TargetTalk

Hi fellow shooters I was hoping to get some opinions on the use of coloured filters on my Knoblochs, I find my eyesight failing as I hurtle towards 60 and need all the help to maintain a clear sight picture,any help greatly appreciated...Dimce

Filters may help but it depends what you struggle with. Rose / red or yellow / brown, may help with contrast and in very bright sunlight, but it's a very personal thing that you need to experiment with to see what works for you.

Rob.

If your eyesight is not as good as it used to be, visit an optometrist for an assessment. If necessary, have some glasses made to correct your sight for normal use. It will make a world of difference - you can read the phone book and most instruction sheets that are printed in 4-point font!

Then have some glasses made with all the corrections included AND with a feature included that will focus your sight on the front sights of your pistols. You can put a light colored patch over the non-aiming eye's lens if you need to and, hey presto! shooting glasses!

Filters are usually not necessary. All filters reduce the amount of light to the eye (ask a photographer) and so there must be a good reason for using them. Poor eyesight is not a reason.

If your eyesight is not as good as it used to be, visit an optometrist for an assessment. If necessary, have some glasses made to correct your sight for normal use. It will make a world of difference - you can read the phone book and most instruction sheets that are printed in 4-point font!

Then have some glasses made with all the corrections included AND with a feature included that will focus your sight on the front sights of your pistols. You can put a light colored patch over the non-aiming eye's lens if you need to and, hey presto! shooting glasses!

Filters are usually not necessary. All filters reduce the amount of light to the eye (ask a photographer) and so there must be a good reason for using them. Poor eyesight is not a reason.

Thanks for the input fellers,yeah I've been to an optometrist and had a correction lens made but I thought perhaps a filter might take some of the fuzziness of the front sight,maybe I "try opening the width of the back sight..Dimce

I don't know where this "filter" stuff is coming from.

I suppose some do use them, but I have seen some of the best shooters around and can't recall EVER seeing one using filters. (But then, maybe I'm just old and blind.)

I don't recommend them for photograpy, either, except for specific effects.

Rover wrote:I don't know where this "filter" stuff is coming from.

I suppose some do use them, but I have seen some of the best shooters around and can't recall EVER seeing one using filters. (But then, maybe I'm just old and blind.)

I don't recommend them for photograpy, either, except for specific effects.

What makes you think you'll spot them on shooting glasses - some even have just a tinted lense made up so you'd be none the wiser ?

A lot of shooters use them but most just to cope with specific circumstances / light conditions and almost all only outdoors.

I would agree though that they won't correct any focussing issues.

Thanks for the input fellers,yeah I've been to an optometrist and had a correction lens made but I thought perhaps a filter might take some of the fuzziness of the front sight,maybe I "try opening the width of the back sight..Dimce

Sounds to me like the original prescription was wrong, if you can't focus on the foresight. The lens should be almost identical in strength to reading glasses so try seeing if you can read with them and report back.

In addition a wider rearsight will help if it's currently very narrow. As a rule of thumb the white gaps either side of the foresight should look about half the width of the foresight itself.

Rob.

I have the Knobloch filter set, and I only use them at one of my home ranges which is totally not up to standard (lighting is completely not appropriate).
The only other time I use the filter is if it is outdoor with the sun at its brightest. I only use the yellow filter, I don't see or yet encounter a situation which I have to call upon the purple, etc.

Under normal circumstances especially in a range that is up to standard, filter is not needed IMHO.

My two filters,

conradin wrote: Under normal circumstances especially in a range that is up to standard, filter is not needed IMHO.

My two filters,

Broadly speaking, I would agree. It is however a personally thing. One of the guys I coach uses a light yellow filter indoors on some ranges. ISSF ranges, even those used for world cups, can appear different depending on the background. In some situations than can make the targets appear to almost glow. For some the light difference is just a little bit too contrasty and a light filter softens it down and reduces eye strain.

As with all these things you need to experiment to find out what works best for you.

Rob.