Shooting Glasses Colors

raddadmike · October 1, 2020, 01:15 PM

Howdy folks,

So I've been digging around trying to learn new stuff about shooting, gear, and guns in general. And I've run across a lot of info on shooting glasses and the different colors that each mean. For instance, in one particular article (link for reference), they break down what some of the colors mean.

The yellow lenses in particular had me a bit shook. From my understanding, yellow lenses help to sharpen your field of vision. However, wouldn't that extra clarity add to a faster eye fatigue? And what about the purple? It's supposed to help you see against wooded backgrounds. Could that potentially lead to complacency or a lack of concentration?

Maybe I'm just a scrub used to shooting with orange glasses. Perhaps, I should start switching things up...

NoSecondBest · October 1, 2020, 02:52 PM

Shotgun? Handgun? Rifle? You’ll find different uses for different disciplines. Shotgun shooters are the ones who use the most variety and will often switch during a match such as Sporting Clays from station to station. Rifle and handgun pretty much just pick a pair for the general light conditions. I’m sort of a lens “junky”, having about every color made.....but they all get used at times, and they all can make a significant difference under certain circumstances.

Bart B. · October 4, 2020, 10:03 PM

Colored lenses only change contrast.

NoSecondBest · October 5, 2020, 08:19 AM

“Colored lenses only change contrast”
Really not true. Using different shades can change depth of field....something like using a Merit Aperture. They can allow more or less light to enter the eye. For shooting open sights at distance this can be an asset. For shooting shotgun they do offer a lot of contrast difference. Also, a lot of shooters get prescriptions in their lenses for shooting.

AzShooter · October 5, 2020, 09:54 AM

I use the standard Smoke colored glasses like sunglasses but have found the red tinted lens to help pick up my Red Dot sight on brown targets, also good for skeet shooting as well as yellow.

FITASC · October 5, 2020, 01:00 PM

I shoot mostly shotgun when wearing shooting glasses; my Randolph Rangers have a scrip lens in a medium purple which works great for seeing targets against a green/tree background.

LeverGunFan · October 5, 2020, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoSecondBest

“Colored lenses only change contrast”
Really not true. Using different shades can change depth of field....something like using a Merit Aperture. They can allow more or less light to enter the eye. For shooting open sights at distance this can be an asset. For shooting shotgun they do offer a lot of contrast difference. Also, a lot of shooters get prescriptions in their lenses for shooting.

The depth of field is controlled by the diameter of the system aperture, larger apertures have less depth of field, smaller apertures have greater depth of field. Usually the eye pupil is the defining aperture with open sights. When the eye pupil is dilated, such as at night, the depth of field is less than it would be during the day when the eye pupil is smaller. Aperture sights improve the system depth of field because they typically have a smaller aperture than the eye pupil, and the aperture sight becomes the controlling aperture of the sighting system. Sighting aids that add a small aperture to the shooter's glasses work the same way. Tinted glasses alone can not improve depth of field; if a darker tint results in a larger eye pupil, the result will be a decrease in the depth of field.

NoSecondBest · October 5, 2020, 06:13 PM

And a lighter tint such as yellow, just the opposite.

GE-Minigun · October 6, 2020, 11:27 AM

As FITASC mentioned…I have a pair of Rangers as well and they made a CMT lens years back that makes the orange birds stand out like a white dot on a black background…hard to explain and the only way to really appreciate it is to see it for yourself. In a nut shell lens color matters and there are a lot of factors that make you choose what color you want…background, target type, light condition (cloudy, bright sun, overcast)…can get out of hand.

T. O'Heir · October 7, 2020, 01:41 PM

The colours don't 'mean' anything. They can aid in enhancing the light gathering capability of your eyes though. Yellow is mostly for low light vs any kind of shading that's for brighter light.
Apertures just concentrate your vision.
What's most important is how well your glasses keep things out of your eye and how well they were made. As in distortion causing flaws. Bought a pair of safety glasses that had absolutely no distortion. Cost me a buck. Canadian.

