More Magic

Given the number of emails I have got about my new filter I felt justified in putting a few more details online - even if this seems like shameless promotion! So here is the latest news on the Magic:

1) Magic Filter production is well underway. They should be on sale within 2 weeks - although circular filters (for 16mm Nikkor and 77mm front of lens filters will probably take a few weeks longer as they are harder to cut!). We are making one batch only (and while there should be enough for everyone) once this is used up we don't plan to make any more. Prices start at £19/$35 - we are not trying to make a business out of this - we are just enthusiasts trying to help out other people like us who are addicts of underwater photography! The price includes postage world wide and also a detailed instruction leaflet on how to shoot with a filter (its not the same as shooting with flash).

2) The Magic Filter is different from other underwater filters because it does not try and be the perfect optical correction for seawater. Instead it is designed to produce a colour balance that the camera's white balance can easily correct. This allows the Magic Filter to be effective over a wider depth range (0-15m, 0-50ft), making it much more versatile for real world photography. It is also designed to fit on the widest lenses, the ones most suitable for available light photography, which existing filters cannot.

3) Magic Filters are aimed at DSLR users. They won't work with slide. And we are not supplying them specifically for compact cameras at this stage (sorry about that - but we are not trying to compete with existing filters - we are just answering a need that UW photographers have). We might change our mind on doing filters for compacts...

4) When the filters are ready I will contact those of you who have already contacted me (either by email or message here on Wetpixel) - to give you first pick! Then within a few days I will put announcements in all the places you'd expect so everyone else can get the Magic too!

Finally the draft website is online - with much more information and lots of sample images from several photographers. I am having problems making the buttons line up correctly in Internet Explorer on the PC - which I can't test here. If anyone knows a solution can they let me know! It works fine in all other browsers.

Magic Filters

Alex

If you have a questions post them below!

That's great Alex!

Now that you're done with this project, is it possible to make a compensating filter for strobes to use with this filter?

Oh, for those who don't know what I am talking about - the Magic Filter is a filter that allows you to take colourful underwater images while shooting in available light (no strobes). Like the picture above!

Alex

Thanks a lot, Herb!

It is possible, but not easy as the filter is far from straight forward. I can't see myself volunteering for that - but if you were very keen I might be prepared to suggest a recipe to try!

Alex

Thats great news Alex,

I already was hoping that the filters would be ready before my upcomming trip to Bonaire. Can't wait to test it myself.

Kees

From the previous thread

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9011&hl=

The Magic Filter is designed for available light shooting only.

 

That said there may be instances when it could work with flash - but it is not ideal - and I can't think of an example where this would be more beneficial to shooting with filter and flash than shoot with either filter only or flash only.

 

Alex

If the flash has the right compensating filter, can it be used where there's a bright background with the subject in the shadow? Just like shooting above water.

We are making one batch only (and while there should be enough for everyone) once this is used up we don't plan to make any more.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Alex, once you have sold all of your stock were you planning on publishing/posting the "recipe" so that more could be made by interested partys. Provided that the filter is a hit, it would be a shame if it was impossible to get another copy or in another size in the unlikely event that a wetpixel memeber would buy a new lens....

Alex, let me know when it is available. I don't have a 10.5 yet, but will buy one soon. I am assuming the 10.5 takes the same filter size as the 16 fisheye (which I have), right?

Alex, once you have sold all of your stock were you planning on publishing/posting the "recipe" so that more could be made by interested partys.  Provided that the filter is a hit, it would be a shame if it was impossible to get another copy or in another size in the unlikely event that a wetpixel memeber would buy a new lens....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a fair suggestion William. If we sell it all and we don't make any more then I would be happy to share the recipe.

But I have noted the interest shown here and have unless I have serious underestimated the interest that exists we shouldn't run out for a quite a while. But it is very difficult to know how many DSLR shooters there are out there.

Luiz, unfortunately the 10.5mm and 16mm take different size and shaped filters.

Alex

Alexis

I think the Magic filter need a song:

Every little thing she does is magic

Everything she do just turns me on

Even though my life before was tragic

Now I know my love for her goes on

With regards to the 77mm front-of-lens version...you may want to ensure that the casing is low-profile enough that it does not cause wide angle lenses (e.g. Canon's 10-22mm) to vignette at their widest settings.

~Matt Segal

You're right Matt.

That's why our front of lens 77 filter is just a gel - so that you don't have to stack it with other filters. You can slip it behind your dioptre (or if you don't use one, behind a UV filter).

Alex

p.s. Thanks Lambis - nice suggestion. I think Sting might have something to say about it if we used that in our advertising!

Alex,

Line 14 in the source:

<td style="vertical-align: top; width: 150px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1">

Remove the 'width: 150px;' to line it up in IE.

Gr. Mike.

Just to keep you informed. The first Magic Filters should be ready in just over a week.

The sqaure filters (e.g. for Nikon 10.5 and Sigma 15mm) will be ready before circular ones because of the difficulty in cutting circles.

http://www.magic-filters.com/

Alex

Alex,

how does magic interact with strobe light?

It would be cool to shoot with strobes when deep/inside of wreck and then switch to ambient light after ascending to shallower water on the same dive.

Will that work or there will be ugly color casts when the camera is balanced for ambient with filter and it actually receives strobe light instead?

Andrzej

Hi Andrzej,

The Magic Filter is designed for available light shooting and won't work well with a strobe. It is certainly best to use the filter on dives when you knwo you can spend most of your time between 15m and the surface.

Peter Rowlands took some great images with the filter right inside the Giannis D, when we were testing it. And it worked really well. I must get them online.

The filters should be available within a week.

Best regards,

Alex

I was afraid you would say that.

The ones inside Giannis were taken without strobes?

I'd love to see them.

Andrzej

Alex

On you webpage you recomment that we must re-calibrating the WB every two metres.

I have a grey card for that. If I use a 10.5 or 16mm lens can i simple put the card on the front off the dome and recalibate?

Then, becauce I freedive, I dont have the luxus to re-calibrating very offen.

Do you think that is a good I idea to calibrate in 4 meters for shots between 3 - 6 meters and recalibrate to 8 meters for shots between 6-10 meters and so on..?

About Nikon D70, Magic filter & preset white balance. Do you think that we must

underexpose with one stop? I have found offen that if you underexpose the resultats are better.

Lambis

P.S. One of the reasons why I freedive when I take photos is that in many places in Greece and definilty around my village, it is forbidden to scuba dive because of the many archeological sites underwater.

The filters will come with detailed instructions. I think that it is very important to understand the techniques of shooting with filters to get the best results.

WB is important, but more important is using the ambient light correctly to illuminate your subject. You can always correct WB later, when you shoot RAW. But it is best to get it right at the time.

Setting WB is very easy with the D70 (and D2X, and more tricky with D100). Takes just a second. So you can easily do it a couple of times on a freedive. I don't bother with a grey card anymore and just use the subject I am shooting (as long as the scene is not entirely blue water - when I will use my hand).

But be prepared to modify my recommendations, if you want. If the pictures are looking good stick with what works for you.

Alex

bother with a grey card anymore and just use the subject I am shooting (as long as the scene is not entirely blue water - when I will use my hand).

Alex you say I can use my hand and leave the grey card home? Are the results the same?

Very offen I have a scene entirely in blue water so just put my hand in the front of the dome and do "white Balance"?

Lambis

What about if you hand have a sunburn? Just kiding