Red Filters

I am looking to add a red filter to my Fuji F100 and Panasonic TZ10, both with screw thread adapters, but wondered if anyone had any experience with the different filters available. Disregarding the difference in mounting and removal which the URPRO etc will allow over the Magic Filter, which of the filters gives the best results in the final picture. Both cameras have manual white balance

I have the option of

Magic Filter ~£25

Auto Magic Filter ~£20

URPRO CY Filter (M67) ~£80

URPRO SWCY Filter (M67) ~£20

Fantasea Redeye filter (M67) ~£60

Kood Blue Water filter (M67) ~£30

any ive missed?

Anyone got experience of these filters. We are going to be diving in Bali in 2 months then Egypt early in the New Year so bright clear water.

Thanks

Mooseman1007

Magic Filters have worked very well for me.

Original (Olympus SP-310, RAW, Sea & Sea WAL)

Auto magic (Fuji F31fd, JPG, no wide angle lens)

URPRO

very good

DesertEagle... did you find much of a difference between the Auto filter and the normal one?

Hi Mooseman, the Auto filter is designed for point 'n shoot cameras. Most of those users would probably be shooting auto white balance. The effects are a little stronger. It probably takes an additional half stop of light from the pictures. I cut of a small piece of the filter and taped it over the camera's lens.

FYI the photos are taken in different areas. The top is in Fiji. I took the bottom one in the Red Sea.

I haven't tried the UR Pro, but I expect that it works similarly to the Magic Filters.

Thanks DesertEagle, im thinking that since the cameras are "advanced" point and shoots with manual white balance then the normal magic filter may be the way to go, especially if the auto filter takes more light out of the image. I do like the idea of being able to remove the filter for macro but the URPro's are prohibitively expensive, hell if it means doing 2 dives to cover all the shots instead of one.....well I cant complain too much :-)

Was hoping someone had tried all the usual suspects of filters to see which gives the best image, but it seems noone has anything bad to say on any of the filters, once you choose one you stick with it i suppose

Something I didnt think about.....when using the filters is it best to shoot with Auto white balance, the "underwater" mode, or manual white balance using a white or grey card ? I ended up getting a couple of KOOD filters which were the same price as the Magic Filters, but were screw thread so I can take them off during a dive if necessary

My wife used a prototype "external Magic Filter," last month on the Wetpixel JASA trip with a Canon S90. I was quite impressed with the filter. I'm anxious to purchase one of these if and when they become available...

If you can shoot in raw, then I recommend that you do so. Then you can white balance later in Lightroom.

Here is forbidden knowledge. You can shoot using a strobe and a filter. (I wouldn't do this for macro, but I would for close focus-wide angle shots) Just desaturate orange in Lightroom. Remember, I didn't tell you this

Meister..... sounds like a little too late for me, as we are off in a month, let hope the Kood filters do the trick

Don..... Unfortunately no raw on the cameras, but you never mentioned anything ...Wink Wink !!!

Still not sure if white balancing with the filter is best, or whether to use auto/underwater mode

Meister..... sounds like a little too late for me, as we are off in a month, let hope the Kood filters do the trick

Don..... Unfortunately no raw on the cameras, but you never mentioned anything ...Wink Wink !!!

Still not sure if white balancing with the filter is best, or whether to use auto/underwater mode

If you don't have red filter or magic filter and no RAW - just use manual white balance.

The following pictures were taken at 5 - 15 m depth, Oly SP-350 with USD 20 wide angle lens, manual WB only, in JPEG, no filter at all; post processing by autolevel only - in my opinion not too bad.

Cheers

Some cracking pictures there, what did you white balance against? Dive slate/White Card/Grey card or your hand?

Some cracking pictures there, what did you white balance against? Dive slate/White Card/Grey card or your hand?

I like to use gray coral/sand/rubble if available - if not, just use my palm.

It does seem that grey is better than white when "WHITE" balancing

Will give it a go either way, though the initial question still stands, since I have the filters....to WB with them on or to leave the camera in auto?

It does seem that grey is better than white when "WHITE" balancing

Will give it a go either way, though the initial question still stands, since I have the filters....to WB with them on or to leave the camera in auto?

my experience with original magic filter, we have to manual WB every 2 meters change of depth.

even with the auto MF, the result with manual WB is better than auto.