Clear Mask Skirt vs. Black Mask Skirt

[Rick Inman]

Well let's take a quick lesson in how you "SEE" something. Light bounces off an object, comes back at you, enters your eyes, your brain processes the info. If the light that comes back at you is blocked by a black skirt, you will not process that because it is not getting to your eyes. A clear skirt will let the light enter.

I compared masks on the net and this was one advantage that the clear skirt had....especially for photographers.

Simple really. Now are you a converted?

Well, when we project a bright video image onto a large movie screen in an auditorium, the image appears brighter and easier to view in detail when the lights around the screen are off. Turn the house lights on (in other words, light up the peripheral area) and viewing the image is not as enjoyable.
Also, I noticed that when you take an eye exam, they darken everything outside of what you are viewing.
Sorry, QuoVadis, I'm not converted to your POV.

 

[jonnythan]

Wrong, wrong, wrong. How much glare are you gonna have at 100 ft.? Unless you are using a million watt spotlight or something.... if you are down 100 ft., on a wreck in the Gulf of Mexico like me, you want ALL THE LIGHT YOU CAN to enter your mask. Do some research...you will be suprised.

Not to sound snotty, but I've done a lot of research on eyesight, and been taught a lot about the eyes in advanced human physiology classes.

The *fact* is that ANY light coming in through the skirt is "ambient" light and contains no visual information whatsoever.. however, it has the effect of adding to the cumulative light input into the eye, thus decreasing pupil size.

Imagine a couple of things.. first, you're staring at the stars. Do you think you will see more stars if you put up some walls around you to block out the light from the store down the street and house next door?

Also, take it to the extreme... imagine if you had a TON of light coming in through the skirt, versus NO light (but the same thing in your field of view). If having a TON of light will destroy your night vision, why would a *little* be better than *none*?

 

[QuoVadis]

Well, when we project a bright video image onto a large movie screen in an auditorium, the image appears brighter and easier to view in detail when the lights around the screen are off. Turn the house lights on (in other words, light up the peripheral area) and viewing the image is not as enjoyable.
Also, I noticed that when you take an eye exam, they darken everything outside of what you are viewing.
Sorry, QuoVadis, I'm not converted to your POV.

What is being projected underwater? You are off base on that one. Totally different when you are talking an image that is being projected. And an eye exam???? Are you serious? They want it dark so no other light can enter your eyes, other than the Docs instrument.

Do some research...the truth is out there.

 

[jonnythan]

What is being projected underwater? You are off base on that one. Totally different when you are talking an image that is being projected. And an eye exam???? Are you serious? They want it dark so no other light can enter your eyes, other than the Docs instrument.

Do some research...the truth is out there.

Yup.. and it's in post 32. If you can reduce the total amount of light entering the eye (by going to a black skirt) without changing the amount of visual information entering the eye (keeping the same mask lens), you increase visual acuity.

 

[QuoVadis]

Not to sound snotty, but I've done a lot of research on eyesight, and been taught a lot about the eyes in advanced human physiology classes.

The *fact* is that ANY light coming in through the skirt is "ambient" light and contains no visual information whatsoever.. however, it has the effect of adding to the cumulative light input into the eye, thus decreasing pupil size.

Imagine a couple of things.. first, you're staring at the stars. Do you think you will see more stars if you put up some walls around you to block out the light from the store down the street and house next door?

Also, take it to the extreme... imagine if you had a TON of light coming in through the skirt, versus NO light (but the same thing in your field of view). If having a TON of light will destroy your night vision, why would a *little* be better than *none*?

Was your physiology class a lab also? If not...do some testing on your own.

Compare masks on the net...see what they say. I think it is even in my NAUI book about a clear skirt mask lets more light in and is better than a dark skirt. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[OE2X]

From my experience as a professional photographer here is my take on this subject.

First off peripheral light does nothing to enhance your visual acuity. If anything what it does is add a source of light that contributes nothing to the viewing area. Rick's movie theater comparison is dead on. The more peripheral light the more distracting it is from the subject.

Clear skirts also allow light to reflect off the inside of the mask thus creating more visual distortion. It's similar to looking at your computer monitor with a back light versus in a dark room. The back lit monitor will pick up reflections, the dark room won't. No reflections allow you to see the subject much more clearly and in greater detail.
I work on monitors that have large black hoods and generally for the best color correction and viewing I like to be in a darkened room.

Other examples of why surrounding your eyes with something dark can be found on eye cups of binoculars, mountaineers glacier sunglasses, eye cups on high end cameras - both video and still. As a matter of fact the reason why you see photographers with the dark cloth over their heads on a large format camera (4x5 or 8x10) is for this exact purpose. The only thing they want to see is what is coming through the lens. Ever go to a concert? When they want to single out a musician they put a spot light directly on them and lower the surrounding lights. Ever drive a boat at night? You turn off all the ambient and peripheral lights so that you can better focus on the lights of the shoreline.

Ultimately the only light you want to let in is that which is on the subject that you are viewing. Any light coming in from the side is irrelevant and distracting. Thus dark skirted masks make it easier to view.

 

[QuoVadis]

Just did a google search on "clear mask skirts". The first site that came up said this...."A majority of divers prefer masks with clear skirts which let in the maximum amount of light" the website is www.greatoutdoors.ie/masks. I bet I can find hundreds more like it.

I was wrong about the photography part. The same website said that divers who phocus on a single object (photographers) will choose a dark skirt to avoid glare from an external light. To each his own!

 

[OE2X]

The link didn't work.

What you said was that "divers prefer" - not that clear skirts allow you to see better.
My wife may prefer a clear skirt mask since she feels claustrophobic underwater.

I happen to like a very low volume mask. It doesn't have tunnel vision and thus gives me a greater viewing angle.

QuoVadis - just out of curiosity have you tried a black skirted mask underwater?

Check out this thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=88303&page=1&pp=10

 

[jonnythan]

Just did a google search on "clear mask skirts". The first site that came up said this...."A majority of divers prefer masks with clear skirts which let in the maximum amount of light" the website is www.greatoutdoors.ie/masks. I bet I can find hundreds more like it.

Yes, clear skirts allow the maximum amount of light in, but this doesn't result in increased vision.. it results in things like no feelings of tunnel vision, the false impression of a wider field of vew, etc.

OE2X is 100% spot on when he said, very succintly, this:

Ultimately the only light you want to let in is that which is on the subject that you are viewing. Any light coming in from the side is irrelevant and distracting.

 

[Nemrod]

All of those arguments have merit. The simple thing is now black masks are in vogue as is anything black, kinda a revolt against the neon disco days of diving. I want a bright yellow or sea blue mask, to heck with black! Frankly, I like the clear best and find all that about light entering and all to be no problem with the clear skirt masks I have. The Mares V rocks in black or clear either way it is a great mask. N