Homemade External Magic Filter

Below see how I made an external magic filter for my underwater camera housing. Why do this? If you have seen my earlier page about using an Auto Magic Filter to get better colors in underwater pictures, then you may recall I had one problem with it. Often in very shallow waters, when fish or coral were very close, the pictures would be tinted very red.

The magic filter comes as a thin piece of film that can't get wet, and is designed to be used inside the camera housing (vs. an outside one you could remove underwater).

So I decided the solution was to make it so I could take the magic filter on and off, so that in the shallows I would not have the red problem. And to do that I placed the magic filter film between two pieces of filter glass and sealed it all up.

While taking pictures in the water this worked great. But since then I have learned more about setting a manual white balance, and I once again I have started putting the filter inside the housing (read more about setting white balance here).

Should You Do This?
If you don't want to change your white balance setting (or can't) and want to use an auto magic filter, and you are pretty handy with tools, then this may work for you. It is not the easiest task to get right, and you will also be shooting through two more layers of glass, which will reduce photo quality a bit. Also keep in mind that there are some red filters already available that may be a quicker and easier solution (although probably not as good at rendering color underwater). See the Fantasea RedEye Filters and the Ur Pro Filters.

Want To See How I Did It?
Here is what you do. Basically I bought two cheap clear filters and a spacer ring - all 39mm. I took them apart, cut the magic filter to fit, and put it all back together with a piece of glass on each side of the magic filter (it can't get wet). And I carefully siliconed the edges. Sounds easy, but it was pretty difficult not to get the silicone on everything.

Here is a step by step:

1. Measure the front diameter of your camera housing
2. Is it smaller than 2"x2"? Auto-Magic filters come in square 2"x2" sheets
3. Decide on what size filter you are going to use (I used a 39mm)
4. Order two cheap UV or better yet clear filters and the same sized spacing ring (more about this below)
5. Unscrew the retaining ring on both of the filters
6. Remove the glass from one of the filters
7. Cut your magic filter to the same diameter as the glass filter (be very careful not to scratch it)
8. Carefully clean the glass of the filters
9. Put one piece of glass back into the filter ring
10. Very carefully silicone seal between the glass and the filter frame
11. Once the silicone is dry, place the magic filter inside
12. Put your second piece of glass on top of your magic filter
13. Carefully silicone the edge of the glass and the filter frame
14. Screw in the retaining ring just far enough to hold, without breaking the silicone seals
15. Thread on the spacer ring
16. Drill a hole in the spacer ring for a lanyard (so you don't lose it underwater)
17. Slip it over your camera housing and see how it works. If it is loose, stretch some rubber bands around the housing so that the spacer ring has something to grab onto.

If your housing already has filter thread rings on the front (often housings by Olympus and Ikelite do), then you don't need the ring. Just get filters that are the correct thread size as your housing.

Once it was all done I used a string lanyard to tie it to the camera housing. Then it was just a matter of taking the filter on and off in different lighting situations.

Make sure and read my notes about using a manual white balance. It is a better way of correcting this color problem, and I no longer use the above method (I just put the filter inside the housing).

Got Some Underwater Color Improving Tips?

Now learn to set your Manual White Balance

Return from to our Underwater Photography Guide