Anyone uses Transitions spectacle lenses?

[finkster]

Planning on getting a pair of specs made with these auto-tinting glasses which darken when u are outdoors. It supposedly works when exposed to UV light, like when u go outdoors and when u step inside a building or a darker place again, it'll lighten up.

I wonder how it might affect looking thru the viewfinder when u are shooting an outdoor event. Too dark?

 

[Zerstorer]

One possible side effect is that they may make you look like a tikopeh.

 

[KnightsIcE]

Planning on getting a pair of specs made with these auto-tinting glasses which darken when u are outdoors. It supposedly works when exposed to UV light, like when u go outdoors and when u step inside a building or a darker place again, it'll lighten up.

I wonder how it might affect looking thru the viewfinder when u are shooting an outdoor event. Too dark?

I've got a pair....Searched the whole Singapore for it..Bought it finally in the North area for onli $35....What a steal...
all the places i went were quoting me for than 150 for the lens alone..
heard capitol optical having a good price?

 

[finkster]

$35??? So cheap? This is the one with degree for specs rite? Which shop did u go to?

Capitol and OPSM are the main ones i see in the papers advertising these lenses, but packaged with frames as well for about $200+.

How fast do these lenses react to changing light conditions?

I'm concerned if the dark shade would be too dark when looking thru the viewfinder. Your experience, KnightsIce?


Heh heh... u r rite...can 'tikopeh' better also.

 

[Newbie0001]

$35??? So cheap? This is the one with degree for specs rite? Which shop did u go to?

Capitol and OPSM are the main ones i see in the papers advertising these lenses, but packaged with frames as well for about $200+.

How fast do these lenses react to changing light conditions?

I'm concerned if the dark shade would be too dark when looking thru the viewfinder. Your experience, KnightsIce?


Heh heh... u r rite...can 'tikopeh' better also.

1 minute.
My advice is , try to avoid this extra junk. reason behind is, it makes your eyes feel very uncomfortable. buy those reflect uv better. i am regretting now. It looks cool , but I can feel the pain until now...... everyday I feel my eyes sore...... :cry:

 

[finkster]

How does it make your eyes uncomfortable? Isn't it supposed to ease eye strain by blocking out the sun as well as cutting out UV?

I work outdoors in the sun most of the time, but also indoors at times. Looks is purely secondary to the main purpose of blocking the bright light.

 

[Winston]

"....but I can feel the pain until now...... everyday I feel my eyes sore"

My guess is that the lens changes it's darkness automatically depending on the lighting conditions.

When that happens your iris will suddenly contract to let in more light when the lens turn dark and then relax to cut down the light to the retina when the lens turn clear.

The sudden contraction and relaxing of the iris is making the eyes tired and sore.

It's like emerging from a dark cinema with curtain closed to the bright sunlight outside.

 

[roygoh]

I am using Transition lens with anti-reflection coating and UV blocking. The lens alone cost me US$150 (praise the medical insurrence!).

The Trasition lens turns dark when there is UV light. So the speed at which it turns dark may not be directly related to your perception of brightness. Sometimes under cloudy condition the lens also turns dark.

When the conditions are right, mine turns darks within seconds. It takes up to a minute to "recover" into the "bright" mode.

Since it relies on UV to turn dark, it will not turn dark when you are in a car, as the car windows block UV. So it cannot serve as driving shades, and you will need another pair of shades for driving. What I use is a pair of huge shades that I can wear over the exisitng glasses. I got that from Shell gas station a few years back for S$29.

So far very happy with it. Don't understand how it can cause eye sore, and it is supposed to block UV with the appropriate coating.

One peculiar observation I have is, when the lens is dirty, it is less responsive to UV. My guess is the grease and dust on the lens blocks the UV from the lens so it does not respond so well.

 

[franciskc]

I am using it too. Mine is tinted only slightly as I can hardly feel any changes in color unless I take off the specs and compare with and without glasses. It changes color in abt a min and take sometime to clear back. And it makes my eyes feel better too.

Better to get those lesser tint changes.

 

[Newbie0001]

maybe it varies from person to person. i do not how to put it on, but my guess will be when I am wearing the lens, my eyes are exposed to UV enviroment (under the sun). It is true that the lens block away most of the visible UV from the front. but I think the lens has misled the eyes to react toward UV light. which I think that, my eyes do not react correctly towards the amount of UV under the sun. I do not know it's true or not. But we are not covering all the possible ways for the UV light to come into our eyes , right?

yeah, it is true that in western countries, the transitions (registered TM) lenses turn darker faster and more darker. I do not know, but according to the salesperson, the level of UV is higher in western countries.

bought my, including frame around $350. what a steal!!! ;(

 

[Newbie0001]

one piece of advice will be, please buy from those reputable shops because I found out from some shops that there are some shops that do not honor their deals by swapping the lenses you intended to buy with imitations. Hard to tell because got no marking on the lenses after it is cut into shape to fit into the frame.

 

[finkster]

Hmmm... seems there are quite a few differing opinions on this. Guess I'll have to try it out for myself.

The thing is, how does it work when u are shooting outdoors? Does it get too dark or dim when looking thru the viewfinder?

Any shops in particular to recommend? Preferably somewhere in the city area...

Thks for all the info guys...

 

[roygoh]

Hmmm... seems there are quite a few differing opinions on this. Guess I'll have to try it out for myself.

The thing is, how does it work when u are shooting outdoors? Does it get too dark or dim when looking thru the viewfinder?

Any shops in particular to recommend? Preferably somewhere in the city area...

Thks for all the info guys...

So far I have not been affected much when shooting outdoors.

Yes, the lens get dark and dim my view of the viewfinder, but the fact that it is bright out there makes it less of a problem.