Color Filters for Underwater Videography

[Laval 21]

Hello,

 

I am looking for an advise on selection of an internal color filter(s) for Gates AX700 / Z90 housing.

 

This housing comes with a red filter, but the filter could be changed for another color.

 

Seller recommended me to buy both red filter (for blue water) and pink filter (for green water), as according to him "Water conditions vary due to time of day, currents and particulate in the water."

 

Among other recommendations on internet, here is a typical recommendation: Pink Filter (for use in green water), OrangeFilter (for use at depth up to 15m), Red Filter (for use at depth of 15m or deeper).

 

Could anyone recommend a good article on color filter selection for UW videography?

 

I am diving only in warm water, i.e. Indonesia, Philippines, Caribbean, etc.

 

Also, Gates' color filters are quite expensive ($138US), so I would like to know if there is another manufacturer of good 'pro' quality color filter elements?

 

Thank you for your recommendations.

 

 

[Interceptor121 533]

Keldan but they are not cheap either

Their -2 filter works well in any water colour so at least you only need 1

 

 

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[Laval 21]

Keldan but they are not cheap either

Their -2 filter works well in any water colour so at least you only need 1

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thank you for the info. I will check it out.

[thani 86]

Are you shooting with lights?

If you are shooting with lights and manually white balance, then you should get good color rendition without red filter.

[Laval 21]

Are you shooting with lights?

If you are shooting with lights and manually white balance, then you should get good color rendition without red filter.

 

When I will be using color correction filter I will either do not use lights or I will use lights with Keldan Ambient filters.

[Interceptor121 533]

In terms of material I wrote this for wetpixel

 

http://wetpixel.com/articles/review-keldan-spectrum-and-ambient-filters-by-massimo-franzese

 

I think you need to be aware that there are many permutations and a dependency on how good your camera does in low light

 

With my GH5 the keldan -2 works well in any water down to 12-18 meters depending how bright the scene is.

 

For the ambient filters is pretty much a similar range

 

Once the scene gets too dark you are better off using lights with no filters at all the exact depth depends on camera and shooting conditions on the day

 

In terms of CRI a light with CRI >90 at close range will give you great colors but after 1-1.5 meters it will be all blue hence the idea of ambient light filters

 

 

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[Laval 21]

In terms of material I wrote this for wetpixel

 

http://wetpixel.com/articles/review-keldan-spectrum-and-ambient-filters-by-massimo-franzese

 

I think you need to be aware that there are many permutations and a dependency on how good your camera does in low light

 

With my GH5 the keldan -2 works well in any water down to 12-18 meters depending how bright the scene is.

 

For the ambient filters is pretty much a similar range

 

Once the scene gets too dark you are better off using lights with no filters at all the exact depth depends on camera and shooting conditions on the day

 

In terms of CRI a light with CRI >90 at close range will give you great colors but after 1-1.5 meters it will be all blue hence the idea of ambient light filters

 

 

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Many thanks for your reply and a link to the article. Great staff! Very useful information. I have the same video lights with ambient filters that you tested. I need to re-read your article to better understand all fine points.

[Lionfi2s 71]

 

 

A video by the behind the mask guys on the subject.

Informative, but nothing new really, too much emphasis on Keldan (expected), not presenting the disadvantages of filters. 

Good for a slow morning in the office.

 

[Interceptor121 533]

That's beginner level info but well presented
The disadvantage of filters are loss of overall brightness and cast as there is never a way to match water conditions so you need to white balance all the time but this is true without filter
The loss of exposure is typically 1 1/2 to 2 stops so filters are difficult to use in dark waters with cameras that have poor high ISO performance and by that I mean you need a camera that can work well at 3200 ISO the new full frame panasonic and canon can accomplish it
The micro four third segment maybe can get close with the dual iso sensor of the gh5s and blackmagic


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[Laval 21]

On 9/3/2019 at 6:25 AM, Interceptor121 said:

That's beginner level info but well presented
The disadvantage of filters are loss of overall brightness and cast as there is never a way to match water conditions so you need to white balance all the time but this is true without filter
The loss of exposure is typically 1 1/2 to 2 stops so filters are difficult to use in dark waters with cameras that have poor high ISO performance and by that I mean you need a camera that can work well at 3200 ISO the new full frame panasonic and canon can accomplish it
The micro four third segment maybe can get close with the dual iso sensor of the gh5s and blackmagic


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Thank you, Interceptor121.  I watched this video.  

[thani 86]

With my GH5s I shoot mostly without light down to 30m+ (our 30m because of the thermocline and bad visibility is like 50m+ in other seas). I am quite happy with the URPRO red (orangish) filter. From my experience they produce better color rendition than the Auto-magic red filter. Auto-magic appear more reddish than the URPRO filter.

http://www.urprofilters.com/productDetails.do?productID=1&categoryID=1

[Interceptor121 533]

With my GH5s I shoot mostly without light down to 30m+ (our 30m because of the thermocline and bad visibility is like 50m+ in other seas). I am quite happy with the URPRO red (orangish) filter. From my experience they produce better color rendition than the Auto-magic red filter. Auto-magic appear more reddish than the URPRO filter.
http://www.urprofilters.com/productDetails.do?productID=1&categoryID=1

The URPRO goes deeper than auto magic and works better in blue green water
Do you use a screw on version and for which lens?

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[thani 86]

Yes I use a screw on the lens type and on the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm f2.8-4. And I agree with you it works nicely in both blue and green water. Even in shallow water the combo GH5s/URPRO white balances nicely with no reddish no red color cast. 

[Interceptor121 533]

34 minutes ago, thani said:

Yes I use a screw on the lens type and on the Panasonic Leica 12-60mm f2.8-4. And I agree with you it works nicely in both blue and green water. Even in shallow water the combo GH5s/URPRO white balances nicely with no reddish no red color cast. 

So this is the 62mm version inside the Nauticam 7" acrylic dome. I have the same set up but with the keldan screw on as I can't find a UK distributor for URPRO since cameras underwater has gone bust

I sent you a PM please check it