Filter or No Filter?

[dnote]

Hi, when adjusting gopro video shot using no filter in editing software such as sony vegas, is it possible to obtain the same color as if a red filter were utilized?

If I can get the same color in the software without using the filter i just assume not use one. My thought is that even if a red filter is used the color would probably have to be adjusted to remove red in shallow waters and to add red in deeper waters given that the filter is only ideal within a certain water depth.

Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[TallPaul]

I don't have any experience with filters (yet) but I have tried to color correct underwater footage in Vegas (Movie Studio) and it is a challenge.
I plan on getting a filter for my next camera.
If you can, see if you can find a file of underwater footage on the net without a filter then give it a go at color correcting in the software.

 

[toozler]

Hi, when adjusting gopro video shot using no filter in editing software such as sony vegas, is it possible to obtain the same color as if a red filter were utilized?

If I can get the same color in the software without using the filter i just assume not use one. My thought is that even if a red filter is used the color would probably have to be adjusted to remove red in shallow waters and to add red in deeper waters given that the filter is only ideal within a certain water depth.

Any thoughts? Thanks

You can improve colors slighly on post processing, but it will not substitute the filter. A red filter (or a big and powerful video light) is strongly recommended.

Stay away from the chinese makers and polarpro filters, those have the worst results. SRP, GoPro and Eelvision make decent filters (ordered here from most expensive to cheaper).

 

[MikkelBC]

You cannot get the same result in post processing.
The problem with light underwater is that there is too little red light and therefore relatively too much blue. A camera cannot properly expose for both colours. It will either underexpose the reds or overexpose the blues. Neither situation can be fixed in post because the information is lost at the time of capture. The red filter reduces the amount of blue light to even out the amount of light of different colours and thereby letting the camera expose properly for both.

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[dnote]

You can improve colors slighly on post processing, but it will not substitute the filter. A red filter (or a big and powerful video light) is strongly recommended...

You cannot get the same result in post processing...

Thanks guys, this is exactly what i was looking for. I was suspecting this might be the case.

@toozler you make a good point about the chinese filters. I purchased one in the past but ended up throwing it away because it was way too red. I'll have to spend the money to get a quality filter as it seems to be necessary.

 

[MikkelBC]

You are also right that you need to change filters above and under water and maybe even at different depths. Backscatter has solved the practicalities of doing that with their Flip3.1 filters. I use those, and they work. Although my experience with the "Deep" filter is that there is so little light left that it is usually not worth the effort.

 

[dnote]

That's good insight. Hopefully between the editing software and the filters, the right balance can be achieved. I shot some footage in Belize without a filter and I had trouble getting the footage to look how i wanted it. I was able to enhance it quite a bit, but not as well as i would have liked. I'm definitely going to use a filter next dive.

 

[Octopusprime]

If your in Blue water use yellow filter when shallow and sunny. If it is overcast or if you go more than 30ft then switch to the red...the dual flip filter is great...

If water is green use orange filter for full sun in less than 30 ft. Deeper than 30ft use a magenta filter.

when selecting a light for video look for a bright WIDE angle light. Your better off with light off to the side to avoid back skatter from suspended partials.

 

[MrBlonde87]

Has anyone tried shooting RAW or protune flat underwater with the 3+ or 4? I'm curious if the filter is still necessary then (I do have 2 2500 lumen lights brighten the picture).

 

[MikkelBC]

Has anyone tried shooting RAW or protune flat underwater with the 3+ or 4? I'm curious if the filter is still necessary then (I do have 2 2500 lumen lights brighten the picture).

Shooting in protune does not help with the physical light level problem that I have explained above. Your video lights, on the other hand, will help. Whether or not to use a filter will depend on the mix of ambient and artificial light in your shots. The less ambient light you have, the less you will need a filter.

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