Costa Del Mar makes the best lenses for very bright and long exposure conditions. The Blue Mirror lens is the darkest and most protective lens Costa makes.
Check out the lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Costa's website).
If you want to know more about how grey lenses with blue mirrors work, click here.
This Costa 580 Blue Mirror lens review is for the Costa 580G (glass) lens, not the 580P (polycarbonate).
In This Review
Lens Specs | Costa Del Mar 580G Blue Mirror |
Technology | 580 Technology |
Lens Color | Grey |
Mirror Color | Solid Blue |
VLT | 10% |
ABBE | 58 |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared and Blue-light blocking |
Material | Glass |
Weight | Moderate |
Scratch Resistance | High |
Prescription Available | Yes |
2 |
The clarity of the 580G lens is top-notch.
The lenses are made with thinner glass than standard, but I still find Costa glass lenses slightly heavier than brands like Maui Jim or Serengeti, though not uncomfortable.
The lenses have every coating you could ask for, and from my experience, they use the best quality for the coatings. Water and oil really are repelled, and the anti-reflective works as well as any other I've used.
An interesting detail about the Costa glass lens is that the mirror coating is encapsulated in between the two layers of glass lenses, rather than being placed on the outside of the exterior lens. Since the mirror coating is the easiest and most noticeable component to scratch, this system protects the mirror coating from scratches more than most other brands. As far as I know, only Revo does this as well, and they currently only make two mirrored glass lenses.
All Costa Lenses are polarized. Costa is one of the only brands that proudly lists their patent numbers and invites everyone to check out what their products and technology do. The openness and confidence in their products are refreshing, especially since what they claim and what I experience match up well.
This is listed as a Tier 2 lens. The lack of versatility in mixed and overcast conditions keeps it from Tier 1, despite the phenomenal performance in bright conditions.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes. Costa is one of only a few brands that offers glass lenses (with color-enhancing tech) in prescription. For some higher prescriptions where glass will not work, they use Trivex, a top alternative.
For non-prescription, Check out the Costa Blue Mirror lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Costa's website).
How does the lens look?
The front has a brilliant deep blue mirror.
The back has a blue shine from the anti-reflective coating. The lens has an amber hue, which is normal for blue mirror lenses.
What does the view look like?
Generally, it is better to add some warmth to a lens to make the world more colorful, energetic, and vibrant. This is because blue light, which is blocked by a blue mirror, is cooler and has higher energy, so it is very prevalent and hurts our ability to see other colors clearly. In addition, we like to add warmth and color to the view because it makes us more alert, energetic, and happy.
Gray with a small touch of warmth makes us feel like the world is natural but everything is slightly boosted, which to some degree makes it feel more boosted than others. With a rose or brown lens it can be hard to forget you are wearing sunglasses because the view, though beautiful, is far from what you would normally see. A gray lens will feel "natural", and a small touch of warmth will not be noticeable to our brains but it will still enhance the same colors a brown lens would, green and red. Unlike a brown lens, the grey lens with a blue mirror is only slightly blocking blue, so blues are still considerably more vivid than with brown lenses.
Costa does this with the blue mirror in addition to their amazing 580 technology.
Unlike other brands that are almost exclusively focused on manipulating the light spectrum to get the most beautiful views, Costa is first and foremost about comfort in very bright light environments. That isn't to say the view is not very nice with Costa, but it is a secondary consideration. They do this by removing annoying light in the 580 yellow range of the light spectrum, as well as HEV blue light. Though many other brands claim to do this, when wearing any Costa lens it is apparent that the lenses aggressively remove harsh and annoying light.
The way the Costa Blue Mirror lens removes glare is unlike any other lens I have tried. It’s not just about the amount of light that is being managed, it’s how that light is being processed. The annoying light is just gone, with no trace of it being there. It is almost like going indoors while outdoors.
That's not to say the lens is dull, dark, lifeless lens. The way it manages the light spectrum brings out colors and clarity that feel sharp and crisp.
However, that is if the lens is used where it was designed for. I’m talking full sun on the water by the beach or harbor on the brightest day of the summer. I’m talking driving west towards the late afternoon with the sun nearly directly in your face and reflected glare dialed up to an 11.
It’s dark, meant for really bright, colorful conditions. And therefore it’s too dark for almost anything not super bright. Overcast and mixed conditions are not ideal, though if it is bright enough the lens still works fine.
Sunny Conditions
These photos are what Costa and other sources have used to show the view. Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes.
Interested in experiencing the Costa Blue Mirror lens for yourself? Check out Costa on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Costa's website).
This is the visual Costa uses for all lenses on any product page. It is nice, but it is not particularly accurate, especially since their lenses are very different from each other and one picture cannot possibly represent all the views.
Costa seems to have a hard time showing what their lenses look like. This simulation, which they used for most of their lenses and seems to be done with little effort, is not even close to accurate. They have since removed it from their website and currently have no display on how specific lenses look.
Not to worry. Here is my simulation of how the lens looks:
These are the kinds of conditions where you can barely open your eyes it is so bright.
The glare is gone, vanished. The colors are much sharper and saturated, and the blue mirror, which reflects away blue light, adds more warmth and richness to the greens and reds, which further increases color and comfort (because blue light is generally more annoying and bright). A brown or rose lens in these conditions will probably feel much too "hot". The grey or silver mirror version of the lens will have a more "cool" feeling, with fewer colors boosted. It will also feel slightly less dark, though it is a very dark lens.
