Gel Filters

I have been following the filter debate for a while and have been colecting filters for a couple of months now... I have a d70 in an ike housing with a 10.5 and a 12-24 lenses. I finally aquired 2 cc30g resin filters for my 2 ds 125s. it took almost three months to get them!..I also have cc15m, 30m and 50m gel filters plus a few others..I got a cc30m filter for the 12-24 as well. My question is this...at depths greater than 10 feet am I wasting my time with the cc30 filters or am I going to get some benifit from them. Given the long lead times and expense of the green resin filters it dosent seem practical to carry a stack of these things around in different strengths. The filter for the 12-24 was around 90 dollars...I hate to think I need a mountain of these things either...it seems that it s gonna cost about 200 bucks for each depth I plan to shoot...Also can you benifit from mismatched filters strengths? ie cc30g with cc50m? do they have to balnce each other out? sorry if this is obvious to you, I'm still trying to get a handle on this filter thing...

Red, I'd like to know the answer to your question from someone who's shot with these filters (the cc30's), as that's what I'm on the cusp on buying. It would seem logical to me that you'd see an improvement in terms of less green at any depth - I'm only trying to get the colors closer, they don't have to be perfect straight out of the raw file.

Viz, can you use filter gel on the strobes? I'd figured on buying resin filkters and using a cokin holder - what would salt water do to exposed gel filters?

Any further thoughts on colors and strength would be appreciated. I do most of my diving in 30 feet or less of water, and plan to do a significant amount of U/W photography in the 10 feet or less range - mainly with strobe but also some available light photography (eg whale sharks).

Viz, can you use filter gel on the strobes?  I'd figured on buying resin filkters and using a cokin holder - what would salt water do to exposed gel filters?

I have never actually tried it - but I am pretty sure that Gel filters do not like salt water.

Alex

This has been a great thread popping open a few more doors in my brain; so for the avoidance of doubt could someone summarise the recommendations for filters in green water for a) in front of the lens and B) in front of the flash (or flashes with different colour temps).

Thanks,

Jim A

The purpose of the complementary green/magenta filters is to remove green from the background. It's the strength of the effect you want that matters, not really the depth.

Salt water definitely dissolves gels!

Sure, but the optimum strength of filter changes with depth doesn't it due to the different color and intensity of ambient light?

The Gels I refer to are for theater and movie set, I got some and dunk it in hot water for an half hour, and it was still OK, have not tried salt water yet, but i am confident, theses Rosco gel are more plastic than gel and are made quite resistant, they are awfull as far as optical goes, but has I say, they should go on the flash not the lens.

Anybody with few bucks & unfrozen salt water nearby around ?, we need a test. if not, i'm doing Bermuda in february and a definite answer will follow that trip.

Regards

I'm new to the Digital thing. Just got my Canon 5D housed and was wondering about strobes and diffusers. When I searched the forums viola this interesting thread showed up. My question is more simple that what is discussed here but I figured rather than start a new topic I'd add my query here...

I've got 2 SS200's and am shooting a Canon 14mm WA in a UK-Germany housing. Previously I'd shot a Nikonos w/ 15mm.

I'm wondering if I should simply mount my flash diffusers permanently?

Seems that dual 200's throw plenaty of light and most of my Nknons shots never used full power anyway... Any thoughts on the wisdom (or foolishness) of this scheme?

Also, is there any value is using a cyan filter on the flashes full-time?

The Gels I refer to are for theater and movie set, I got some and dunk it in hot water for an half hour, and it was still OK, have not tried salt water yet, but i am confident, theses Rosco gel are more plastic than gel and are made quite resistant, they are awfull as far as optical goes, but has I say, they should go on the flash not the lens.

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Since these are just going in front of the flash, how about using a laminator to make them waterproof? I once wanted to take a joke photo of my wife reading a magazine to pass time on her safety stop. The first attempt was a soggy mess, so the next time we just laminated the front page and it worked just fine.