Why are masks with red lenses not more popular?

[Slow]

Physicist answer:

The water filters out red light, leaving green and blue.
The red mask/filter, filters out blue and green light, leaving red.

So, if you wear a red mask under water, you're filtering out red AND blue AND green...leaving not much.

Or to show it as a picture...here's a graphical estimation of what color light is transmitted to various depths in various kinds of water.

Now, if you wear a red mask, you're wearing something that mostly only allows the light above 600nm, so after a certain depth, you're getting nothing...

This is of course a simplified view, but generally shows the point...red filter blocks most everything else other than red. I'm new to diving, but I love photography. I'm not using red filters and when I see pictures/video done with red filters I think it looks quite unnatural. Carry lights if you want to see "true" color. As said above, your eyes adjust pretty well...many people, when taking pictures, are surprised at how overwhelmingly BLUE their snappy-cam pictures are from under water. Their memory is much more colorful...

So yeah, add me to the "no red mask" voters.

 

[Dogbowl]

I see... thanks!

 

[herman]

I borrowed one once, it was great for a few minutes then the colors faded back to normal. I realized what had happened when I got out of the water and took it off. Everything turned an odd green tint....my brain had color compensated for the mask after a few minutes and above water needed a few minutes to recalibrate. Interesting effect but made the mask worthless after a few minutes.

 

[tridacna]

I'm guessing that same reasoning applies for a yellow "dirty water" mask?

 

[KeithG]

I'm guessing that same reasoning applies for a yellow "dirty water" mask?

You dive in "dirty water"?

By choice?

 

[Steve_C]

Our eyes are amazing good at compensating. When I got my first cheap underwater camera I took pictures of all the pretty yellow and red and ... fish. But when I looked at the photos they were all blue and green. The camera was truth.

 

[tridacna]

You dive in "dirty water"?

By choice?

Dutch Springs in PA is almost always "dirty water". And almost always, never by choice!

 

[KeithG]

Dutch Springs in PA is almost always "dirty water". And almost always, never by choice!

Sorry. I was thinking "fish dirty" or "human dirty". Seems you meant "cloudy"?

And NO, a colored lens will not help...

 

[tridacna]

There are several companies that market a yellow and violet lens for "dirty" or "cloudy" water. Seavision, GoPro spring readily to mind. We have some divers who swear by these things. I've always wondered whether these things work or not.

 

[KeithG]

There are several companies that market a yellow and violet lens for "dirty" or "cloudy" water. Seavision, GoPro spring readily to mind. We have some divers who swear by these things. I've always wondered whether these things work or not.

You need to separate masks and camera filters. Different applications Camera filters are useful - but only at specific depths.