Rose lenses are an intriguing option due to their unique strengths and some limitations.
We dive into the specifics of rose lenses here, but now we’ll focus on the best scenario for using them.
Rose lenses enhance reds the most, blues to a lesser degree, and reduce greens. This can be especially helpful in winter when greens are scarce, and adding warmth to reds can help bring out contrast in all that white. However, winter scenes can be magical sometimes but are mostly less than scenic.
In the other seasons, on bright days rose lenses may feel too "hot" or like everything has a slight "burnt" feel to it. Sometimes I like that, but mostly I opt for brown lenses in those situations when I want a warmth and energy boost to the view. In most overcast situations rose lenses are too dark because they dampen greens, which our eyes are most sensitive to.
Where rose lenses truly excel is in relatively bright, hazy conditions. While brown lenses also work well here, they often make the sky appear overly murky, dulling the view. Rose lenses, in contrast, preserve the blue in the sky while adding vibrancy and definition to the scene.
In hazy yet bright conditions, light diffusion is stronger than in regular cloud cover, reducing contrast as light scatters from every direction. Rose lenses can add even more color and contrast than brown lenses in this setting. The greens are still bright enough because the haze is so glaring. That is when rose lenses are best.
Let's explore an example:
Here we have a bright hazy day, where anyone would be squinting without sunglasses.
The rose lens removes the glare and adds a ton of color, bringing out details in the road, the trees, and even the mountains.
Brown lenses will still do a really good job here, also adding detail to the road while keeping the greens brighter, but the sky seems a bit dirty, and the view is a little dull. It is a matter of preference, and I do not have an issue wearing brown in these conditions, but I definitely prefer rose.
To round it all out we have grey, which helps with the squinting but takes down color to a really dull degree. Perhaps better than nothing, but worse than anything else.
Top Rose Lenses
Maui Jim MauiRose
The MauiRose lens is a very dark lens, with a beautiful rose hue and the added color and contrast of the PolarizedPlus2 technology included. The colors are saturated and warm, and the clarity is off the charts. The gradient version is less rose and is a category 2 lens.
Serengeti Sedona
The Sedona lens, which is mildly photochromic, is much brighter than the MauiRose, and takes less time to adjust to. The colors are rich and pleasant and the versatility of the lens is the best of any rose I’ve tried. The clarity might be even better than the MauiRose.
Oakley Prizm Sport
Almost all of Oakley’s Prizm sport lenses are rose-based, with some notable exceptions. From the dark polarized Prizm Deep Water to the bright Prizm Trail, Oakley has a tint for every condition. Without taking away from how good most of these lenses are, it should be noted there is a lot of marketing involved with the different lenses for sport-specific applications, and the truth is that most of the lenses would work fine in any other sporting application, though there is some nuance there.
Revo Drive
The Revo drive lens is a cross between rose and brown, sort of a bridge between the Serengeti Drivers and the Serengeti Sedona/MauiRose. A beautiful rose that works well in conditions many other rose lenses do not.
Island Optics Green Flash Mirror
An amazing budget option, this lens is similar in tint to the MauiRose lens, without some of the amazing tech added, but at a fraction of the cost.
