Blue Water Filter?

[domino22]

From what I have read it is recommended to use your "bluewater" filter at about 30ft, that I understand. But if you are using the filter at depth i.e. past 30ft during day light and you also want to use your video lights at the same time do you have to remove the filter or just leave it in place? Or does it even make a difference?

 

[Otter]

I can't speak from experience because I only use my lights at night. Not that I wouldn't use them during the day, its just takes too long to recharge them on a single charger and I want them fresh for the night dive.

That being said, I would guess it would depend....Filters add back red that is lost as light passes through water. At about 20', most the red is lost from sunlight. If you are using artificial light, then depending on the birghtness of the light, in theory you would loose the benefit of the light if you were more than 10' away from your subject...thats 10' of water going from your light to your subject and 10' from your subject to your lens. Obviously water clarity may impact this distance as would the reflectiveness of your subject.

Even when I am diving in relatively shallow water, I shoot some video with/without the filter to see what it looks like in my monitor. The downside of the filter on natural light is it effectively drop your light level about an f-stop (so I have been told, I have not metered it) which means in low light conditions, you really need artificial lights.

One thing I am considering is rigging up some 'day' lights using UK Light Canons. They aren't as powerful as my regular lights, but during the day I am hoping they would be fine. And since I can use 'regular' batteries (alkaline or NiMH) I can have multiple sets ready for each dive. They are heavy, so I have having to go with strobe arms. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[jcclink]

I have Gates housings which use the UR Pro color filter (not sure what the density is). With my old PC7 system the filter worked great between 25 & about 60 ft in tropical waters when shooting ambient light. Have to remove the filter when you are using video lights regardless of depth, otherwise its really red. Most video lights are only good for closeups & subjects 2-4 ft away, depending on ambient light level. I now have a PC330 in a Gates with the same UR filter. This camera does not white balance as well as the old PC7 with the filter. Operating depth is more restricted & direction of sunlight also seems to influence results. Haven't totally figured it out yet.

 

[diversteve]

From what I have read it is recommended to use your "bluewater" filter at about 30ft, that I understand. But if you are using the filter at depth i.e. past 30ft during day light and you also want to use your video lights at the same time do you have to remove the filter or just leave it in place? Or does it even make a difference?

When it's bright, i.e. Caribbean, I've used the blue filter from 15' to about 70'. Above 15' it makes everything too yellow, I don't have lights so I've never shot video below 70'. I have read that you should remove the filter if using lights or everything will be too red.

 

[diversteve]

...One thing I am considering is rigging up some 'day' lights using UK Light Canons. They aren't as powerful as my regular lights, but during the day I am hoping they would be fine. And since I can use 'regular' batteries (alkaline or NiMH) I can have multiple sets ready for each dive. They are heavy, so I have having to go with strobe arms. I'll let you know how it works out.

I just read a thread somewhere(maybe here) about this and the poster mentioned that the UK Light Cannons with the diffuser weren't much help during daylight. Of course in the Kelp it will probably help.

Steve

 

[fpoole]

Probably Apples & Oranges, but I used a red filter for digital Photos and was very happy with it.
I learned you cannot use the strobes with the filter as it turns everything red, Doh!!! LOL.. who would a 'Thunk' ... but the red filter to me, is a real handy thing to have...
You can see the difference on these shots, the deep you go the less reddish hue... so for me, it's either strobes OR the filter, can't use both..
http://www.poolesdive.com/gallerys/0409Roatan_Single/index_2.htm

(apologies if you can post links, can't remember what the policy is - just delete link if need be - personal site, not commercial)

Hope that helps...

 

[ChrisA]

I
One thing I am considering is rigging up some 'day' lights using UK Light Canons. They aren't as powerful as my regular lights, but during the day I am hoping they would be fine. And since I can use 'regular' batteries (alkaline or NiMH) I can have multiple sets ready for each dive. They are heavy, so I have having to go with strobe arms. I'll let you know how it works out.

It is surprizing and counter intuitive but you actually need brighter lights in the daytime then at night.

This is true in still photography and video. Why? In the daytime your light (flood light or flash) must compete with the sun. You can work out the numbers but just for example lets say your lights are only 1/8th as bright as sunlight. At night they'd work well after all 1/8 as bright is only three stops down. but in the day a fill light that is three stops down from abient iwould have little noticable effect.

 

[Otter]

I just read a thread somewhere(maybe here) about this and the poster mentioned that the UK Light Cannons with the diffuser weren't much help during daylight. Of course in the Kelp it will probably help.

Steve

At least for now I have given up this idea. I talked with a buddy who has done work produced by National Geo, PADI/DSAT and he is now beginning in Hollywood. For a lot of reasons, I think I am going to go the more direct way and just buy an additional set of batteries.

 

[meekal]

oh yea, ya gotta remove the RED FILTER if you start using lights. drop by www.piddlefish.com and check out the November 26th SPIEGEL GROVE video. this was my first time trying a lighting system. dual UK HIDs w/diffusers. watch near the sponge and bearded fireworm. at about the 4:15mark i'm testing on a clam with and withOUT red filter. oh yea, ya gotta remove the red filter if you use lights.

i'll just add that hauling around 16 "C" batteries makes your rig weigh a ton. for casual video, i'm gonna stick to the red filter.