Sorry I didn't get back to you last night, but I do need to sleep sometime.
Vision on the Alien was better than the Picasso- if you could see through the fog.
The Picasso masks that I had were more traditional in their size and field of view- think old Cressi Ochiio.
Chris is right about going into a store and trying one on to see what fits best. The dive shop will have you do the sniff test- inhale with no strap on you face to see if it seals. After that you should find a spot to stand and try a few different masks on. From here look down to see how many button holes you can count on your shirt- to check for lower vision. Next, look straight up and see how many ceiling tiles you can look back- for upper limit vision. Finally, hold both of your hands out in front of you and spread your arms until you can't see your fingers- this will allow you to see which gives you the widest angle of view.
For deeper/warmer pursuits I use the Micro mask- I got sick of buying a new Sphera every 6 months after the previous one decomposed before my eyes.
Today I was out in shallow (less than 20'), cold (36F) water and I was more concerned about visibility and face coverage. I used to use an Ice mask for winter diving, but the cut of my Elios suit is so good that I don't need to if I am using a wider mask- like my Atomic. This is what it looked like today.
Jon
