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Did you use auto or manual WB ? If manual, what did you use for wht reference ? Were you using your filter ?
This was the first time I'd taken it out so everything was on full auto. I'm familiar with how to use the white balance and I can access it through the housing although it's a bit cumbersome to do so. I'm planning on going out again this weekend to do some experimentation to see how I can get better after reading the advice here on these boards.
If you are going to experiment, I suggest trying manual white balance with and without the filter. Also might try using a white slate or the sun as a reference.
I don't have any experience shooting in green water, but in tropical blue water manual white balance makes a big improvement in coloring.
Here's the difference between MWB and AWB on my Sony VX2000.
Check out the sequence starting at 2:08. All MWB off white objects around me using natural light. The van is in 50 FT of water. Manual focus was not corrected for F settings.
I can not do MWB, but I get much better results if I do this, When I dont do it, the video trend to much to yellow or green, and clear objects are shown like white!! impossible to make color corrections during edition.
I dont have the MWB available in my housing so, I do use AWB with red filter with good results, the trick is to point to a white board. and To compensate for diferent light / depths, I turn "on" and "off" the camera, so it does Auto balance with the white board at the available light / cast.
then do minor color corrections or contrast during edition.
I been doing this at the sea of cortez where the water is kind of green, but my videos results with nice blue color water and beatiful red colors on the corals.
OK, so I've been trying outdoor white balance instead of AWB. So far I notice some difference, but not consistent. Mind you this may have something to do with my partial color blindness. I'm going to start doing test subjects to determine which I prefer.
I think one thing that would improve all of my videos is having better diffusion on my lights and higher wattage ratings (I film with just two 10-w HID's).
I wanted to thank you guys for your advice here regarding AWB vs MWB. I went out again this past weekend and experimented with MWB and I'm pleased with how my video turned out in comparison to my previous results. I have a long way to go still... next I need to look into ways to stabilize my focusing using manual focus. (I'm still unsure how best to handle moving targets like sea lions if they swim in and out of focus without auto focus on...). Also I need to get some lighting as well. I'm probably going to go with a couple HID Light cannons. I assume that's what DrBill is using).
Anyway here's a link to the improved video after using manual white balance uploaded to youtube for any that may be interested in seeing the difference in results that I was able to get.
So I have an HC7 - and am about to purchase a housing, and I was just contemplating this very problem....the obvious question is...
What housing would you recommend that allows access to MWB?
Without setting us back a heap of cash?? I'm trying to convince Whites to get into more underwater video marketing, but Frank will want to know why we should spend all the cash.....I understand why....but which camera? and are there more issues I should consider?
UGH! I just wrote a reply to this and lost it. Hate when that happens...I will try again.
I agree with you that auto white balance is the devil, yet on some cameras there is no option. The only option would be not to shoot underwater video, and that is not an option...so for every system you have to come up with a solution. This does take time and practice in the pool. But before all that, I encourage you to read the manuals of both the camera and the housing.
There is no way around getting to a pool and then practicing in a controlled setting what works and what does not work. You can figure out how best to use your system in this way. I personally never recommend a system without manual white balance features, but if you only have auto then you have to realize the limitations...if you cannot afford to throw it out, use it as a door stopper and avoid frustration in the editing suite.
I realize from personal experience how challenging manual white balance can be even if your camera has it. Many people do not use this function because they do not understand the function. I posted a new thread to address how to white balance your camera.
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