Which filter for underwater housing?

[Susiewah]

Hello,

I’m super excited about our upcoming trip to Dumaguete in March. Having just returned from Roatan Honduras I am breaking down and purchasing a filter for my little point and shoot Canon with underwater housing. As they don’t make threaded filters for this housing I am buying the filter gels from Backscatter, here in California. My question is, do most people use a Red or Magenta filter in Dumaguete?

Thanks in advance,
Susie

 

[dsfw62]

Hello,

I’m super excited about our upcoming trip to Dumaguete in March. Having just returned from Roatan Honduras I am breaking down and purchasing a filter for my little point and shoot Canon with underwater housing. As they don’t make threaded filters for this housing I am buying the filter gels from Backscatter, here in California. My question is, do most people use a Red or Magenta filter in Dumaguete?

Thanks in advance,
Susie

My suggestion would be to invest in a video light or strobe. It will produce a much more natural result while filters can cast a hue on your images.

I tend to favor the Big Blue video lights.

 

[JohnnyC]

I wouldn’t use a filter for still photos. Depending on the type of photos you take, you might get away with a video light for a similar amount of money, with much better results.

There really is no good substitute for additional light.

 

[RyanT]

Filters simply reduce light. Adding a red filter in front your lens does not simply "shift" the blueness of the underwater light towards the redder end of the spectrum. Filters work by blocking light in parts of the spectrum. A red filter looks red because it blocks blue wavelengths of light. Underwater, the red end of the spectrum is absorbed rather quickly leaving the blue end of the spectrum. So if you put a red filter on (which blocks the blue end of the spectrum), the net effect for your camera is to block a substantial proportion of light coming in to your camera. Red(ish) filters can work Ok in shallow water, but they quickly become inefficient the deeper you go. I agree with @JohnnyC, there really is no substitute for adding a light.

 

[Freewillow]

I bought one and used it for a few dives. I agree with previous posts.you are much better off with an editing software like lightroom, photoshop ......................

 

[Luko]

Don't use filters, they are useless.
For wide angle at shallow depth, shoot RAW and try recovering amounts of red and yellows with your RAW developper, LR or Canon DPP if you don't have another one.
For macro purchase some light instead like a second hand Inon S2000 strobe or a torchlight (minigear), if you can't then use your integrated flash providing you also use the housing diffuser (never use the integrated strobe for Wide Angle shoots).

 

[Gareth J]

You say your camera is a Canon.
Historically, Canon have been very good with the manual white balance facility. If you are not shooting RAW and using something like lightroom that allows you to colour correct after the fact, then if you don't have a strobe, consider using the manual white balance.

Different cameras have different procedures. The old S series (95, 100, 110, 120), allowed you to pre program the short cut button. The later G series I understand require a few more steps to activate the manual white balance.
Putting a neutral (white) slate infront of the lense, and activating white balance recalibrate's the sensor. This compensates for the lack of reds etc as you get deeper. You do need to do this with every change in depth, both on the way down, and on the way up.