White fins for white balance

I went to a dive show earlier in the year and spoke to the sales rep for mares and told him I wanted mares to make me a pure white fin, with no writting or black rubber, for white balancing.

His reply was that I would need an order of minimum of 1000 to make it possible. They do a run of all black fins for the naval divers every year and thats the minimum number they make in a run.

Gull produce all white fins, but they quite small and cant give me the prepulsion I need.Also they are not pure white.

So I would like to find out here who is interested in pursuing mares, to produce a pair of avanti quatros especially for videogaphers like myself who loath carrying white slates or relying sand which is rarely the correct shade of white.

I would love to hear anyones ingenious methods that has usede about solving this problem.

I currently use bathroom sealer on my old ragged quatros, but it has to be replaced every few months as it peals off.

If you want to take mares on and push them in this direction, I would appreciate hearing from you and maybe even get a run going in the future.

Thanks

J

There were a few manufacturers for white fins a while back. Apollo Biofin had one for the japanese market. There was another brand (japanese again) used by a buddy of mine and she was FAST in those things. But I equate that to her being a good swimmer than super fins.

Another method is to wear grey gloves. Been using that for years.

I have and use a pair of white fins and they work perfectly for wb. They are the Manta Fins, formerly known as the 6 gill fins. They are made right here in San Diego. I was sent a pair to review for Asian Diver Magazine. At first I thought they are toys. They felt light, had a short blade and a weird strap. Boy was I wrong. I took them to the Philippines and in a current, easily kept up with my partner who was using the Scuba Pro split fins. The strap is great, easy on and off: I don't need to play with a bunch of buckles which I have always hated. I got my wife a pair of the blue Manta fins but they also come in black and green.

In fact, a couple of weeks ago I was filming in the Socorros. We are in the panga and a gal's fin buckle broke. I had an extra strap in my bc pocket and I told her to take the whole thing off. My extra strap fit right on to the rubber holder on her Mares fin and she was good to go in less than 20 seconds. The fins are very light weight so that helps at the airport as well. I know the guy who makes them and I am sorry if this seems like an advertisement for them.

There is poor distribution of these fins however, they are hard to find. I think you can see them at the Deep Outdoors website and he might have a website of his own as well. If you should want a pair let me know and I will have him contact you.

Back to the white fins.....the white dirties up pretty quick so they no longer look new after a few dives. However, they still seem to work wonderfully for white balancing and I intend to keep using them.

STeve

Apollo makes them: http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?...iteAplloBioFins

Have you tried grey fins ?

I actually have grey Mares Quattro fins and they work well to my amateur eyes.

Yeah, I know grey is not white, but it seems to work. I recall reading an article where they explain how/why a grey card works for MWB.

I use sand, my fins and the sun to set MWB depending on the conditions. I can usually get a satisfactory MWB with one of them.

As Drew mentioned, just find someone who can get fins for you from the Japanese market...

They even make a white scuapro jetfin called the Beluga...

In addition to Apollo, Gull makes a lot of white fins in the Japanese and Asian markets...

Also some white freediver style fins with some grey mantas on the bottom ...

http://www.d-aquos.com/c_diving/fin.html

But why stop there, might as well get a white wetsuit while your at it...

Are we back on this again? White balance isn't balancing on WHITE...because every color overexposed will look white to the camera.

Grey is a neutral color that will allow MWB to find the balance.

Or you can be like me and use no white slate nor URPRO filter and get wonderful colorful results for your average tropical diving

Post a clip soon.

Never to be accused of exaggerated modesty eh Wags?

;-) Steve B)

Personally I do not use a white slate anymore. HDV cams tend to overblow the reds when I use a white slate. I use a "pink" slate (white slate marked red), the surface or my hand. Just another perspective to consider.

shawn

Drew, that's why I posted that "grey" wetsuit as well...

Sean, good point. I have found my white slate pretty useless (at least with the HC-7).

Have you tried white balancing with the white slate through the UR filter. Had some good luck with that method on my Socorros trip a couple of weeks ago. That said, I wish I were using a Panasonic 200 or the new Sony..I wonder if folk have problems white balancing them as well.

Steve B)

Drew, that's why I posted that "grey" wetsuit as well... tongue.gif

I just thought you were posting a couple pic of you and your gf in your normal divesuit.

Instead of stressing over white balance uw, use auto and fix it in post. FCP three way color correction filter works wonders.

I finally found some flexible paint that looks like it should stay stuck on my polypropylene Mares fins, but I haven't dived it yet. It's called Shell Flintkote. I think it's made for roofs.

I white balance on the palm of my hand usually these days but I still use my fins now and again, and every time on night dives if I can be bothered not using AWB.

Have you tried white balancing with the white slate through the UR filter. Had some good luck with that method on my Socorros trip a couple of weeks ago. That said, I wish I were using a Panasonic 200 or the new Sony..I wonder if folk have problems white balancing them as well.

Steve B)

That is what I do. I have my slate mounted on Loc-Line. I swing the slate up, zoom in and WB thru the UR filter. I then swing the slate under the housing out of the way.

Here are the websites for the Manta Fins

www.apsmantaray.com but can be purchased at a lower cost at www.unrealfind.com, www.leisurepro.com, and www.scuba.com

By the way, the white fins -- no matter how dirty they get, clean up right away with liquid laundry detergent and a clean cloth. It took about 5 minutes to clean a pair of "filthy" fins which we asked someone to get as dirty as they could for the "clean up test".

Steve B)

Thanks everyone for your comments.

The Scubapro Belugas seem to be ideal. Only prob, is I cant read Japanese websites and will have to ask a Japanese friend to help me out.

Though I am rather attached to my quatros, no matter how haggered they look (even worse with the bathroom sealer on them). And would like to keep on diving with quatros. If I have no success, I may go with the Belugas. Though still keen to hear if anyone wants to get mares to produce white quatros

Thanks again

J

Duct tape! It comes in white, doesn't scratch off as easily as paint, is cheaper than a new pair of fins and shipping from Japan, cleans and is replaced easily and is useful to have in your kit anyway. Cover your fins in the stuff and spend your money on something more useful, like a weekend dive trip and you get to keep your beloved quatros.

Duct tape! It comes in white, doesn't scratch off as easily as paint, is cheaper than a new pair of fins and shipping from Japan, cleans and is replaced easily and is useful to have in your kit anyway. Cover your fins in the stuff and spend your money on something more useful, like a weekend dive trip and you get to keep your beloved quatros.

I've used duct tape, but the usual grey - and it's balanced perfectly for me.

R