Magic FAQ
Why do I need a Magic Filter?
In our opinion every underwater DSLR photographer should have the Magic. Simply the Magic works, it is cheap and will take up next to no space or weight in your kit bag. Filters free us from the hassles of strobes and save us from pushing them around underwater but most important filters allow us to add colour to the monochrome blue ocean in a completely new way. It is another technique to have ready should you need it.
I have a Nikon or Canon SLR kit lens. Can I use the filter?
Yes! Many of you will have got these lenses with your DSLR and will want to put them to use underwater. Both the Canon 17-85mm and Nikon 18-70mm will work well with the filter. However neither are really excellent quality lenses for UW photography and therefore we do not supply 67mm diameter filters pre cut to fit these lenses. Your will need to buy a M77 for these lenses. And then either mount it in a 77mm filter holder (that we can suppy) and fit it to your lens with a step-up filter ring. Alternative you can easily cut the M77 down to 67mm and mount it on your lens behind a UV filter. You can download a stencil to help, here.
Why is the Auto-Magic cheaper than the original Magic for compacts?
A 50x50mm sheet of original Magic costs £25, while a 50x50mm sheet of Auto-Magic costs £19. Both filters cost the same to manufacture, but we are able to offer the Auto-Magic at a reduced price because we supply it in one size fits all. The original Magic is available in 6 sizes. We could have made both filters £25, but chose to discount the Auto-Magic to encourage more people to try this filter.
How much light loss is there with your filters?
In white light the original Magic losses just over a stop, the Auto-Magic about 1.5 stops and the Greenwater Magic about a stop.
Have you considered making screw on filters for compacts?
Yes, but only for the Auto-Magic. What this space!
Can I use a Magic Filter with slide film?
No! The Magic Filter is designed to work with the adjustable white balance of a Digital SLR and will not produce pleasing results on slide film. The Auto-Magic Filter would probably work better on slide film, and particularly on print film.
Does the Magic work in Green Water?
The original Magic Filter is designed for photography in brightly lit, tropical blue water. It also works well in clear blue temperate and polar waters and also in clear fresh water. We have now designed a specific Greenwater Magic filter for use in green temperate waters. This filter will be released in November 2006.
How often should I white balance (WB)?
With the Auto-Magic filter there is no need to change the WB and you can leave it on AUTO. For the Greenwater Magic and the original Magic we recommend re-calibrating your camera's WB when you change depth by more than two metres. Once you have made a couple of dives with the Magic Filter you will find it takes you just a couple of seconds to calibrate the WB. And you may start doing it for every shot. It is more crucial to recalibrate the WB at shallow depths than when you are deeper because the rate of change of the light spectrum is faster in the shallows. More.
Can I use AUTO WB?
The Auto-Magic is designed for Auto-WB, so yes! With the original Magic, the answer is no, not really. You definitely want to set the WB manually. The camera's electronics aren't programmed for UW shooting - so it is best to take control and set them yourself.
How much post processing do you do to your images?
Very little, if you white balance on the subject then your images will come out of the camera looking like the ones you see on this website. Of course you can post process images if you want. This image below is one of Peter's that he turned into a black and white (although he left the yellow in):
How can I fit a Magic Filter on the front of a DSLR lens?
For lenses that do not accept rear mounted filters we can supply magic filters as a 77mm disc that can be placed in front of the lens behind a dioptre or UV filter. If the front element of your lens is significantly domed we recommend that you buy a spare filter ring and mount the Magic in that. See our fitting filters page for more details.
How can I fit a Magic Filter to a compact?
For compacts we supply our filter as a one size fits all 50x50mm sheet. You must cut this filter so it fits your camera. Depending on your camera you may be abel to get up to 4 filters out of this sheet. See our fitting filters page for more detailed instructions.
I have tried the Magic Filter and my shots don't look like yours?
