Thermal Lenses and Halo Effect

[McKee]

Hey guys need some help here,

I've got a trusty pair of JT Spectra thermal paintball goggles I use. Everything else fogs.. i've tried it all. It seems the only thing that wont fog on me is a full profile goggle with decent ventilation and thermal (double paned) lenses.

My issue is this: in low light conditions such as dark indoor areas or night time, I get halo effect from light sources. What i'm wondering:

Is the halo effect because of thermal lenses or all lenses in general?
Is it just JT's thermal lenses or will all lenses give halos?
Would it be worth going with an ESS or Revision option, or will halos still be an issue with these.

Any comments/suggestions/experience would be helpful.

[M.Garcia]

Is the Halo effect like major? Cause I've used the same goggle for quite some time and never really noticed this.

I've just purchased the Revision Desert Locus so next week when I get it I can do a comparison and let you know.

[McKee]

It depends on the conditions.. If i am in a dark area looking at a light or lit area, its pretty bad. This can be quite inconvenient when it gets to be shooty time.

Ive tried the JTs and another cheaper set of thermals and they both do it. That said, ESS claims to be free of "optical distortion" so perhaps it has to do with cheaper lenses. I'd imagine a paintball goggle company wouldnt concern themselves with these issues (despite JT lenses costing more than ESS lenses). However I don't want to drop the cash on ESS just to have the same problem minus 150$ in my pocket.

[M.Garcia]

I'll do a test with my Revisions when I get it next week and let you know how they do. I'll do a test in a replicated environment with my JT then Revision and see what happens.

[Thenooblord]

I dont know about others, but the only reliable way i've found to make sure you dont fog is mechanical ventilation, a fan on a single lens goggle will keep it clear, keep your forehead from sweating into your eyes, and not much visual distortion with a single lens

[McKee]

I'm thinking about going with a turbofan goggle with single lens if there is no escaping thermal lens halo. If high quality thermals have no halo, then thats fine. In my experience the double paned thermal lens is absolutely the way to go to avoid fog (most high quality ski goggles use them for this reason)

[Thenooblord]

alot of the ones sold as is have these tiny little fans running on a AA and they dont do anything, its more effective and cheaper to get a small low noise PC fan, and rig it to the goggles yourself, mine I used just a leftover fan from my old PC so its a bit bigger and louder than it really should be, but damn it sends a breeze in there, keeps sweat out of my eyes, and never, ever fogs, and it was practically free, an old PC fan, some wires, and an old 7.4v battery in a pocket that can run it for days straight if needed

[FlyGuy]

Halo is caused by internal reflection between the back side of the outer lens and the front side of the inner (thermal) lens as light passes through between them. Obviously JT isn't going to apply expensive non-reflecting coatings onto their thermal lenses so you're essentially stuck. Pretty much all double-lens eyewear manifests this effect so you're only choice to rid yourself of halo is a single lens solution - which obviously fogs-up unless you take steps. Best solution I've found is a combination of air circulation (fan) and anti-fog coating/treatment (fog-tech, etc.) but I am an extreme fog-generating machine (don't believe, just look left at my avatar) so even with these precautions, I can't get rid of it entirely.

/Fly.

[tygr701]

I have thermal Revision lenses and I haven't had any sort of halo effect in those conditions you mentioned.

[horto]

I have a pair of JT thermals that I wear quite frequently, I don't notice any halo effect.

Note: I also wear eyeglasses underneath my JT thermals. Not sure if that makes any difference.
Note 2: I hear ESS turbofans are amazing.

[FlyGuy]

Originally Posted by horto

I have a pair of JT thermals that I wear quite frequently, I don't notice any halo effect.

Note: I also wear eyeglasses underneath my JT thermals. Not sure if that makes any difference.
Note 2: I hear ESS turbofans are amazing.

Likely your eyeglasses do have anti-reflective coating, but if the halo is originating from internal reflection between thermal and outer lens, then the eyeglass coatings won't help.

Also, manufacturing/materials differences between the plastics used by JT across different product lines may contribute to having lots/some/none halo. They do make more than one model of thermal paintball mask right? Not all lenses created equally methinks...YMMV.

I have a pair of ESS turbos and yes, they do work quite well.

/Fly