GoPro Imagery In Poor Viz. Brown Water With Red Filter

[RickI]

I went out with Dixie Divers on Sunday for what I had hoped would be some good visibility for photography. Instead viz. was pretty low and the water brown. Despite that I got some good results out of my GoPro cameras particularly using a snap on red filter. The shot above was taken in pretty poor light and visibility but still came out ok thanks to the Polar Pro filter I was using. I ran into a nice goliath grouper free diving through a culvert and got some good closeups on a green moray on the Marine as well.

Here is the video:

[video=vimeo;68562144]https://vimeo.com/68562144[/video]
https://vimeo.com/68562144


There are bunch of stills with comparison images with and without the filter along with some conclusions and precautions at:

Free Diving the Ancient Mariner & Sea Emperor - FKA Kiteboarding Forums

 

[James R]

I've only used my gopro in real low viz (eg 1-4 feet), so I can't imagine calling that viz low! Anyway, yeah, your image definitely came out pretty good. Are you only using ambient light?

 

[RickI]

I had hoped for about 80 ft. plus, given several days of calm weather for some good shooting. Then again there is all that plankton rich hot water and tannin stained runoff from the inlets to deal with. I agree it was a lot better than 1 to 4 ft. but in 70 ft. of water off here with the Florida Current close by, it might take a hurricane to produce such conditions. Yes, I pretty much only shoot available light given constraints of free diving even with a scooter and the wide angle light requirements of the GoPro. Still, in the right conditions it works out.

I've only used my gopro in real low viz (eg 1-4 feet), so I can't imagine calling that viz low! Anyway, yeah, your image definitely came out pretty good. Are you only using ambient light?

 

[crosshairs]

Very nice video...Thanks for sharing it.