Don't give up yet. The biggest mistake most people make on their first dives with filters is not to shoot with the light. If you shoot across or against the light your subject will not be illuminated - and the colours will become muted. Underwater photographers get very used to having light from their strobes pointing in which ever direction their camera is. Learn to watch and use the ambient light underwater and your filter shots will improve dramatically. There is more info on shooting with the Magic Filter here.
How do you get such great blues?
Well the right diving conditions help, certainly. But the most important factor when shooting with a filter is to use a slightly downward camera angle. This ensures that the background illumination has a much longer light path than the foreground and is much cooler in hue and gives you a great blue. Magic Filters attenuate blue wavelengths more than warmer colours so they also help to darken blues.
What shutter speeds are best for filters?
It depends on the subject matter. Non moving subjects like wrecks you should use something above 1/30th or 1/60th if there is surge. For moving subjects use a faster shutter speed of 1/125th or higher. When I shoot flash I often hand hold exposures as slow a 1/10th underwater. This is not possible with filters where there is no strobe to freeze the action. Shutter priority auto is a good shooting mode for filter photography.
Can I use flash with the Magic Filter?
The Magic Filter is designed for available light photography and if you use flash the colour balance of your images will be incorrect. Theoretically it is possible to filter strobe light so that it is matched to the ambient light and therefore be able to use strobe, but we really do not recommend this approach. The main advantage of filters is to be free of the limitations of underwater strobes. Click here for more.
What depth range do you recommend for shooting the Magic?
This depends on the filter:
Original Magic: 0-15m officially, (although we have produced many nice images down to 18-20m).
Auto-Magic: 3-10/12m depending on your camera, when on Auto-WB. (you can extend this to 18m by setting the WB manually).
Greenwater Magic: 5-25m, this filter has the deepest working depth of our filters.
Can I use the Magic Filters with Video?
The Magic Filter works well with video cameras and several videographers use the Magic Filter very successfully. That said we do not currently make filters specifically for video cameras, as there are plenty of good video filters already available.
[Auto-Magic
filter] [original Magic
filter]
[Greenwater Magic filter] [Online Store]Why do I need a Magic Filter?
In our opinion every underwater DSLR photographer should have the Magic. Simply the Magic works, it is cheap and will take up next to no space or weight in your kit bag. Filters free us from the hassles of strobes and save us from pushing them around underwater but most important filters allow us to add colour to the monochrome blue ocean in a completely new way. It is another technique to have ready should you need it.
I have a Nikon or Canon SLR kit lens. Can I use the filter?
Yes! Many of you will have got these lenses with your DSLR and will want to put them to use underwater. Both the Canon 17-85mm and Nikon 18-70mm will work well with the filter. However neither are really excellent quality lenses for UW photography and therefore we do not supply 67mm diameter filters pre cut to fit these lenses. Your will need to buy a M77 for these lenses. And then either mount it in a 77mm filter holder (that we can suppy) and fit it to your lens with a step-up filter ring. Alternative you can easily cut the M77 down to 67mm and mount it on your lens behind a UV filter. You can download a stencil to help, here.
Why is the Auto-Magic cheaper than the original Magic for compacts?
A 50x50mm sheet of original Magic costs £25, while a 50x50mm sheet of Auto-Magic costs £19. Both filters cost the same to manufacture, but we are able to offer the Auto-Magic at a reduced price because we supply it in one size fits all. The original Magic is available in 6 sizes. We could have made both filters £25, but chose to discount the Auto-Magic to encourage more people to try this filter.
How much light loss is there with your filters?
In white light the original Magic losses just over a stop, the Auto-Magic about 1.5 stops and the Greenwater Magic about a stop.
Have you considered making screw on filters for compacts?
Yes, but only for the Auto-Magic. What this space!
Can I use a Magic Filter with slide film?
No! The Magic Filter is designed to work with the adjustable white balance of a Digital SLR and will not produce pleasing results on slide film. The Auto-Magic Filter would probably work better on slide film, and particularly on print film.
