Red Filter

[chugmeister]

I just got an Ikelite housing for my sony F828. It came with a red filter. Is there a rule of thumb when to use it? At what depths etc?

Thanks for any help.
Cheers.

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

If you are using lighting, don't use the filter. If you are not using light, other than with strong sunlight in very shallow water, use the filter.

 

[herman]

It's only useful if you don't use any form of flash or strobe. In very clear water at about 15 feet is where it becomes useful. Your best option is to get a good strobe. I don't have any experience with the Sony but I did manage to get some fairly good shots with my Oly 5050 before I got my strobe with the internal flash, you just have to keep the distance to your subject down to a couple of feet to less.

 

[chugmeister]

THanks for the info. I've got two ikelite strobes so should be good to go. Got some practice in a friends pool last night and can't wait for Coz in Aug. Hopefully will get a lake dive in between now and then.

Cheers

 

[Gilligan]

For what it is worth to you I did a comparison between using a filter and not using one. The results are here. I took both photos using Manual White Balance.
Whether you decide on using the filter or not, using Manual White Balance is a must when taking underwater photos without a strobe as I have shown here. No filter was used on any of those photos.
Keep in mind that post-processing of your photos is a must in Photoshop or similar program. I am also a strong advocate of using manual settings for F stops and Shutter Speeds, not the "Auto" setting. The use of the filter will darken the photos so you must compensate for that.

 

[MN Lakeman]

For what it is worth to you I did a comparison between using a filter and not using one. The results are here. I took both photos using Manual White Balance.
Whether you decide on using the filter or not, using Manual White Balance is a must when taking underwater photos without a strobe as I have shown here. No filter was used on any of those photos.
Keep in mind that post-processing of your photos is a must in Photoshop or similar program. I am also a strong advocate of using manual settings for F stops and Shutter Speeds, not the "Auto" setting. The use of the filter will darken the photos so you must compensate for that.

Your response got me thinkin' about a problem I've had with the mpeg movies I shoot w/ my sony DSC-P150. I've been very successful correcting the the underwater still shot pic's w/ & w/o the use of the built in strobe, & so I have not tried adjusting white balance in manual mode - but my photolab won't work on mpegs. This camera is a bit limited in its white balance adjustment compared to yours - I have the choice of "sunny" (the manual suggests this for twilight or dawn, or cloudy days, etc) flourescent lit, & incandescent lit. I just checked my camera's settings capabilities in the movie/mpeg mode, & sure enough it has these same options. I have been very pleased with the near DV quality of the "movies" this little camera takes in the 640 fine mode, but color drops quite a bit - so which of these white balance selections would you think might apply?

 

[Gilligan]

Your response got me thinkin' about a problem I've had with the mpeg movies I shoot w/ my sony DSC-P150. I've been very successful correcting the the underwater still shot pic's w/ & w/o the use of the built in strobe, & so I have not tried adjusting white balance in manual mode - but my photolab won't work on mpegs. This camera is a bit limited in its white balance adjustment compared to yours - I have the choice of "sunny" (the manual suggests this for twilight or dawn, or cloudy days, etc) flourescent lit, & incandescent lit. I just checked my camera's settings capabilities in the movie/mpeg mode, & sure enough it has these same options. I have been very pleased with the near DV quality of the "movies" this little camera takes in the 640 fine mode, but color drops quite a bit - so which of these white balance selections would you think might apply?

I am no expert on the subject but I don't think any of the pre-set White Balance settings will work for underwater. Calibrating the White Balance off a white section of plastic or dive slate at depth is calibrating the cameras colors to those conditions.
I carry a piece of white plastic in my land camera bag and often calibrate my White Balance for land shots. I noticed the pics are better.