Did I waste my money on the Backscatter Flip Up Filter?

[scubadiver sparks]

You absolutely DID NOT waste your money! The magic filter from Backscatter made a HUGE difference in my videos and I don't regret purchasing it at all.

Here is a clip of videos I shot last month while diving at Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo, FL. The wreck shots are at the Spiegel Grove...approx. 90 - 100 ft. depth. I am almost positive I had the magic filter on during those shots, but can't remember with absolute certainty.

Diving in Key Largo with Rainbow Reef Dive Center - YouTube

I second that. Money well spent.

I have noticed though with the gopro on, recording, and filter down if you are far from the subject the color is a little flat. But when you get close to your subject (which you should be doing in the first place, number 1 rule of photo/ video "get close, then closer") the color will pop! I have a video of strawberry sea anemone well below 100 fsw. when far away there a brown color, but when I come close to them the color pops. I will look for the video, edit it and post here soon.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g07uN_QnSGo&feature=plcp

And here were are. Now when I was in the water my main goal wasnt to shoot the anemone's as my bottom time had ran down to zero... The anemone's were sitting around 110 fsw, We were hanging at 135 fsw where there is a TBF Avenger airplane.

Now the beginning of the video start out green but when you stop and focus on one subject the cameras white balance kicks in and changes the color back to normal. Its a little hard to see it change in this video and I apologize (will look for a better example tonight) but it does change. The end of the video is shot in 135 fsw and is really green. If you look closely you will see the squid flying around.

 

[AquaProHd]

Not sure any color correction system is a was of money. Just not all systems are created equal.

 

[jepuskar]

I was told by a dive shop today that they have heard nothing but bad things from people about the backscatter filter. They weren't selling me an alternative solution, so I tend to believe that feedback. However, I don't know the sources of the feedback and in what conditions it was tested.

I just ordered my setup, so I'm quickly shopping for a red filter. :/

 

[Interceptor121]

I believe there are some unrealistic expectations about this filter that create most of the issue
This is a red filter for bluewater. If you dive in quarries or cold water the results are not going to be amazing. The best outcomes are in tropical blue water between 15 and 60 feet anything out of this range will not be stunning and as a filter absorb light if there is little natural light the footage will be more noisy
This is normal when shooting with a filter
You can then argue which flat lens and filter is best but definitely this is a more than acceptable solution if used properly

 

[fdarden]

I have gotten decent results with my Backscatter flip up lens, certainly better than without in my opinion. Whether you wasted money or not depends on whether YOU are happy with the results. For 50 bucks I am not complaining or expecting much. I mean you are shooting video through a piece of colored plastic that flips up and down in front of the lens with a 300 dollar wide FOV camera. The Backscatter improves the dive housing at the usual depths that you would expect a CYAN filter would. I am sure there will be solutions coming out that will deliver better video quality than the flip up lens, but in the mean time, its a neat, convenient way to have some filtering with the dive housing, until a better solution becomes available. I am assuming I will be scratching/cracking/snapping the Backscatter off soon enough, as I dive the camera several times weekly. I must admit I am getting very anxious to see/test what Snake River Prototyping will be delivering in October.

 

[AquaProHd]

Well said fdarden! How did you hear about the new SRP color correction system?

 

[DMDavid]

Well said fdarden! How did you hear about the new SRP color correction system?

It's on their Facebook site and posted on YouTube as well.

 

[AquaProHd]

I'm sorry I meant, how does he know about the delivery date.

 

[cjfox]

I use a home made magenta filter for green water made for an old aquatica housing I own. The results aren't dramatic, but enough that I'm happy. The gopro cineform software also has useful color correction capabilities.


These are video captures from my Hero2 with the OEM dive housing.

 

[scubadiver sparks]

I have gotten decent results with my Backscatter flip up lens, certainly better than without in my opinion. Whether you wasted money or not depends on whether YOU are happy with the results. For 50 bucks I am not complaining or expecting much. I mean you are shooting video through a piece of colored plastic that flips up and down in front of the lens with a 300 dollar wide FOV camera.

This right here sum's it up. You spend $300 for the camera, $50 for the red filter, and $50 for the dive housing. So that right there puts you up to $400. For that money you can buy a Canon S100 which will shoot 1080p videos and 12mp photos. Very close to the gopro.... however, and this is a big deal, you now have a zoom, AV mode, TV mode, macro mode, underwater mode, and a list of other features that the gopro only can dream of.

Now many of you will say "well you have to buy the housing for the S100." And this is true, Canon's housing is $220, which is an added expense to the rig. But, who here has just bought a gopro, dive housing, and filter?... I am willing to bet not many. I have the LCD, battery bakpak and a list that I bet you would be around the same price of the housing for the S100. And many if you have done the same.

So when it comes down to it, if you want a very easy, good quality and cheap rig, get yourself a gopro. But if your looking for that little bit better, something with better features, and a rig that can take you from beginning photo or video (just camera and housing) all they way up to a sweet rig that knocks on the doors of DSLR's (highest quality housing, strobes and video lights) then go with a REAL camera.

If you haven't thought of it by now my next rig will be the Canon S100. Not only does it do the same thing as the gopro but now you have the ability to change setting/ function/ focal length to get the photo or video that much better. However I will keep my gopro and use it as its own rig on the S100. That way if the S100 is rigged to take only photos and I see something that I want video of, the gopro will be right there.

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Also, Im working on a video that I have taken with the gopro where I went through all the setting to see what they would do. For example, have the camera pointed up when you hit the record button to get as much light into the camera and then look at the subject with the filter up, then flip it down to see what the camera would do to compensate for the addition of the filter. This should been done in the next couple of days.