Sunglasses and filters -- answer not in books

[pagpow]

I wear vision sunglasses, dark gray green, not RayBan, not polarized, but anti-reflection, and UV absorbing coating --

the world looks more interesting visually through them than without them. I am interested in replicating the look -- not clear I can given issues of visual accommodation, etc.

Here's the issue: On an overcast day with complex clouds, the contrast between transilluminated clouds and sky, both blue and gray, is increased. That I can understand assuming differential transmission of the white light of the cloud and the blue of the sky.

But the glasses also reveal much more interesting details and structure in different grays than I can see without the sunglasses. So, for example, the underside of gray clouds appears with more detail than w/o the glasses.

What explains this? color of glasses? -- hard to see that. Or suppression of UV?
What color/strength filter, if any, would replicate this effect on color film w/o creating obvious color cast?

I suppose I could try difft filters on an SLR and at least see which filters replicate the effect visually -- then see whether that transfers to film -- but I thought i'd see whether I could short cut that.

A warming filter might replicate some of the effects, but is very difft color from my glasses.

Thoughts?

 

[pagpow]

Thanks, nikonwebmaster,

they're vision sunglasses -- and suggestion what i'd be combining?

 

[laptoprob]

I have a pair of sunglasses that polarise a little. Not as much as a filter, but they do increase colour, contrast etcetera. Maybe that's waht yours do too.

 

[rbiemer]

I think I'd ask the eye doctor/optician what the coating(s) on your glasses are and then see what filters might be similar.
Or you could ask if they can make you a filter from the same material or with the same coating.
Even then, however, you might not get the results you want; I think film reacts very differently to light than your eye.
Rob

 

[JohnTF]

It can be complicated, my optician changes sources, and over time the coatings come and go with style and economics.

I would think a qualified optician might be able to quantify what is on your glasses, and then you can make some choices from there.

Occasionally as I have a very light distance prescription, for a snap on vacation, I have shot through the center of my sunglasses with some interesting results.

Am afraid I am a bit jaded with Lenscrafters, as they are far more interested in very high profit margins than service.

If you can find a small shop I would think you would get more information and help.

I had good luck in Prague, but the chains are buying out all the little shops, the first summers I spent there, small shops were very common, and you would often meet the owner, optician, etc. who took a personal interest in all their clients offering time and reasonable alternatives.

I would not be surprised if a small shop could get the labs to make up something that would fit a filter holder for you. Sounds like a project. ;-)

Markup on glasses today are so high that if you find a small shop they might be willing to help you on a more reasonable basis, they should have room to work.

Regards, John

 

[pagpow]

Well, part of the issue is that while my eye will see the "normal" colors, though with different contrast relationships, the film will not compensate -- a dark gray-green filter on the lens will give me a strong gray-green cast -- not something I want. that's why I was trying to see if it was a particular component of the glasses that gave me this effect.

As I look through the glasses, I notice that they look a bit red or violet, rather than gray green. Perhaps some of the effects I note in the original post are from a warming effect from that -- but it still does not explain the differential effects on grays.

Thanks all. Other thoughts?

 

[dmr]

I wear prescription sunglasses, and when I first put them on, yes, I notice a change in how things look.

However, after a few minutes things start to look normal and I forget I have them on, even when I go inside.

I would think that trying to recreate the look of a scene the way it's viewed just after putting sunglasses on would result in something that looks artificially green, almost cartoonish.

 

[Jerrold]

I think this is similar to putting a red filter on when doing black and white film, but in colour all looks red.
However our eyes can compensate naturally as DMR says, ie a white piece of paper always looks white to us, no matter the lighting colour, as our brain knows it's a white bit of paper.
Sometime you'll see driving glasses that are yellow for low light, as this "enhances" vision for us, but put a yellow filter on colour film however and all will look yellow.
Best bet is a polariser I think

 

[bsdunek]

I find that a UV filter on 'cloudy bright' days makes things look a lot better - much like you describe. You might try that or a haze filter - or both!

 

[pagpow]

Thanks, all -- it looks like we might have a convergence of thinking--
I think I'll play with SLR, slides, pola, and warming filters of different strengths and see where I get.

 

[Luddite Frank]

If were talking color photography, I've always read / been told that the only filters that could be used w/o imparting a color shift were the UV filter (to cut haze) and the Polarizer ( cuts glare from reflective surfaces and increases contrast between clouds / sky). (Excepting the 80-A filters for shooting daylight film indoors and vice-versa.)

I've had to wear glasses for 37 out of my 42 years, and about 10 years ago, got my first prescription sunglasses. Alternately, I've used clip-on sunglasses with my regular glasses.

At any rate, I have noticed that detail of cloud-structure becomes more apparent when wearing "shades"... I also used to notice this when looking up at the sky through the blue-tinted top of the windshields in my parents' cars back in the '70s...

I think part of the phenonmenon is due to polarizing effect, and some is the reduction in light intensity hitting our eyes... I listen to a lot of classical music, and find I often hear more detail in the music when the volume is at a moderate to low level, as opposed to "cranked"...

Sounds like some time spent with the SLR & variety of filters would be well-spent.

Good luck... please let us know what your findings are !

Luddite Frank

 

[JoeV]

My reply in no way attempts to answer the OP's question, but for the record I don't wear tinting at all on my glasses when I go out photographing, including any sunglasses. I feel it helps me judge the quality of the light better.

~Joe

 

[ampguy]

another look that is not easily replicated with lenses or filters, is the look through well coated binoculars. I can scan 200 yards at a time with binoculars, but can't get the same compression look or feel with mega tele lenses.

I have some rx sunglasses that are Oakley's and this was the first time I had correction in the peripheral vision, which took a lot of getting used to. I'd guess that ultra wides would need some kind of curvature, very wide field, to replicate.

 

[Keith]

I had this exact scenario a few days ago. I was looking at some sun shining through a cloud bank and the shafts of light travelling earthward were quite distinct and spectacular through my serengeti sunglasses but not so much without. I actually took the shot through the sunglasses which created a difference of two stops.

It intrigued me that this effect was barely noticable to the naked eye but quite prominent through the glasses ... it made me wonder about filtering choices which I know absolutely zero about!

 

[rbiemer]

It occurs to me that most sunglasses do polarize light. If when you are wearing yours, pagpow, and you notice patterns in automobile rear window glass or in elctronics' LCD screens, then your sunglasses are polarizing to some extent. I've been wearing prescription glasses 45 years now and prescription sunglasses about 35 and all of mine have done this to one degree or another.
So, I think some combination of ND and polarizing ought to get you close to the effect you notice with your sunglasses. The other part of that effect is the color of the lenses which may or may not be useful on film--as mentioned our eyes/brain accommodate color shifts fairly well but film doesn't as well.
Rob