Latest Corning Photogray Thin & Dark - Indoor Tint, Real-world Use

CP · 06-08-2015, 05:23 AM

Leaning towards giving Photogray's a try after seeing way too many Transitions lenses give out after 18/24 months. I've heard they last longer, like SunSensors, which makes sense because Corning designed both.

One question that I have - SunSensors have about a 15% tint indoors (like Transitions XTRActives), but what about Photogray Thin & Dark? Looking at the ISO data, it sounds like it has a 9% tint - but in real-world use, is it noticeable? Transitions technically have about a 5% tint and most don't notice that.

I'm guessing it's somewhere in-between but I can't find anyone around me that has a sample of Thin & Dark's. Would be nice to hear if they're viable alternative to Transitions, particularly in the zero-tint area.

Honestly I can't find many real-world users today, and I'm kinda wondering why (Transitions monopoly power aside). I mean, it has better optics and doesn't seem to cost more than Transitions.

**MikeAurelius** · 06-08-2015, 06:59 AM

What part of the optical business are you in?

**Don Gilman** · 06-08-2015, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by CP

Leaning towards giving Photogray's a try after seeing way too many Transitions lenses give out after 18/24 months. I've heard they last longer, like SunSensors, which makes sense because Corning designed both.

One question that I have - SunSensors have about a 15% tint indoors (like Transitions XTRActives), but what about Photogray Thin & Dark? Looking at the ISO data, it sounds like it has a 9% tint - but in real-world use, is it noticeable? Transitions technically have about a 5% tint and most don't notice that.

I'm guessing it's somewhere in-between but I can't find anyone around me that has a sample of Thin & Dark's. Would be nice to hear if they're viable alternative to Transitions, particularly in the zero-tint area.

Honestly I can't find many real-world users today, and I'm kinda wondering why (Transitions monopoly power aside). I mean, it has better optics and doesn't seem to cost more than Transitions.

I have done what i consider real world testing since November on my deck, southern exposure in Ohio using Transition, Sunsensor and a product we sell called Conversion. As of now in a unexposed state all have about a 5% to 10% residual tint. The Transition is light yellow and the others light grey. In bright sunlight for 5 minutes at +/- 75 F the Transition has about 40% density, the Sunsensor about 50% and our Conversion about 60%. We will be doing time lapse video in the near future showing darkening and fading and would be happy to share it upon request.