Description
SeaFrogs Red Filter
The SeaFrogs Red Filter measured 67mm in diameter. It is an essential item to add on when you dive down deeper. We will explain further below on when to use the appropriate filter colour.
Why Use a Red Filter for Underwater Photography?
1. Compensates for Color Loss:
When you dive or swim underwater, natural sunlight starts to get absorbed by the water as you go deeper. The first colours to fade are the warm colours—reds, oranges, and yellows—while cool colours like blues and greens penetrate deeper. This results in underwater photos that often look too blue or green, with little to no red tones.
A red filter helps bring back the lost warm colours by absorbing the excess blue and green light, effectively boosting reds and oranges. This compensates for the natural colour loss at depth and provides more natural-looking photos.
2. Restores Natural Colour:
By adding a red filter to your lens, you’re able to restore the warmth and vibrancy of colours that are naturally present but become muted due to the absorption of light underwater. This is especially useful in shallow to mid-depth waters, where the light loss is not too extreme but still affects the overall colour balance.
3. Improves Contrast:
The red filter can also help improve contrast, especially in murky or turbid waters. It can separate different elements in the scene, making them appear sharper and clearer by enhancing the colour depth and providing more contrast between objects.
4. Mimics Natural Light:
Red filters simulate the effect of natural light in shallow waters, which typically has more red and warm hues. This helps create more natural-looking images without the overwhelming blue or green tint that is common with underwater shots.
5. Better for Wide-Angle Shots:
In wide-angle shots where the subject is farther away from the camera, a red filter helps bring in more accurate colours from the scene and improves the visual appeal of distant objects. Without the red filter, these shots would appear overly blue or green.
When to Use a Red Filter:
- Shallow Water: At depths of around 10-20 feet (3-6 meters), light loss is moderate, and a red filter can help bring back the colour balance.
- Clear Water: In clearer waters where the natural sunlight penetration is better, a red filter is more effective in compensating for colour loss.
- Daytime and Bright Conditions: When the sun is high and strong, a red filter works well to correct the colour shift caused by light absorption in the water.
When Not to Use a Red Filter:
- Deep Water: At greater depths (around 30 feet/10 meters or more), the water absorbs too much red light for a red filter to be effective. In such conditions, using a magenta or blue filter may work better, or you may need to rely on artificial lighting (like a strobe or flashlight) to restore true colour.
- Murky Water: If the water is murky or has poor visibility, a red filter may not be as effective, as particles in the water scatter light in ways that the filter can’t compensate for.
Conclusion:
A red filter for underwater photography helps restore the natural warm tones (reds, oranges, and yellows) that are lost as light is absorbed by the water. It enhances the vibrancy and realism of your photos, especially in shallow, clear waters, making it an essential tool for many underwater photographers to capture better colour balance and contrast.
