Glass filter equivalent to original Magic filter

Hello All,

I am using a Canon G-10 with a Canon WP-DC28 housing. I use the camera while freediving primarily at the California Northern Channel Islands. My normal subjects are pelagic fish (White Sea Bass and Yellowtail). The water clarity ranges between a green 3-4 meters to blue10-20 meters. Depth range will be around 3-10 meters. I would like to use a filter to enhance the colors. My main concern about using the original Magic filter is installing the small Magic filter to the lens by tape every time I place the camera in the housing.

My question: Does anyone know what glass screw on filter that has approximately the same filtering properties of the original Magic filter?

Thank you in advance for your replies.

DB

My main concern about using the original Magic filter is installing the small Magic filter to the lens by tape every time I place the camera in the housing.

I would worry about that ... It is extremely easy to do. I taped and un-taped the same little piece of Magic Filter to my G9 many, many times. When it gets a little smudgy, I just washed it in mild soap and water.

My question: Does anyone know what glass screw on filter that has approximately the same filtering properties of the original Magic filter?

These guys make them: http://www.urprofilters.com/

how about a clear glass filter, relatively cheap, and permanently fix a magic filter to it and just unscrew it when you want it off !

Hello All,

 

I am using a Canon G-10 with a Canon WP-DC28 housing. I use the camera while freediving primarily at the California Northern Channel Islands. My normal subjects are pelagic fish (White Sea Bass and Yellowtail). The water clarity ranges between a green 3-4 meters to blue10-20 meters. Depth range will be around 3-10 meters. I would like to use a filter to enhance the colors. My main concern about using the original Magic filter is installing the small Magic filter to the lens by tape every time I place the camera in the housing.

My question: Does anyone know what glass screw on filter that has approximately the same filtering properties of the original Magic filter?

 

Thank you in advance for your replies.

 

DB

DB,

I think the G10 uses a 58mm filter. How about afixing the filter to a clear or UV filter, then you could screw it on or off. In the DVD, The Doctor recommends using a slightly stronger filter for the non SLR cameras. As seen on the disk, installing the filter directly to the camera lens seems very easy, just as Jermey said.

Regards,

Bob

The 58mm filters only fit onto the G10/G9 with the lens adapter mount attached, and then it would not fit inside the housing ... so ... in order to fit a screw-filter onto the OEM housing you will need some kind of adapter for the housing.

I really think the easiest thing to do is just put the magic filter on and off the camera with scotch tape.

when i used it like that with my Olympus I ended up finding that first aid tape was best for stickyness, but it is often white

when i used it like that with my Olympus I ended up finding that first aid tape was best for stickyness, but it is often white

Interesting ... That shouldn't be an issue with the G9/10 as the place where the tape needs to go is some distance from the actual lens. I used a small square piece and the circular lens would be behind the center of the square. A little white tape on the edge would not have been in frame ... even the clear tape would "ruin" the image if in frame I would think.

I didn't say it was in the frame. Depending on the port though it would reflect back off the port when light hit it wrong .. which didn't happen often due to the dynamics of shooting with a filter, the sun is mostly always behind you.

Hello All,

Thank you for all of the responses. My concern about using the Magic filter was having to constantly re-tape it onto the front of the camera lens each time I put the camera into the u/w housing but it seems the consensus is “not too much of a big deal”. I will get an original Magic filter and try it out. If I like using filters I will probably go to a glass UR-PRO filter. I would attach it by the modifications that Brian M posted on 7-11-08 in “DIY projects forum”. Excellent-simple. Thank you for posting it!! I have written to UR-PRO filters asking what they recommend for the water conditions that I shoot in and what filter of theirs that may equate to an original Magic filter but as of this post no answer yet. I will let you guys know what they say.

Thanks again

DB

Ur-Pro has a history of not answering emails, to customers or distributors. I tried many times, as did Backscatter on my behalf. BUT, if you just order a filter from Backscatter (or their competition most likely), eventually it arrives....but URPRO never did answer an email to either of us.

As I posted almost a year ago, the Magic Filter is almost identical to a Kodak Wratten 85 filter, and perhaps is nothing more than a repackaged Kodak 85 gelatin. At least the magic filter I tested was.

I determined this by reading a light source with a Gossen Colormeter Pro 3F, and then reading the same light source with the magic filter between the light receptor and the light source.

If you prefer to use the decamired system, the Magic filter read +115 mireds (warm) plus +5cc Magenta. The Kodak Wratten 85 mired equivalent is +112. The Kodak 85B, the next stronger warming filter has a mired equivalent of +131. And the 85C, the nearest weaker warming filter is +81 mireds. So you can see that the Magic Filter and the Kodak 85 are very close.

The +5cc magenta I feel can in practice be disregarded as most color temperature meters have that much "error" built into their manufacturing tolerances. A 5cc filter value is also the smallest "denomination" made in any color and is so pale that it appears almost clear.

A high quallty glass filter made by someone like tiffen or schneider would last much longer than a gelatin filter, which also is more likely to "fade" with time. And in a threaded mounting ring, would be held in precise alignment to the lens. Which a taped gel filter is not.

Fred

Hello Fred,

Thank you very much for the information about the different filters. This was exactly what I was hoping for when I initiated this post. I would very much like to use a glass screw on filter instead of "tape on". In my situation a screw on filter solution is much more desirable. I will research out your information

Thank you again.

DB

As I posted almost a year ago, the Magic Filter is almost identical to a Kodak Wratten 85 filter, and perhaps is nothing more than a repackaged Kodak 85 gelatin. At least the magic filter I tested was.

 

I determined this by reading a light source with a Gossen Colormeter Pro 3F, and then reading the same light source with the magic filter between the light receptor and the light source.

Won't this depend in part on the spectrum of your light source? If it does not include wavelengths where the Kodak 85 and the Magic differ, then you won't detect the difference!

I understand that there is a little bit of tweaking in the colour of the Magic filter, but that it is exactly that tweaking that makes it better than a standard filter, or, for that matter, a URPro with a stills camera: ie that "almost" identical isn't good enough, that slight difference is the magic!

Tim