GH4 Pros & Cons list before make my final choice.

 

What you're asking is called "establish shot", so you show the turtle in 3 sequences: 1.) The turtle and its surrounding, 2.) the whole turtle, 3.) the face of the turtle.

 

You don't shoot all 3 sequence in one go. First you have to take a custom white balance when you are about 3 meters away from the turtle to get the color correct (if you have wide angle lens, you could be closer to 3 meter). Set focus, then start shooting for about 30 seconds. Stop recording, swim closer like 1.5 meter, take custom white balance (or turn on light), depend on the size of the turtle, you might have to remove the wide angle lens. Set focus, then take another 30 seconds shot. Then swim closer within arm length to the face of the turtle, take white balance/turn on light, extend your arm out, set focus then shoot the face of the turtle.

 

Once you have that 3 shots, just put them together during post. The reason I shoot 30 seconds or so because the first 5 and last 5 seconds tend to be shaky since I would be pressing the record button.

 

This is how I would shoot the scene you asked because I only have point and shoot experience. Other people may have different/better way, especially those who use dSLR with lens that have limited focal length.

I think I have not expressed well.

What I meant was that I may don't choose option 1. Let's say I want it all in a single shot.

I miss my VX 2000 and Z1P. Life was simpler back then

 

 

I'm really wondering if you should just look at the modern equivalent to your HC9. i.e. A dedicated video camera from Sony or maybe a Canon equivalent. Looks at Gates housings, and don't rule out an updated Light and Motion housing.

I think it is subjective. Take for example the Sony RX100 series none of them white balance well even with a filter on however once you do have a filter and put the camera in auto white balance the colors are actually great once you adjust the auto white balance tint

Frankly a lot of the footage that I see from the GH4 has much worst colors and I know someone that has had GH4/LX100 and RX100 and actually says LX100 has the best custom white balance results.

If you want to make sure your camera does focus go for a camera with a smaller sensor than a micro four third so you have more depth of field.
I have shot plenty of videos with the RX100 and never had focus hunting, the moment I switched to a micro four third I started experiencing the problem but frankly it happens on land as well it is not an underwater issue only

For what it's worth, my old Sony Z1P HDV would white balance down to 23m (pointing it at the palm of my hand). Sometimes I would need to point it at the sun to get a fix if I was close to the depth limit. I was happier with the Z1P underwater manual white balance results than I have been so far with the GH4, but I haven't shot a lot of available-light stuff yet. It's difficult to say exactly what bothers me about the GH4 u/w white balance. The footage might just be lacking saturation, especially in the blue water. It's not that bad though.

p.s. I could manually white balance my VX2000 at 50m (in available light with a blue-water filter)!

For what it's worth, my old Sony Z1P HDV would white balance down to 23m (pointing it at the palm of my hand). Sometimes I would need to point it at the sun to get a fix if I was close to the depth limit. I was happier with the Z1P underwater manual white balance results than I have been so far with the GH4, but I haven't shot a lot of available-light stuff yet. It's difficult to say exactly what bothers me about the GH4 u/w white balance. The footage might just be lacking saturation, especially in the blue water. It's not that bad though.

 

p.s. I could manually white balance my VX2000 at 50m (in available light with a blue-water filter)!

I found all the MWB results really good.

Since it was not my camera I didn't want to mess much with image configuration and it is true that I found the image a little bit unsaturated but when I went to color grading.... great behavior!!!.. contrast, saturation with no artifacts. It is also tru that I will have to upgrade my computer because 4K really slows down the whole post-production chain!!!!!

sorry, repeted