Red Filter for Ikelite DSLR Dome Port?
- Thread starter arkstorm
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I'm guessing a URpro filter that large is going to be expensive. Are you having problems with your DSLR white balance ? I've been reading about DLSR owners successfully using manual white balance for video without a filter.
I don't have a DSLR, but instead a Canon S90...
I highly prefer the manual white balance option to the color correcting filter option... I don't lose any light, I can adjust for any depth, and well, I don't lose any light...
White balance and a color correcting filter serve two different purposes.
I certainly do use manual white balance but that won't necessarily replace the reds that are filtered out by the water.
simonspear
Contributor
Hiya Arkstorm
You can actually get remarkable results from a HDSLR using MWB without a filter. I've been testing on and off for the last couple of months and without fail have been getting better results with no filter than with either a URPRO filter or a Magic Filter. Here's a link to an example shot last month. Hope this helps.
Canon 7D MWB / Available Light Example - NO FILTERS
Cheers, Simon
edit----
Should just add that all clips are random examples straight out of the camera with no post processing at all. The deeper shots in particular are extremely impressive. The last shot 35m+ was from the bow of the Rosalie Muller which from memory is 37/38m and a pretty dark dive when compared to normal Red Sea conditions. I've dived this wreck a number of times with a variety of pro/semi pro cameras and I've never ever got results like this before (just talking about the available light MWB ability of the 7D here, not that they are 'great' shots!)
Hey Simon, nice clips. Do you recall your aperture, shutter and ISO settings ?
I'm itching to bring my T2i or 7d underwater, but can't justify the expense when I have my Sony FX7, Gates Housing and Fathom superwide lens sitting here.
I'm itching to bring my T2i or 7d underwater, but can't justify the expense when I have my Sony FX7, Gates Housing and Fathom superwide lens sitting here.
simonspear
Contributor
Hiya Ron
All the shots would have been different settings but in general the sweet spots seem to be ISO 160 & 320 (I never go above ISO 640) and F8 - F11 although you can take it all the way up to F20-22 if you need to which can be great in shallow very bright conditions. With various lenses I've taken the F stop all the way down to F1.8 in low light, but much below F5.6 you'll never get anything you are happy with on WA shots. Shutter obviously fixed at 1/50th PAL-land and 1/60th NTSC-land.
My last camera before the 7D was a V1/Gates so almost identical to yours. The smaller size of the 7D makes traveling a joy when compared to lugging around the beast! Just waiting on some new camera developments before I move on, but I keep getting more and more impressed with the 7D. Don't get me wrong it has its faults, but side by side with the V1 for quality then IMO there is really no comparison. From everything I've heard for video the T2i is just as impressive as the 7D/5DmkII/1DmkIV which is insane considering the quality for that price.
Cheers, Simon
All the shots would have been different settings but in general the sweet spots seem to be ISO 160 & 320 (I never go above ISO 640) and F8 - F11 although you can take it all the way up to F20-22 if you need to which can be great in shallow very bright conditions. With various lenses I've taken the F stop all the way down to F1.8 in low light, but much below F5.6 you'll never get anything you are happy with on WA shots. Shutter obviously fixed at 1/50th PAL-land and 1/60th NTSC-land.
My last camera before the 7D was a V1/Gates so almost identical to yours. The smaller size of the 7D makes traveling a joy when compared to lugging around the beast! Just waiting on some new camera developments before I move on, but I keep getting more and more impressed with the 7D. Don't get me wrong it has its faults, but side by side with the V1 for quality then IMO there is really no comparison. From everything I've heard for video the T2i is just as impressive as the 7D/5DmkII/1DmkIV which is insane considering the quality for that price.
Cheers, Simon
Simon, Very impressive. I'm shooting a T2i. I think you effectively talked me out of fiddling with a red filter. How are you doing white balance?... Are you using some kind of white board or are you white balancing off the sand, or something else?
Ron, you should go for it and put your T2i in a housing...you won't regret it.
Ron, you should go for it and put your T2i in a housing...you won't regret it.
simonspear
Contributor
Hi Arkstorm
WB off the sand works best, but if you are mid water or not near sand then the palm of you hand works really well too. Just turn your palm upwards a little bit so that whatever sunlight available is hitting it and its not too dark or in shade. With a dome you'll normally have to focus before you take the shot, but it doesn't matter if the WB shot is out of focus (in fact it may help when using your palm). With most other 'video' cameras I've used WB off the sun or the surface of the water worked well, but it just doesn't seem to work with the 7D. My theory on that is that perhaps the lenses I've been using are just too wide so there isn't enough of the white sun in the shot.
I'm about to start messing around in green temperate waters with the 7D so it will be interesting to see how it performs in those conditions.
Cheers, Simon
WB off the sand works best, but if you are mid water or not near sand then the palm of you hand works really well too. Just turn your palm upwards a little bit so that whatever sunlight available is hitting it and its not too dark or in shade. With a dome you'll normally have to focus before you take the shot, but it doesn't matter if the WB shot is out of focus (in fact it may help when using your palm). With most other 'video' cameras I've used WB off the sun or the surface of the water worked well, but it just doesn't seem to work with the 7D. My theory on that is that perhaps the lenses I've been using are just too wide so there isn't enough of the white sun in the shot.
I'm about to start messing around in green temperate waters with the 7D so it will be interesting to see how it performs in those conditions.
Cheers, Simon
You guys are killing me. :depressed:
Here goes. I should keep using my monster rig and not go with the DSLR because:
Here goes. I should keep using my monster rig and not go with the DSLR because:
- monster rig helps me build muscle
- monster rig impresses the girls
- monster rig helps rebuild the economy by creating more jobs for luggage handlers
- monster rig is better because it's bigger and size matters, just ask the girls
- it's the ability of the person, not the equipment that matters
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