Cloudy Conditions
As mentioned above, the Blue Mirror lens does not thrive in overcast or mixed light. These lenses, especially the glass lens, are better at controlling and manipulating the available light, letting in the good light and keeping out the bad, than changing the colors to brighten the view like a brown or rose lens. They can feel too dark and dull in non-bright settings.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
The Costa Blue Mirror lens is best for bright environments, the more tropical and colorful the better.
I often recommend this lens to light-sensitive people, for its ability to reduce bright light and keep the view relaxed and comfortable. I wore this lens after I got Lasik.
If I lived near the equator or in a place that regularly gets clear, bright sun, I would wear this lens often.
As the light dims, the performance of the lens wanes. In the early morning and late afternoon facing away from the sun, it can feel too dark. In overcast conditions, it can feel dull and melancholy.
I rarely wear this lens in the winter, since I’m looking at increasing contrast and color (not simply managing it), something this lens doesn’t do much of compared to rose and brown.
Sports
In full sun, grey lenses will be fine to use for sports, but not ideal, even with the blue mirror effect. Since grey lenses are neutral, they are neither calming nor vibrant, at least not to the degree that they can be an advantage for sports. When we play sports we want the view to elicit feelings of energy, vibrant, and warmth. For that, a brown or rose lens will be a better choice.
Grey lenses are great for water sports and fishing, especially with the blue mirror. The Costa Blue Mirror lens is arguably the best offshore lens available and if you spend a lof of time around sunny marine environments this may be the right lens for you.
It is best to not wear glass lenses for sports, as they are not as impact-resistant as other materials. Whether or not fishing and boating are impact-risk sports depends on the individual person.
Interested in experiencing the Blue Mirror lens for yourself? Click here to buy on Amazon.
Comparison to the same brand - Costa Del Mar
Costa Del Mar 580G Gray Silver Mirror
The Gray Silver Mirror, and the Gray without a mirror, are similarly dark lenses with the colors crisp and sharp like the Blue Mirror, but they will not feel as warm and boosted as the Blue Mirror, and may feel just a slightly bit brighter since blue light feels brighter and they let more of that in than the Blue Mirror lens.
Costa Del Mar 580G Green Mirror
The Green Mirror lens, and also the copper lens, have a very red-brown tint that boosts colors much more than the Blue Mirror, especially red and green light. Blue, like the sky and water, is much redder and takes a minute to adjust to. The view is much less "natural" than the Blue Mirror but can be a functional advantage in many scenarios like inshore fishing, and they can be much more pleasant in mixed or overcast conditions, making them more versatile. The Green mirror makes the lens get a slight rose/purple tilt in the brown tint. This is a brown lens that is able to handle full sun conditions well.
Comparison to Blue Mirror Lenses of Different Brands
Maui Jim Blue Hawaii
The Blue Hawaii takes the priorities of the Costa Blue Mirror and flips them. The top priority is to get the best view possible, with colors boosted and fine-tuned, and then comfort in bright light is good as well. Light-sensitive people may enjoy the Costa more, and the Maui Jim may begin to feel too bright in long exposure in very bright conditions, though it does perform well there as well. For those who feel the Costa Blue Mirror is too dark and not colorful enough, the Blue Hawaii is the way to go.
See here for the full Maui Jim Blue Hawaii review.
Revo Blue Water Sirilium Lens
I prefer this version of Revo's blue mirror lens over their H2O Heritage glass lens. Very similar to the Costa Blue Mirror with a bit more boost to greens and reds. An in-between option if Maui Jim is too bright and colorful and Costa is too dark and saturated. This lens is also nylon-based, not glass, and provides more impact resistance. The mirror is a lighter blue, not as dark and deep as the other options listed here.
Smith Chromapop Blue Mirror Lens
This lens has amazing clarity but the blue mirror does not add the same amber hue as the Costa lens. The light levels are fine-tuned and the colors are clear, but the view is a lot closer to a grey lens than the Costa. Consider this lens if you want the blue mirror without much warming effect.
Serengeti 555nm Blue
The 555nm Blue is a green-based lens, unlike the other lenses listed here which are grey-based. The 555nm Blue lens is the same as the green 555nm lens but with a reflective (but not solid) blue mirror. The effect of the blue mirror is to push the tint of the green lens a bit towards yellow. This adds to the brightening effect of the 555nm and greens and yellows really pop with bright color, while blues and reds stay pleasant. As with the 555nm lens, the 555nm blue is better in full light, as it is very calming and pleasant. I keep the 555nm Blue in my car.
See here for the full Serengeti 555nm Blue review.
Conclusion - Costa Del Mar 580 Blue Mirror Lens Review - Should you buy it?
Imagine being out on the water, under the intense glare of the sun, and your eyes are perfectly shielded while still enjoying the vibrant colors around you. That’s the experience the Costa Del Mar 580G Blue Mirror lens offers. Designed specifically for the brightest, most intense light conditions, this lens not only protects your eyes but enhances your visual experience in a way that few others can.
Whether you're out on the ocean, driving towards a setting sun, or just spending a day under the clear sky, these lenses ensure that the glare is gone, leaving you with a crisp, clear, and comfortable view.
For those who want the best protection and clarity in the harshest light, this lens is unmatched.
If you're interested in trying out the Costa Blue Mirror lens for yourself, you can find it on Amazon, often at a lower price than Costa's official website.
