Nauticam NA-LX7, WetMate dome & 67mm red filter?

[comodino]

Hi everyone.
I just purchased the aforementioned Nauticam housing for a Panny LX7, to use primarily as a compact lightweight video rig with a Nauticam WetMate dome. I'll mainly do wide angle and mid-range shots (filming other divers) and close ups inbetween.
Now, having experience with UW video using bigger camcorders&housings, I can't help to think that I could really use a red filter, especially since I only do natural light tropical water footage.
Of course I'd white balance anyway...still, with no lights, the red filter helps.
I found a UW filter with an M67 male thread on one side and a female on the other. This means I can sandwich it between the housing and the WetMate.
Mangrove redfilter 67mm [CF-M67] - ScubaCam.nl
I also like the possibility to remove it on the fly while diving if I wish, something that the "over-the-camera-lens" magic filter like products don't offer.

Now, since I am still waiting for my housing to be delivered and I have no way to inspect it closely, I was wondering if anyone of you guys owning the housing+dome combo could tell me whether you think my idea is viable or not. Will the dome vignette at the 24mm range of the camera's lens?

 

[Interceptor121]

I have not tried any filters with the lx7
but i can tell you that the auto white balance is actually quite poor so I wonder how will it work with a filter
Custom white balance works wonders on sand

 

[comodino]

Yeup, no intention of going AWB at all. But won't a red filter help anyway? Again, no strobes, no artificial lights....
I loved that internal red filter flip on the Amphibico housing!

 

[Interceptor121]

I don't believe so. You can alter the custom white balance to add more magenta or amber to your liking
A filter will just take light away on this camera
Different for another camera where the set WB is hard manage (rx100)

 

[comodino]

mmm....good point. the disadvantage of having a reduced amount of light hitting the sensor might just not be compensated by the higher rendered red saturation.

 

[ronscuba]

While you are waiting for the housing, experiment topside with manual white balance indoors. I haven't got my LX7 underwater yet, but I am very impressed with it's low light coloring and manual white balance range.

 

[comodino]

thanks for the input. I am waiting for the camera also! I basically got it to use it just as an UW compact photo/video camera, I use my DLSR topside.....
Bud glad to hear it performs well!

 

[Mike]

I'm using the LX7 right now in Rangiroa, and as said the AWB blows! But manual white balance off a grey card is looking very nice. I'm not sure what the difference would be of a red filter adding color to the video you are shooting or the camera adding it through manual white balancing.

I'd like to see somebody test it out

 

[fbk]

I'm not sure what the difference would be of a red filter adding color

Red filter doesn't add, it subtracts colour (and precious light). I haven't got my LX7 wet yet either but from what I have read and played with on land the manual WB and fine tuning looks very promising and all without reducing the light getting to the sensor.

 

[comodino]

It's a very useful tool to have in the video housings though. But as Interceptor121 says, given the small sensor size of the LX7 it could be counterproductive to use one. At least with no artificial light source.
In reality, a red filter does absorb light, and generally the Manual WB achieves a very similar result in colour rendition, but the saturation you achieve with a manually balanced image filtered through a red lens is better imho. It's more vivid. Of course we are talking about in shallow tropical water.
And now that I used terminology I don't really understand, I'll be burned alive by some Photoshop/Premiere expert eheh.