stops (8x the illumination).
If you're looking in the direction of ground illumination w/o dark glasses, on a bright sunny day, where the sky has 8 times the illumination vs the ground, putting these "Dark Carbon"/essentially Neutral Density filters on, and looking up at the sky will essentially knock that illumination down 3 times so you're looking at the same level of illumination as the ground.
You're not wearing dark glasses, you run into a situation where you suddenly have to look into an extremely bright situation, these will knock down that illumination halving the light 3 times--3 stops--8x the illumination.
If/assuming the illumination of the sky is 100%
half of that is 50%
half of that is 25%
half of that is 12% (fuck the "loose change")
gives you the 12% figure for these glasses They are neutral density filters and I'd say these folks are trying to give you your "money's worth".
Nice
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the az desert is pretty f'in bright about 6 months+ out of the year so ya, sunglasses all the time and even with scoped shooting it doesnt bother me. i hardly notice, kinda like wearing gloves. it feels wierd without anymore. sometime my single vision rx ones and sometimes just not script ones.
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Love mine for shooting clays.
I generally grab the Flak Jackets off my visor when I sit in my truck. So I'll already be wearing them when I get to the range. The open bottom is nice.
For clays the lack of top frame is a game changer. Unlike skeet or trap, sporting clays will have birds coming over you, down at you, up and away, etc.
It really depends on your age and your eyes. I couldn’t accurately dial for elevation without progressive lenses. I think your question is best answered by each individual shooter. What SUCKS is when you figure it all out in the middle of a match. Don’t ask me how I know.
I have to wear my glasses when I shoot, I wear progressive lenses. They are also transitions. I just got used to it. The big thing that I noticed is that some scopes work better than others with the glasses. I have two primary scopes. One is clear and bright even with the dark lenses. The other is noticeably darker and harder to use.
The only downside to wearing non prescription glasses for shooting is whether or not they are optically correct. So cheapies won’t do. I do a lot of varmint hunting in bright sunlight, so sunglasses cut a lot of glare. I like Ray Bans. These were developed during WW2 for optical clarity.
The Tombstones are great for shooting, but not for general use. The lack of a top frame and the high-rise above your brow gets the edge of the lens (and the top frame, because there isn't one) out of your field of view. However the lack of a frame makes them extremely "flimsy". If you need to take them off and just stick them on top of your head or ball cap, they will sometimes fall off if you look down or make a sudden movement - invariably lens-first onto the most abrasive surface in the vicinity. As a result I've switched to M-Frame Ballistic. They have a top frame, but are still fairly high-rise, so it doesn't get in my way as long as I don't let them slide down my nose. They also do fairly well for general use, and stay where you put them. Not the most attractive, but excellent clarity, and top-notch protection. The Tombstones sit unused now.
I've worn Ray-Ban Aviators for over 20 years. The thin "cable" temples don't interfere with the seals on a headset when flying, and thus helps keep cockpit noise out. However, the lenses are glass and will shatter on impact (I've dropped them on concrete and had to get a broom and dust pan for all the shards). The Aviators (don't know about other models) are most definitely NOT safety glasses and should NOT be used for shooting. In fact, now that Biden is seen wearing them daily, I've pretty much quit wearing them altogether. Thanks, Joe - another thing you've screwed up.
I wear progressive on a daily basis. But I can’t shoot through a scope with them. I use fixed bifocal for shooting. I don’t need the midrange of the progressive and it helps me stay off the transition area having the line for the bifocal.
For-my whole life before cataract surgery I was right handed left eye dominant.
I wore script B&L for decades and then Post 4, all with Transition lenses.
After surgery I am 20/15, right handed and right eye dominant!
I have no correction in my right eye and wear Gatorz Blastshield with a Transition type lens.
www.gatorz.com
The wrap around feature of the BlastShield helps assure no debris reaches me eyes through openings around normal lenses. I have had hot cases bounce off my forehead and into the area behind the glass and burn me.
The one draw back is reading elevation and windage.
Very rarely do I shoot a shot of any kind without protection.
-Richard
I wore script B&L for decades and then Post 4, all with Transition lenses.
After surgery I am 20/15, right handed and right eye dominant!
I have no correction in my right eye and wear Gatorz Blastshield with a Transition type lens.
Tactical
www.gatorz.com
The one draw back is reading elevation and windage.
Very rarely do I shoot a shot of any kind without protection.
-Richard
Id say conditions and eyes dictate what is going to be comfortable. My eyes tend toward the "more sensitive to light," so if im at an outdoor range and theres a lot of sky or reflective surfaces (eg sand berms and such), something with a modest tint cuts down on the strain.
I used to like the neutral gray tint, but now prefer a brown tint and its contrast. Serengeti's driver and/or 555nm... Some of Oakley's Prism lens are great too. While these aren't necessarily impact rated, they work well.
