11 replies to this topic

[escape]

So, every morning I prey for bad weather If I'm going to macro video dive.
How to get contrasty result in bright condition? More strong light is the only answer?
MWB will help? Black umbrella maybe? Any idea?
Thanks,
EJ.

[Alex_Mustard]

Do some cold water diving - much less chance of sun!

[escape]

Do some cold water diving - much less chance of sun!

yeap, I need to use shiny new drysuit.

[Davide DB]

Macro shooting at 70m depth?

[escape]

M43user, I need RB.

[biminitwist]

Escape-
Once you get the drysuit and rebreather I would suggest lights as that is all I've found that helps me.
Looking at your screen shot it doesn't look like your using any or you are so far away they aren't reaching.
I have to use them in very shallow water on bright days to minimize the sun dappling - strobe like effect on the subjects and background as well as bring out the color.
Love the work in your gallery.
John

Edited by biminitwist, 26 July 2012 - 06:01 AM.

[escape]

I think I‘m gonna trade my white fusion to more lumens. :-)

[HDVdiver]

I routinely shoot macro using two powerful lights (e.g. 4000 Lumens each) precisely for this reason...perfect daylight fill at bright ambient light conditions. The other advantage is if the ambient light is relatively high the fill and ambient balance nicely at say f11 or f16 for good DOF.

Using powerful lights has also proven very useful for "fisheye - macro" with my GH2's tele-ex function when using the 8mm or 7-14mm lens. Similar effect to the Inon bug-eye lens only far better optical quality. Everything's in focus from 1inch to infinity...but need to daylight balance @ f11 for best results.

[escape]

This is different question, How about WB setting when you're shooting macro video with light?
Auto or color temp of light?

[HDVdiver]

This is different question, How about WB setting when you're shooting macro video with light?
Auto or color temp of light?

I always pre-set WB to Daylight and forget about it. For macro using powerful 5000 to 6000 Kelvin lights I've never had an issue with WB since everything is balanced; i.e. both aperture (ambient & macro subject) and WB (ambient and LED light).

I even do the same with wide-angle (and fisheye-macro)...i.e. I never WB underwater. If it's a particularly cloudy day and the WB is a bit off it's easily corrected during editing...usually to get rid of excess blue. The hacked GH2 (particularly @ 4:2:2) has plenty of information in the HBR acquisition to do very serious color grading. It is for this reason also (to record color consistently which can be graded nicely during post) that I never use any sort of orange/red/magenta filter.

This approach is only really viable when using powerful LED lights. Nothing new really...we used this approach for decades with daylight film and powerful 6000 K strobes...

Edited by HDVdiver, 27 July 2012 - 04:45 PM.

[peterbkk]

This approach is only really viable when using powerful LED lights. Nothing new really...we used this approach for decades with daylight film and powerful 6000 K strobes...

Just need to ease back a couple of centimeters when you notice the Nudibranch starting to sizzle...

[HDVdiver]

Just need to ease back a couple of centimeters when you notice the Nudibranch starting to sizzle...

They'd appreciate the extra warmth in South Australian waters at the moment...