Does anyone know how (salt)waterproof / resistant the Magic Filter is that Alex Mustard designed? Is it just splash proof or will it last a whole diving trip being used in-water. (As cleaning tip the site states "Magic Filters can be cleaned with a soft cloth and even washed in water")
I explain myself: On the Magic Filter website it's described how to fit the filter for dSLR and compact cameras. Now that's all "dry" use (camera and filter are inside the housing), also meaning that during a diving you must continue shooting with that filter. As I like the idea of being able to change how I'm shooting UW (e.g. changing wet lenses underwater) I was wondering if one could use that Magic Filter in wet conditions. I've noticed that when I screw my Inon WAL onto my PT-015 a gap remains between the lens and the "port" of the housing (about 1mm), probably enough to fit that filter in a custom made holder. If the filter wouldn't be damaged by being wet, one could use it at the time you need it.
So anyone any experience of how this Magic Filter reacts to long exposure to (salt) water?
Thanks in advance,
Bartus
My understanding is that the material that Alex and Peter used was a polycarbonate base rather than a gel.
If it had been a gel then the water would do it no favours, I would suspect that the polycarbonate should be fine.
I am not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure a friend of mine was using it wet/removable on his video system. He did not seem to have any issues at all.
Sounds promising
I would personaly like to see it in a M67 format, like inon diopters, so you could attach & remove it as desired.
yes, that would be even better, and with a thread on both sides, so you could screw it in between the housing and a WAL....like an Inon UCL 165/330 close-up lens where you could remove the lens and replace it by the filter...
Sorry for the slow reply. I have been away.
While the gel material is waterproof - it is not hardwearing and would deteriorate over time if used exposed to the elements.
We would like to do solid filters in popular sizes but the production costs remain quite high, and the investment cost in the new materials always makes us hesitant. We plan to look very seriously at this early in 2007. We have the technology to do it, it is just the cost. There are not so many underwater photographers!
