External Flip Filter for wide angle lens

[didekeer]

Hi all,

I have a Patima Smart 2 housing for a Sony XR500 camera. With this housing I use a Inon UWL-100 wet wide angle lens. The patima housing is a great housing for it's price, but does not have an internal flip filter such as on the L&M housings.

I purchased the external Ikelite UR-PRO green filter for this lens (I live in Vancouver, Canada) and this works great with the manual white balance.

However, the rubber ring that holds the filter (and that can be pushed over the lens) is not holding the filter very tightly... on my last dive, the filter itself got out of the rubber holder and was gone before I noticed it: 70$ in the drain, I mean in the sea.

Rather than replacing the filter with the same flimsy solution, I'm looking for something better. I do not want to use a fixed internal filter as I want to be able to put on or take of the filter at leasure, as I shoot with strong HID lights for deeper depths and close up.

I was wondering if someone had the same issue with the Inon wide angle lens and how they resolved it (or for some good ideas). I'm kind of thinking to build a filter holder that is mounted in front of the lens, where I can slot the filter in or out, or flip the filter to the side. Something that is made from metal or sturdy plastic.

Any ideas?

Cheers, Dirk

 

[diversteve]

I'm kind of thinking to build a filter holder that is mounted in front of the lens, where I can slot the filter in or out

I have an Amphibico EVO - which has an internal flip filter.

However they also provide a slot in the top of the plastic port for a protective lens cover. Since water color varies, they also sell 3x4" sheets of both the "Blue" and "Green" UR Pro filter material that - I believe - also fit in the slot. ($95 ouch...) Filter And Diopters - Amphibico Underwater video Housing Store

Here's a quick shot of it:

 

[didekeer]

Thanks Steve! Pretty close to what I'm looking for. I'll have to check if it can work with my wide angle lens.

Cheers, Dirk

 

[didekeer]

It seems the hood is specific to the lens, so will probably not work for my lens. But the filter sheet might work if I build the holder myself...

Any other ideas out there?

 

[NotYetBent]

What about finding some sort of ring that slips on to the lens. It doesn't even need to be for a camera...and just glue the filter to that? Or...how about the lens cap? Buy an extra one...cut a hole big enough for the filter w/o vignetting. Would that work?

How do you like that wet mount lens? I'm an L&M user but the Fathom lenses for them are way too expensive if I'm not getting paid to do this... Have been looking for different WAL options... Is there a lot of distortion?

 

[didekeer]

The Ikelite filter came with a rubber ring, but that wasn't a good solution. And if you take something that you slips on the lens, you need a good spot to place it when not on the lens, like a holder. Othwerwise it just floats around, with risk of scratches, or the filter getting loose and come out of the ring as happened to me.
I'm looking more for a system that is fixed atached, but that I can flip away (rotate or flip). I think I will have to build something myself...
Anyway about the wet Wide Angle Lens. I guess it's a little less sharp then the L&M version, but I haven't noticed to much. I think the quality of the Inon is just fine. At least a lot better than the internal wide angle lens I was using before. Here are a few video's I shot with this setup:

Race Rocks on Vimeo (Race Rocks, shot with filter)
Diamond Knot on Vimeo (Diamond Knot, shot with lights)
Diamond Knot on Vimeo (Tuwanek Point, shot with lights)

Cheers, Dirk