Which lenses in these conditions

[JoostB]

So Yesterday I was shooting skeet but had a very hard time seeing the clays. They are orange, but in the background there were packs with bright white clouds. The sun was shining at them which made them so bright that it was very hard to see the clays against them. 
I own Pilla lenses. My 44Cmx or 55pwc were not doing the trick. Does anyone have a suggestion for suitable lenses in these conditions?

 

[Walter]

I'm using Pilla Panthers and on Fri used a 26ED which I'd got off ebay last week, really cut the bright light down as on stand 1 you were looking straight into the sun 

 

[Charliedog]

I use 22N at everything nowadays, still some targets i struggle to pick up but gets me through 95% of them, still miss a few though

 

[Will Hewland]

Another example of orange clays where black would be perfect. 

 

[Freddypip]

You have two orange based lenses with similar light transmissions - so they will probably behave the same.

The Pilla N type lenses are meant to good at contrasting orange but I understand with dark backgrounds not bright sky/cloud. I only use N's for DTL into hedges etc.

When the sky is bright - a dark set is a safe 'go to' - say the 26ED as per Charliedog or lower. At least you are not then squinting.

As Will says, sometimes, its not a case of buying a new lense, but accepting the course was hard to see and not well set up.

 

[Jan Powell]

So Yesterday I was shooting skeet but had a very hard time seeing the clays. They are orange, but in the background there were packs with bright white clouds. The sun was shining at them which made them so bright that it was very hard to see the clays against them. 
I own Pilla lenses. My 44Cmx or 55pwc were not doing the trick. Does anyone have a suggestion for suitable lenses in these conditions?

Any suggestion would be virtually meaningless. What works for one may well not work for another. For what it's worth, and I shoot nothing but orange clays, the new HCW lens is good. I never go for a light transmittance less than 60 unless I'm shooting in full sun. 

The only suggestion anyone can offer is start with clear and try varying tints from there. Understand that occluded backgrounds always mean compromise though. Any target, whatever its colour, will be harder to see against a sun/shade background than a consistent light.

 

[Daz W]

Personally I would not buy lenses on recommendation alone. Everyones eyes are different, so what suits me may be no good to you. Definitely a case of try before you buy

 

[Paul120]

It's a very personal thing. I see people shooting well with colours that are the equivalent of a blindfold when I've tried them.  However I also can lose orange in white cloud using the mid range transparency 50- 65 orange lenses especially if they go into it from a darker background such as a teal target.  If it's bright enough to need something to reduce the light maybe try purple. Although here in the UK I find that clear is OK almost everthing. Unless directly into the Sun I don't seem to totally  lose a target altogether using clear lenses due to changing backgrounds or light which is not what I've experienced using a colour. One minute the clay is burning bright like a beacon. Sun goes in and it dissappears ?? 

 

[Hermit]

Dare I say it but sometimes, just sometimes, a clear lens (or no lens at all, where permissible) is a perfectly legitimate solution to the problem. 

 

[Jonny English]

I only run 2 lenses as I'm on prescription pilla, a 44N purple for normal to bright, and a 76HC yellow for over cast and dark. The 76HC is a great lense to shoot with.

 

[FreeShot]

They are orange, but in the background there were packs with bright white clouds.

Unique situation - similar to shooting on the snowy background - try something in grey - kills the white and does not distort the orange. JMO

 

[JoostB]

Thnx all!

 

[JoostB]

Next time in these conditions I will see what happens when I use my 18 CED, 40N or SCGR, compare that with your opions and go shopping form there.

 

[Bavarian]

Yellow, orange and red are inreasing the contrast. Your background has already a lot of contrast an light, so any of those colours maybe counterproductive.

Perhaps lenses in grey or brown may work.

In  B&W Photography orange or red filters are used to get a dark sky with bright clouds.

 

[Doctor Lecter]

I only run 2 lenses as I'm on prescription pilla, a 44N purple for normal to bright, and a 76HC yellow for over cast and dark. The 76HC is a great lense to shoot with.

do you use 580 or 540 frames ?  

 

[JoostB]

Yellow, orange and red are inreasing the contrast. Your background has already a lot of contrast an light, so any of those colours maybe counterproductive.

Perhaps lenses in grey or brown may work.

In  B&W Photography orange or red filters are used to get a dark sky with bright clouds.

Thank you, that is a very helpful comment!

 

[Charliedog]

do you use 580 or 540 frames ?  

I used Ed Lyons for my prescription pilla (great service), due to my prescription he reccomended 540 crx

 

[Jonny English]

do you use 580 or 540 frames ?  

I'm currently on the 540 but have had a set of 580 in the past. I set off with the 580 but the nose bridge was quite wide and I have a slim nose so I would see over the top at times. The 540 I have now have a lot narrower nose bridge and suit me a lot better. Slightly shallower lenses on the 540 as well.

 

[Doctor Lecter]

cheers for that , think i will go 540