ND rated sunglasses??

[Peter Johnson]

This is very off topic, but since Mr. Jannard may have some insight into the question it seems like the right place to post this.

I am looking for sunglasses that are made from high quality ND filter glass. It would be really cool to have several pair in various stops such as .3, .6, .9, 1.2 ect.

I have not found anybody that makes or sells such things, but perhaps those of you who have been doing this longer than me may know someone who could help me out.

They are for no other purpose than thinking it would be cool to have sunglasses in various stops of ND.

Have any of you guys seen or heard of such things?

Thanks

[Kaku Ito]

Oakley should make one. Especially with the JawBone, the interchangeable lens capability model with choices of various stops would be perfect.

[Alexander Ibrahim]

Actually ... they should make gaffer's glass if anything.

ND is actually what the standard non-polarized sunglasses aim at. If you want to know the ND rating, then use your light meter and measure how much they cut from a couple of targets.

Gaffers glasses aim at showing you something more like the dynamic range of 35mm film. See, your eye is actually better at DR than film, or Epic for that matter. Gaffers glass is also used to aid the gaffer who may need to look directly at lighting fixtures to help direct aim and the like.

On a related topic ... I'd love eyewear with lenses with an aperture I can mechanically control. I can wear them while working, then if I need to look at a setup, or a light I can close the iris. Its a bit steampunk, but may be cool.

A little more 21st Century version of the concept, is an electronically controlled ND lens ... electrochromic glass AKA "Smart Glass". Using a varistor you could dial the level of ND in as needed. Theoretically, you can also vary the hue of the tint as well. As a gaffer or DP this could be really useful to preview how lens filters may affect the scene as well as the normal uses of ND glass.

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

I'd like soft grad ones! ;)