Should I get a red filter for my new G15

[flylow47]

I'm curious as to anyone's experience in tropical waters either here with the Canon G15 (or similar) with or without red lens filter. I live in Malaysia and dive the tropical reefs here and in neighboring countries (Maldives, Thailand, Bali), typically 15-25m.

I bought a G15 with the DC48 housing just recently but need some advice on the red filter. I went to no less than a dozen stores today looking for a red underwater filter, and it looks like if I get one it will have to come from Europe or the US. So that bumps up the price quite a bit and need to be confident before investing in such a lens. I do NOT have an external strobe. Would that be a better purchase? For the last several years I used a Panasonic DMC-ZS7 w/housing and had good results but always very close up. No red filter but I had to do a lot of color correction on the Mac and wasn't ever really satisfied with the results.

I do my editing work on a Mac with Aperture and plan to take most UW photos in RAW mode.

 

[flareside]

As you have WB correction on that camera, there is no reason for a red filter. While a few people do still use them, you will take a hit on exposure level and you have to remove the filter every time you want to use the flash.

 

[Gilligan]

The red filter would come in handy mostly for shooting video at shallow depths. You can offset the filter by calibrating your white balance for shooting videos.
As for still shots shooting RAW is a must for non-strobe shots.

 

[Hetland]

A red filter keeps light from entering your camera. Never a good idea.

A strobe is the single best investment you can make for underwater photography. If you don't want a strobe, then your next best shot is a wide angle lens for ambient light shooting.

 

[AussieByron]

I would be getting a magic filter (M A G I C - F I L T E R S) for your G15. These are great for video and when you want to shoot wide angle without strobes/Flash. Just need to learn how to do custom WB underwater. When it comes to close and macro work with internal flash just remember to take off the filter.

Regards Mark

 

[flylow47]

All, thanks for your input. I quickly learned to set the white balance in the water, and to change it depending upon depth, and I was very pleased with the results. Sample video from my trip to the Maldives this past weekend. At Rasdhoo reef. No editing yet.

Sample Maldives Dive md 608 - YouTube