Red filters on scuba masks
- Thread starter JonOh
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They are quite common actually. I have a SeaVision reader mask with tinted lenses.
Prescription Scuba Masks
Prescription Scuba Masks
I just acquired my first tinted mask, also bifocal prescription. Pretty Sweet, although I am still getting used to it. Debbie has used the timited masks for a long time with great satisfaction.
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis
I didn't realize they did make red tinted glasses. I wish someone would have a snap on or glue on filter since some of us like a particular brand of mask. Anybody want to collaborate on that as an investment idea?
Scuba_Noob
Contributor
Sounds like a red-filtered mask would look strange, except at a certain limited range of depth.
I much prefer having a good light that shows the real colors of life at all depths, rather than have some areas be extremely red-tinted. If you had a light and the red-filtered mask, everything the light shines on would look too red.
I much prefer having a good light that shows the real colors of life at all depths, rather than have some areas be extremely red-tinted. If you had a light and the red-filtered mask, everything the light shines on would look too red.
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They seem like a great idea until you learn and understand how they handicap your critter spotting abilities. Yes, the best idea is to always carry and use a flashlight.
A red filter overcomes the blue tint of the water. It can make large scale panoramic views quite pleasing.
Red filters also increase contrast. Critters utilize contrast, sometimes to hide in plain sight. Contrast is another word for the distinction between light and dark. With these filters, you essentially blind yourself to nuances in the gradation of light that allows you to perceive lurking critters. You're going to be blocking your perception of mid range lighting values.
in early days of Hollywood (until the 1960's), moonlight sequences were shot in b&w during mid-day with a heavy red filter. It increased contrasts, turned shadows to black. Nice effect, but a great simulation of night blindness.
The recent explosion in "special red filters" for u/w cameras is kind of amusing. CC30R or 40R filters have been available mail order for 60 years from places like Porter's camera, or you can pay $65 for them from a dive camera website. They used to be a standard $6 accessory for every Nikonos 35mm camera toting diver.
Physics and filters haven't changed much, but new marketing pitches increases interest and apparently the price s well.
A red filter overcomes the blue tint of the water. It can make large scale panoramic views quite pleasing.
Red filters also increase contrast. Critters utilize contrast, sometimes to hide in plain sight. Contrast is another word for the distinction between light and dark. With these filters, you essentially blind yourself to nuances in the gradation of light that allows you to perceive lurking critters. You're going to be blocking your perception of mid range lighting values.
in early days of Hollywood (until the 1960's), moonlight sequences were shot in b&w during mid-day with a heavy red filter. It increased contrasts, turned shadows to black. Nice effect, but a great simulation of night blindness.
The recent explosion in "special red filters" for u/w cameras is kind of amusing. CC30R or 40R filters have been available mail order for 60 years from places like Porter's camera, or you can pay $65 for them from a dive camera website. They used to be a standard $6 accessory for every Nikonos 35mm camera toting diver.
Physics and filters haven't changed much, but new marketing pitches increases interest and apparently the price s well.
Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that you naturally compensate for the lack of red light to some extent. Your eyes become more sensitive to red light and less sensitive to blue light as you descend and your photo receptors begin to note the change in ambient spectrum. So you're better off just having a flash light. Plus, they're good for searching in crevices.
CT-Rich
Contributor
I used to sell cameras and learned a lot about the biology and physics of sight over the years. If you look a photograph taken in an office using uncorrected film, the color that you see has a very strong green hue. The reason is that cameras and film (and modern CCDs) don't naturally color correct for the light source. Your brain does it quite well. This is one of the reasons that you don't notice that you are virtually color blind in low light and can walk into a walmart and not notice everything has a greenish hue. Digital cameras can't do the color correction that comes naturally to our brain.
It would be interesting if they made cameras that could do a spectral analysis of the light coming in and automatically color correct to the available light.
It would be interesting if they made cameras that could do a spectral analysis of the light coming in and automatically color correct to the available light.
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