Diamond optics and lighting effects

[spoogenet]

What is it about the optics of a diamond that makes it appear so dark when using spot LED lighting? I notice that GOG uses this for their fire videos, and I tried it at home. Wow, it gets so dark and reflects such brilliant fire.

Is this just because the spot lighting is so strong it overpowers any apparent ambient diffuse lighting that would normally show up under lower lighting conditions?

This being the first time I''ve had a diamond at home, I''m just mesmerized by the changes it exhibits under different lighting conditions. Sometimes it''s just brilliant with relatively low contrast, sometimes it''s brilliant with lots of fire, sometimes it''s dark with excessive fire (almost burnt a retina).

b

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/5/2010 4:54:17 PM
Author:spoogenet
What is it about the optics of a diamond that makes it appear so dark when using spot LED lighting? I notice that GOG uses this for their fire videos, and I tried it at home. Wow, it gets so dark and reflects such brilliant fire.

Is this just because the spot lighting is so strong it overpowers any apparent ambient diffuse lighting that would normally show up under lower lighting conditions?

This being the first time I''ve had a diamond at home, I''m just mesmerized by the changes it exhibits under different lighting conditions. Sometimes it''s just brilliant with relatively low contrast, sometimes it''s brilliant with lots of fire, sometimes it''s dark with excessive fire (almost burnt a retina).

b

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/why-does-a-diamond-go-dark-in-direct-sunlight.132751/

 

[stone-cold11]

Your iris closes the pupil in bright light conditions, making everything look darker.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/5/2010 4:57:56 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 2/5/2010 4:54:17 PM
Author:spoogenet
What is it about the optics of a diamond that makes it appear so dark when using spot LED lighting? I notice that GOG uses this for their fire videos, and I tried it at home. Wow, it gets so dark and reflects such brilliant fire.

Is this just because the spot lighting is so strong it overpowers any apparent ambient diffuse lighting that would normally show up under lower lighting conditions?

This being the first time I''ve had a diamond at home, I''m just mesmerized by the changes it exhibits under different lighting conditions. Sometimes it''s just brilliant with relatively low contrast, sometimes it''s brilliant with lots of fire, sometimes it''s dark with excessive fire (almost burnt a retina).

b

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/why-does-a-diamond-go-dark-in-direct-sunlight.132751/

Dreamer posted a great thread, here is a quote from it by Garry Holloway;

"Most of the answers given here are right, but in addition - the sun is a very very small point light source and when you look at the diamond you can only see 1-4 very bright sparkles. So the rest of the diamond is indeed dark because the accomodation of our eyes to the bright sparkle makes all the other surrounding light sources effectively dark."

 

[spoogenet]

Thanks for all the info, I spent some time reading the other thread, fascinating stuff. I just love the fire that comes with the spot lighting, I think I''ll carry a little LED flashlight with me all the time.

<-- make that a happy fire

b

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/6/2010 1:32:36 PM
Author: spoogenet
Thanks for all the info, I spent some time reading the other thread, fascinating stuff. I just love the fire that comes with the spot lighting, I think I''ll carry a little LED flashlight with me all the time.

<-- make that a happy fire

b

LOL!!!