Someone above mentioned Smith, and I second their clarity; those are my current clear lens choice.
I used to like the neutral gray tint, but now prefer a brown tint and its contrast. Serengeti's driver and/or 555nm... Some of Oakley's Prism lens are great too. While these aren't necessarily impact rated, they work well.
Someone above mentioned Smith, and I second their clarity; those are my current clear lens choice.
If you have light colored eyes, ie not brown or black, you should be wearing sunglasses most of the time that you are outside during the day. Those of us with blue eyes are much more susceptible to sunburn of the eye than those with darker eyes. Those dark browns are caused by the same melanin that protects skin from sun damage.
If it is bright enough that you wore sun glasses while driving to the range, it is bright enough that the tint isn’t negatively affecting what you can see through the scope.
If it is bright enough that you wore sun glasses while driving to the range, it is bright enough that the tint isn’t negatively affecting what you can see through the scope.
Was over my Son's house shooting in the direction of downtown LA and when I got through, I thought of this thread.
Someone I believe mentioned can there be too much illumination or something to that effect, and I remembered this thread.
I've always had several pairs of blended dark sunglasses which work on several levels including the blended part helping you not looking like you've been wearing goggles all your life. I think depending on the "make and model" they can knock down glare/illumination from the sky when you're looking at something on the ground which may not make a difference to anybody, although it does to me, and of course to each his own.
Works extremely well when taking images so for the hell of it, I used my graduated ND filter for this since I already had it out taking shots in the direction of downtown.
This Harrison & Harrison I've had over 30-35 yrs, is graduated knocking down the illumination 2 stops/4x the illumation to clear glass
Taped to the wall to show how it's graduated...
The ring is fuzzy cuz I'm on inf/downtown, if you line up the transition where the filter transits from light to dark on the horizon you can hide the use of the filter and it leaves the ground alone, and in removing a lot of light/white from the sky, gives a more saturated look/less "washed out" to a blue sky.
Yes, some folks will do a similar effect by way of Photoshop/Lightroom. I will try something like this 1st before I do something else.
Someone I believe mentioned can there be too much illumination or something to that effect, and I remembered this thread.
I've always had several pairs of blended dark sunglasses which work on several levels including the blended part helping you not looking like you've been wearing goggles all your life. I think depending on the "make and model" they can knock down glare/illumination from the sky when you're looking at something on the ground which may not make a difference to anybody, although it does to me, and of course to each his own.
Works extremely well when taking images so for the hell of it, I used my graduated ND filter for this since I already had it out taking shots in the direction of downtown.
This Harrison & Harrison I've had over 30-35 yrs, is graduated knocking down the illumination 2 stops/4x the illumation to clear glass
Taped to the wall to show how it's graduated...
The ring is fuzzy cuz I'm on inf/downtown, if you line up the transition where the filter transits from light to dark on the horizon you can hide the use of the filter and it leaves the ground alone, and in removing a lot of light/white from the sky, gives a more saturated look/less "washed out" to a blue sky.
Yes, some folks will do a similar effect by way of Photoshop/Lightroom. I will try something like this 1st before I do something else.
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"Shooting in the direction of downtown LA" could mean something totally different on this forum. It might be a good idea to choose your words more carefully.
LOL!!! I luv it!!
Hopefully the law, and the government supercomputers that monitor the whole of Earth's communications take the time to read this, and of course they'll know/should know is the only thing I'd shoot in the direction of downtown LA over my Son's house would be cameras as in "Lifelong Photographer".
There's no excuse for them to not know it now but thanks for the "heads up".
I think I'll be ok LOL
Hopefully the law, and the government supercomputers that monitor the whole of Earth's communications take the time to read this, and of course they'll know/should know is the only thing I'd shoot in the direction of downtown LA over my Son's house would be cameras as in "Lifelong Photographer".
There's no excuse for them to not know it now but thanks for the "heads up".
I think I'll be ok LOL
You might be right, but this is a pretty cool area w/like minded folks; my son's next door neighbor directly across the street is a retired US Marshall, there's a boatload of LAPD/Sheriffs/Highway Patrol/Judges/Probation officers been living in this particular area for years and loving it.
Now of course there are other parts of California out of the "Wild Wild West" you bet.
Now of course there are other parts of California out of the "Wild Wild West" you bet.
I have been using RE Ranger Edge glasses because my astigmatism is coming back after LASIK. A personal favorite of mine due to the height adjustable nosepiece and wire ear frames.
In terms of lens color… I run yellow if it’s super bright, but mainly clear.
I usually switch to normal lenses off the stage but have recently just taken to biting the pillow. It sucks because I am super sensitive to light (can see great in the dark though) due to LASIK.
In terms of lens color… I run yellow if it’s super bright, but mainly clear.
I usually switch to normal lenses off the stage but have recently just taken to biting the pillow. It sucks because I am super sensitive to light (can see great in the dark though) due to LASIK.
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