FITASC · October 7, 2020, 07:35 PM

Quote:

As FITASC mentioned…I have a pair of Rangers as well and they made a CMT lens years back that makes the orange birds stand out like a white dot on a black background…hard to explain and the only way to really appreciate it is to see it for yourself. In a nut shell lens color matters and there are a lot of factors that make you choose what color you want…background, target type, light condition (cloudy, bright sun, overcast)…can get out of hand.

I still have those lenses; thanks for reminding me as I need to sell them. They make orange targets just POP, especially against a green background

GE-Minigun · October 8, 2020, 08:51 AM

PM sent

FITASC · October 8, 2020, 06:14 PM

Pm received and partially answered.........

October 1, 2020, 01:15 PM	#1
raddadmike Member Join Date: August 6, 2020 Posts: 21	Shooting Glasses Colors Howdy folks, So I've been digging around trying to learn new stuff about shooting, gear, and guns in general. And I've run across a lot of info on shooting glasses and the different colors that each mean. For instance, in one particular article (link for reference), they break down what some of the colors mean. The yellow lenses in particular had me a bit shook. From my understanding, yellow lenses help to sharpen your field of vision. However, wouldn't that extra clarity add to a faster eye fatigue? And what about the purple? It's supposed to help you see against wooded backgrounds. Could that potentially lead to complacency or a lack of concentration? Maybe I'm just a scrub used to shooting with orange glasses. Perhaps, I should start switching things up...

October 5, 2020, 01:00 PM	#6
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	I shoot mostly shotgun when wearing shooting glasses; my Randolph Rangers have a scrip lens in a medium purple which works great for seeing targets against a green/tree background. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

October 7, 2020, 01:41 PM	#10
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	The colours don't 'mean' anything. They can aid in enhancing the light gathering capability of your eyes though. Yellow is mostly for low light vs any kind of shading that's for brighter light. Apertures just concentrate your vision. What's most important is how well your glasses keep things out of your eye and how well they were made. As in distortion causing flaws. Bought a pair of safety glasses that had absolutely no distortion. Cost me a buck. Canadian. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

October 8, 2020, 06:14 PM	#13
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	Pm received and partially answered......... __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

October 1, 2020, 02:52 PM	#2
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Shotgun? Handgun? Rifle? You’ll find different uses for different disciplines. Shotgun shooters are the ones who use the most variety and will often switch during a match such as Sporting Clays from station to station. Rifle and handgun pretty much just pick a pair for the general light conditions. I’m sort of a lens “junky”, having about every color made.....but they all get used at times, and they all can make a significant difference under certain circumstances.

October 4, 2020, 10:03 PM	#3
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Colored lenses only change contrast.

October 5, 2020, 08:19 AM	#4
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	“Colored lenses only change contrast” Really not true. Using different shades can change depth of field....something like using a Merit Aperture. They can allow more or less light to enter the eye. For shooting open sights at distance this can be an asset. For shooting shotgun they do offer a lot of contrast difference. Also, a lot of shooters get prescriptions in their lenses for shooting.

October 5, 2020, 09:54 AM	#5
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	I use the standard Smoke colored glasses like sunglasses but have found the red tinted lens to help pick up my Red Dot sight on brown targets, also good for skeet shooting as well as yellow.

October 5, 2020, 06:13 PM	#8
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	And a lighter tint such as yellow, just the opposite.

October 6, 2020, 11:27 AM	#9
GE-Minigun Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Posts: 240	As FITASC mentioned…I have a pair of Rangers as well and they made a CMT lens years back that makes the orange birds stand out like a white dot on a black background…hard to explain and the only way to really appreciate it is to see it for yourself. In a nut shell lens color matters and there are a lot of factors that make you choose what color you want…background, target type, light condition (cloudy, bright sun, overcast)…can get out of hand.

October 8, 2020, 08:51 AM	#12
GE-Minigun Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2008 Posts: 240	PM sent