Problem with White Balance at Depth

[Mike Veitch]

I have a Sony TRV 950 and Gates Housing with the regular wide angle lens, not the freaking $4000 one (anyone want to give me $4000 though???)

Any of you have a similar set up?

I am having a big problem trying to set manual white balance below 60 feet, it just won't take, even in bright tropical conditions.
A friend with same camera and Amphibico has no problem at any depth. Will try putting his into my housing to see if it is just the camera or a combination of both.

Or could it be something like the red filter is too dark? THe port coating?
Or???

 

[ronrosa]

I have a Sony TRV 950 and Gates Housing with the regular wide angle lens, not the freaking $4000 one (anyone want to give me $4000 though???)

Any of you have a similar set up?

I am having a big problem trying to set manual white balance below 60 feet, it just won't take, even in bright tropical conditions.
A friend with same camera and Amphibico has no problem at any depth. Will try putting his into my housing to see if it is just the camera or a combination of both.

Or could it be something like the red filter is too dark? THe port coating?
Or???

Have a TRV900 with a Gates. I use a white patch of sand for my white balance reference. It doesn't always "lock in". When this happens, moving in closer to the sand does the trick.

What are using for a white reference ?

 

[Mike Veitch]

I use a slightly off white slate. I usually try to have about 2/3ds of the frame covered to set the balance. But deeper than 60' it just won't take. Have tried full frame, half frame and everything in between. And yes have also tried the sand at the cleaning station. I actually use the damn thing everyday ( i work as the photo/video person in Yap) and so is rather annoying as you can imagine when i can't get the colour i want at depth.
Was thinking i will buy a screw on UR Pro filter and see if that works any better for the balance than the one Gates provides.

 

[Moogyboy]

Hey, question: if I have only three white-balance choices--tungsten, daylight, and auto--would either of the first two be a better choice than auto when underwater? Maybe with a red filter it doesn't matter...

Just curious.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[ronrosa]

I use a slightly off white slate. I usually try to have about 2/3ds of the frame covered to set the balance. But deeper than 60' it just won't take. Have tried full frame, half frame and everything in between. And yes have also tried the sand at the cleaning station. I actually use the damn thing everyday ( i work as the photo/video person in Yap) and so is rather annoying as you can imagine when i can't get the colour i want at depth.
Was thinking i will buy a screw on UR Pro filter and see if that works any better for the balance than the one Gates provides.

I've had more success using sand than a slate. I think it has to due with the slate being a little too reflective. I go full frame, close up if I have a problem. Sometimes I have to change my angle. Don't remember if dead on 90 degrees or angled at 45 works better.

Are you saying you can never set the white balance deeper than 60 ft. ?

 

[Mike Veitch]

Are you saying you can never set the white balance deeper than 60 ft. ?

Yep, big pain in the behind!

 

[meekal]

Or could it be something like the red filter is too dark? THe port coating?
Or???

i'm just learning too, so please be kind in my question, but should you be using the RED FILTER if you're trying to WHITE BALANCE? shouldn't the REDFILTER be removed?

 

[Mike Veitch]

i'm just learning too, so please be kind in my question, but should you be using the RED FILTER if you're trying to WHITE BALANCE? shouldn't the REDFILTER be removed?

Understandable question.
What happens with the red filter is that it helps bring the natural colours back into the frame. By white balancing through the filter at every depth you go to, you are bringing the colour spectrum back into what you are looking at. When ascending, and the light spectrum becomes larger, when you look through the camera you find that everything has gone red, redo the white balance and everything becomes the colour it should be once again. You can do this all the way up to the surface, i rarely take my red filter off, just WB for each different depth and colour pops out beautifully.

If you WB without the red filter then you won't get the colour spectrum that the red filter brings into your shot, everything stays that monochromatic blue.

 

[Mike Veitch]

Hey, question: if I have only three white-balance choices--tungsten, daylight, and auto--would either of the first two be a better choice than auto when underwater? Maybe with a red filter it doesn't matter...

Just curious.

cheers

Billy S.

NOt really sure, with the tungsten, i think auto would work better than daylight, because so much darker underwater. If there was a cloudy choice that would be the one. Tungsten? That is a warm light (orange/red) as opposed to the cool lighting we get underwater (blue) so that probably won't work.
I think you would be best off with auto.
If your housing allows, try flipping the red filter off when you change depths and then back on, that will allow the auto WB to readjust a little better than if you just leave the filter on at all times.

 

[ronrosa]

Yep, big pain in the behind!

I'm out of ideas. Curious to hear how your experiment goes swapping camcorders with your friend.