Image Quality GoPro HD

[Marty Cerven]

Hi Marty. I got Gopro with blurfix and URPro CY filter. I am planing to use it for dives from 60ft to 120ft. I also use it with two Intova tactical torch lights to get some color. My question is: Do I need cyan filter (shallow water) for the dives under 60ft or I can get away with their UV filter? I have seen your video with seahorse and it was nice. Can I get same results doing white color correction in post production.
Also I want your opinion on what is the difference between those two filters.
Thank you for your time.

Hi Chiro, If you see all my Thailand videos then you will see what can be done with white balance in software as all the underwater video was filmed with the regular UR-pro cy filter from surface down to 30m. I didn't have the swcy filter at that time it got to my place just after I flew out lol. There's even a few shots where I come to the surface and with a software white balance was able to get a half decent result while using the cyan filter above water, not great but useable. All underwater shots turned out ok even those from just below the surface after a white balance.

[video=vimeo;29883089]http://vimeo.com/29883089[/video]

If you see the Loh samah bay or Shark point videos I get off and back on the boat and its all just white balance correction, my skin looks a little sick lol but it was good enough to include it I think. Nearly all video above 5m will tend to be too red but easily corrected so I do a white balance on it and beyond that depth I still do sometimes.

I haven't had a chance to take the shallow water filter down any deeper then 5m so I'm not sure how it will go in deeper depths but I will take it and the regular cy down next time I go deeper and see what happens.

When I filmed the sea dragon video it was between 3 and 5 meters depth but very low vis, it was a nice and bright day but even at that depth not much light got through due to the conditions. I don't think it favored either filter there but I got much better video from the SWcy filter mostly because it let a little bit more light in. It was kind of in between where both filters would work best due to depth and light conditions and I havent taken the SWcy out in ideal conditions yet but it should obviously end up better then that video which still turned out pretty well.

[video=vimeo;29452318]http://vimeo.com/29452318[/video]

You may be taking about the sea horse video which was a different one and that was at 5m with the regular cy filter and software white balance but in very good light and visibility. Its a little out of focus at times but more due to me shaking in the cold and not keeping it steady rather then the cameras focus, you can nearly touch things and keep them in focus if your keeping the camera steady enough.

[video=vimeo;27108339]http://vimeo.com/27108339[/video]

I think you can get away with a lot with SW white balancing, from my testing too much red is no issue and easily fixed. No filter and no colour data there's not much that can be done so I prefer to use filters all the time now. The SWcy will give best results in shallow water but you can get away with decent results using the CY and software correction not exactly the same but much better then no filter.

If your using lights and a filter you will need to do a bit of colour correction as the lights will make your video turn red and will need a proper white balance. I haven't done this yet but have seen some examples of what people have managed with lights and filters.

Its best to do some test dives before going away so you sort things out as you don't really want to be testing things on your trip and finding out when you got back you could have done things better.

 

[ChiroManta]

Thanks for input guys. It is difficult to do right testing in New York. Low visibility and cold lol. How do you do white color correction? Do you face the camera on a white plastic at different depth or you can do it once at the surface? Also, if I do lights during video I will have a lot of red. Do I fix it with white balance or I will need color correction software? I never done wide editing, so I need an advice what software I should get to make it easy. Thank you))

 

[ChiroManta]

I have had things very close above the water and are in focus almost if touching the camera, and bee very close under water and it still looks good. I just posted another video of Lizzard Island.

[video=youtube;gHGxWSfXmcM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHGxWSfXmcM[/video][/QU

Nice iguana videos. very close shots. Did you use any UV filter?

 

[Marty Cerven]

Thanks for input guys. It is difficult to do right testing in New York. Low visibility and cold lol. How do you do white color correction? Do you face the camera on a white plastic at different depth or you can do it once at the surface? Also, if I do lights during video I will have a lot of red. Do I fix it with white balance or I will need color correction software? I never done wide editing, so I need an advice what software I should get to make it easy. Thank you))

With the gopro there is only an auto white-balance no way of setting it manually it must all be done with software. I have pretty much always used the adobe CS software, its not cheap or the easiest software to use but im pretty familiar with it now but I learn something new most times I use it still, the reason I like it most is that it has no limits just your creativity. There are cheaper more basic software packages available that will let you do the basics but wont let you try much beyond that.

White balancing in software I found a plugin called colorista 2, which does work with many software editing packages and does a great job with a simple eye dropper clicked on what you know is white to balance the scene. Best to take a slate or something white with you that you can use and throw it in the frame at times so you can use it later to do a software white balance. You can also use sand sometimes which can work but a proper white object will do the best job. Some software does have a basic white balance adjust even adobe premiere but I find this plugin does a better job then the provided option.

 

[TSwain]

[nice iguana videos. very close shots. Did you use any UV filter?

Thanks ChiroManta! No I only used the clear lens for the video.

 

[ChiroManta]

Thank everybody for input.
I am going to Cancun in December to get married and do some diving.
I will try all your advises.
We were thinking of doing trashing of the dress video in cenottes.
Will post it when I come back

 

[ChiroManta]

I wanted to share with you cheap way to add lighhts to your GoProIntova Stay Slim with Flex Arm
2 Intova tactical torch $69.95 (220 lumens, 45 degree beam spread, 10hr continues burn)
2 Intova Intova Stay Slim with Flex Arm $39.95
2 Intova Torch adapters $8.95
total of $220View attachment 107925

 

[ChiroManta]

I wanted to share with you cheap way to add lighhts to your GoPro
2 Intova tactical torch $69.95 (220 lumens, 45 degree beam spread, 10hr continues burn)
2 Intova Intova Stay Slim with Flex Arm $39.95
2 Intova Torch adapters $8.95
total of $220View attachment 107925

 

[Dauntless]

Hi Marty. I got Gopro with blurfix and URPro CY filter. I am planing to use it for dives from 60ft to 120ft. I also use it with two Intova tactical torch lights to get some color. My question is: Do I need cyan filter (shallow water) for the dives under 60ft or I can get away with their UV filter? I have seen your video with seahorse and it was nice. Can I get same results doing white color correction in post production.
Also I want your opinion on what is the difference between those two filters.
Thank you for your time.

From 60 to 120 there's not enough red left for a cyan filter to help (IMHO) and from the video I've taken, when you white balance in SoftWare, the red from items close is too intense. Took some with UW movie light + cyan filter and the red was too much to correct. Everything was redded out. If you use lights, use the UV filter and starting to think the UV may be best if you plan to correct in software. iMovie and Powerdirector have the eye dropper built in and Sony Vegas has probably the best color correction of the entry level programs.

If you have a windows 7 64 bit computer, Cyberlink's Powerdirector is incredibly fast and has more features than you can imagine, although a little cheezy.

 

[Dauntless]

Here is about 60 ft and early AM and the sun is not enough to get much red even with URPro cyan blue water filter Lemon Anemone and Lemon Clown Fish - YouTube Some color correction in SW.