Oakley Iridium/Mirror Finishes - Can you educate me?

[Yo Flawch!]

I was wondering if @cacatman might be interested in starting a list of OEM Iridium finishes/colors, and notes about them? I'm mainly interested in how mirrored different lenses are, and keep getting confused with some of these newer lenses.

For example, I have older Torch lenses from Triggerman and Straightlink that have awesome mirrored effect. However, when the Sutro S was released with Torch lens, I was shocked when I put them on and found absolutely no mirror at all.

This morning, I was surprised in a good way, opening a new pair of Radar EV XS with PRIZM Road lens. I was concerned that I would run into the same problem with no mirror, but alas, the PRIZM Road lens has an awesome mirror.

Is anyone interested in starting a list of the different lens colors/finishes, and rating the level of mirror on them? I'm also open to a more comprehensive list, including but not limited to, base color, actual color you see, what kind of daylight they are best for.

I was thinking of a 1-10 scale with a plain Grey lens being a 1 mirror and Fire lens being a 10 mirror, Sapphire 10, Violet 7 or 8, Jade 8 or 9, G26 9 or 10, PRIZM Road 8, Black Iridium 8 or 9, etc.

What do you think?

 

[GRFMotorsports]

Iridium coatings will have batch variations. Colors, mirror and possibly opaqueness, if that is even a word, can vary from batch to batch.

 

[Chet Manley]

Old school torch and prizm torch is what you got going on Matt. The SL has the old torch

 

[cacatman]

I was wondering if @cacatman might be interested in starting a list of OEM Iridium finishes/colors, and notes about them? I'm mainly interested in how mirrored different lenses are, and keep getting confused with some of these newer lenses.

For example, I have older Torch lenses from Triggerman and Straightlink that have awesome mirrored effect. However, when the Sutro S was released with Torch lens, I was shocked when I put them on and found absolutely no mirror at all.

This morning, I was surprised in a good way, opening a new pair of Radar EV XS with PRIZM Road lens. I was concerned that I would run into the same problem with no mirror, but alas, the PRIZM Road lens has an awesome mirror.

Is anyone interested in starting a list of the different lens colors/finishes, and rating the level of mirror on them? I'm also open to a more comprehensive list, including but not limited to, base color, actual color you see, what kind of daylight they are best for.

I was thinking of a 1-10 scale with a plain Grey lens being a 1 mirror and Fire lens being a 10 mirror, Sapphire 10, Violet 7 or 8, Jade 8 or 9, G26 9 or 10, PRIZM Road 8, Black Iridium 8 or 9, etc.

What do you think?

Thanks for the mention, @Matt Flacche, but I’m actually pretty bad at assessing lenses. Half the time, I don’t even know what I’m wearing!

This isn’t what you’re specifically looking for, but this is a list I’ve already got which talks about each lens, and their transmission qualities…

🦘Excel File of Comprehensive List of Oakley Lenses, & Lens Transmission

Last edited 11th May, 2021 by @cacatman Download the Excel Spreadsheet with ALL the information from my Dropbox link here. Dropbox - Lenses.xlsx Introduction Ever wanted to know what lens you've got? Or what is the best use of the Oakley lens you've got? Look no further. It's been grouped in...

www.oakleyforum.com

 

[Yo Flawch!]

Thank you @cacatman for pointing me towards this lens information. I studied the lists, hoping I could make some connection between lens transmission and mirror quality, but I see there is no correlation. Some of my favorite lenses have low light transmission (like Polarized Fire and Black Iridium), and other favorites have much higher light transmission (like G26 and VR28 BI).

For now, I guess I will continue to evaluate the lenses on a case-by-case basis. The lens colors that continue to perplex me are many of the red tones, like torch, field, and road. I never know when the lens will be heavily mirrored or not.

 

[Funky-Trixtar]

Iridium coatings will have batch variations. Colors, mirror and possibly opaqueness, if that is even a word, can vary from batch to batch.

Think that would be 'opacity'.

 

[Yo Flawch!]

I guess I wish Oakley would be more clear about which lenses are mirrored and which ones are not. For example, some Torch lenses are nicely mirrored, while others are not mirrored at all, and some PRIZM lenses are mirrored, while others are not.

I think they should mark/name mirrored lenses "Iridium" and mark/name the lenses with no mirror "non-mirrored" or something like that. The PRIZM Road lens I have now has a nice mirror, and is not designated as Iridium.

 

[Woodmodinii]

I guess I wish Oakley would be more clear about which lenses are mirrored and which ones are not. For example, some Torch lenses are nicely mirrored, while others are not mirrored at all, and some PRIZM lenses are mirrored, while others are not.

I think they should mark/name mirrored lenses "Iridium" and mark/name the lenses with no mirror "non-mirrored" or something like that. The PRIZM Road lens I have now has a nice mirror, and is not designated as Iridium.

I agree. Lenses should have some sort of rating for mirror and opacity. I prefer not to have my eyes visible and dislike dull, mirrorless lenses. I basically had to buy all the Prizm lens colors to find out what each looked like. No Oak stores anywhere close by me.

 

[jageya]

is jade irridium very mirrored? I dont like the shallow water which has a very thin mirror and eyes can be seen thru vs ruby or deep water

 

[Woodmodinii]

is jade irridium very mirrored? I dont like the shallow water which has a very thin mirror and eyes can be seen thru vs ruby or deep water

Jade has a good mirror finish to it. Not as good as DWP or Ruby but alot better than SWP. Jade is definitely my go to lens.