Thursday's (August 26) Maui pics

Gilligan · Aug 26, 2004

Today's dive was a test of the use of a color correction filter.

This page demonstrates the results of using a filter in conjunction with manual white balance. The author suggests the use of an FL-B filter for blue ocean water.
I obtained a used 67mm FL-B filter from B&H Photo for $15.00.

I posted two comparison photos here. One was taken with a filter and one without. Both were taken with manual white balance and both then edited in Photoshop using only "Auto Levels".

My test is in no way scientific but you be the judge as to whether a filter is worth using.

ShakaZulu · Aug 26, 2004

1 vote for no filter.

frogfish · Aug 26, 2004

Comforts me in thinking the filter is not a worthwhile option

azisme · Aug 26, 2004

How did you manual white balance. against the white sand or a white slate? I noticed in the first link you provided, they balanced with a grey card. Just curious if that would make a difference.

Gilligan · Aug 26, 2004

azisme:
How did you manual white balance. against the white sand or a white slate? I noticed in the first link you provided, they balanced with a grey card. Just curious if that would make a difference.

I white balanced off a white dive slate. I don't know why he uses a gray card. There is an 18% grey card used in the photo industry to help set the light conditions for a camera's light meter. The 18% card is supposed to be half way between black and white. I'm no expert on this.

Depending on who you talk to, some say using a grey card is not true white balancing. That is accomplished by calibrating off a true white surface and doing it every time the conditions change.

I don't think it would make any difference in my test shots if I used a grey card.

justleesa · Aug 26, 2004

I looked at the pictures, before I read which was with and which was with out....judging by my guess....There's, at least in these pictures, no need for a filter
Nice pics anyway and glad your back in the water, dive a little bit for me please

friscuba · Aug 27, 2004

I read an underwater video site and the author recommended a gray card over white. If you could get ahold of one to try, it'd be a noble comparison experiment to do something similar between white and gray cards as you did with the filter vs. no filter.

Thanks for the comparison you posted today. I see no reason for a filter yet.

Steve

Gilligan:
I white balanced off a white dive slate. I don't know why he uses a gray card. There is an 18% grey card used in the photo industry to help set the light conditions for a camera's light meter. The 18% card is supposed to be half way between black and white. I'm no expert on this.

Depending on who you talk to, some say using a grey card is not true white balancing. That is accomplished by calibrating off a true white surface and doing it every time the conditions change.

I don't think it would make any difference in my test shots if I used a grey card.

Scuba65 · Aug 27, 2004

Jim nice pictures, but i'd go with no filter and that's my opinion. but, again i'm not good with underwater photos yet. Nice to see you're back in the water for us that can't dive all the time.

hnladue · Aug 27, 2004

I would vote WITH the filter.....there's more red and orange in that picture. The colors just seem better.

Heather

KrustyTheClownFish · Aug 27, 2004

Looks like the fish are big-time scared of the filter. Maybe that is a good enough reason alone to leave the filter on the boat.

Thursday's (August 26) Maui pics

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