Does the Magic work in Green Water?
The original Magic Filter is designed for photography in brightly lit, tropical blue water. It also works well in clear blue temperate and polar waters and also in clear fresh water. We have now designed a specific Greenwater Magic filter for use in green temperate waters. This filter will be released in November 2006.
How often should I white balance (WB)?
With the Auto-Magic filter there is no need to change the WB and you can leave it on AUTO. For the Greenwater Magic and the original Magic we recommend re-calibrating your camera's WB when you change depth by more than two metres. Once you have made a couple of dives with the Magic Filter you will find it takes you just a couple of seconds to calibrate the WB. And you may start doing it for every shot. It is more crucial to recalibrate the WB at shallow depths than when you are deeper because the rate of change of the light spectrum is faster in the shallows. More.
Can I use AUTO WB?
The Auto-Magic is designed for Auto-WB, so yes! With the original Magic, the answer is no, not really. You definitely want to set the WB manually. The camera's electronics aren't programmed for UW shooting - so it is best to take control and set them yourself.
How much post processing do you do to your images?
Very little, if you white balance on the subject then your images will come out of the camera looking like the ones you see on this website. Of course you can post process images if you want. This image below is one of Peter's that he turned into a black and white (although he left the yellow in):
How can I fit a Magic Filter on the front of a DSLR lens?
For lenses that do not accept rear mounted filters we can supply magic filters as a 77mm disc that can be placed in front of the lens behind a dioptre or UV filter. If the front element of your lens is significantly domed we recommend that you buy a spare filter ring and mount the Magic in that. See our fitting filters page for more details.
How can I fit a Magic Filter to a compact?
For compacts we supply our filter as a one size fits all 50x50mm sheet. You must cut this filter so it fits your camera. Depending on your camera you may be abel to get up to 4 filters out of this sheet. See our fitting filters page for more detailed instructions.
I have tried the Magic Filter and my shots don't look like yours?
Don't give up yet. The biggest mistake most people make on their first dives with filters is not to shoot with the light. If you shoot across or against the light your subject will not be illuminated - and the colours will become muted. Underwater photographers get very used to having light from their strobes pointing in which ever direction their camera is. Learn to watch and use the ambient light underwater and your filter shots will improve dramatically. There is more info on shooting with the Magic Filter here.
How do you get such great blues?
Well the right diving conditions help, certainly. But the most important factor when shooting with a filter is to use a slightly downward camera angle. This ensures that the background illumination has a much longer light path than the foreground and is much cooler in hue and gives you a great blue. Magic Filters attenuate blue wavelengths more than warmer colours so they also help to darken blues.
What shutter speeds are best for filters?
It depends on the subject matter. Non moving subjects like wrecks you should use something above 1/30th or 1/60th if there is surge. For moving subjects use a faster shutter speed of 1/125th or higher. When I shoot flash I often hand hold exposures as slow a 1/10th underwater. This is not possible with filters where there is no strobe to freeze the action. Shutter priority auto is a good shooting mode for filter photography.
Can I use flash with the Magic Filter?
The Magic Filter is designed for available light photography and if you use flash the colour balance of your images will be incorrect. Theoretically it is possible to filter strobe light so that it is matched to the ambient light and therefore be able to use strobe, but we really do not recommend this approach. The main advantage of filters is to be free of the limitations of underwater strobes. Click here for more.
What depth range do you recommend for shooting the Magic?
This depends on the filter:
Original Magic: 0-15m officially, (although we have produced many nice images down to 18-20m).
Auto-Magic: 3-10/12m depending on your camera, when on Auto-WB. (you can extend this to 18m by setting the WB manually).
Greenwater Magic: 5-25m, this filter has the deepest working depth of our filters.
Can I use the Magic Filters with Video?
The Magic Filter works well with video cameras and several videographers use the Magic Filter very successfully. That said we do not currently make filters specifically for video cameras, as there are plenty of good video filters already available.