On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 02:13:31 -0000,
(Dan Birchall) wrote:

(bmoag) wrote:
My recent experience in Hawaii:
Even in depths of just 10meters red light is fairly well filtered out
by the water as far as digital cameras are concerned.

Yep. Actually, I'd say that's true at even shallower depths - I do a
lot of skindiving with a digital, and there's a lot of blue/green.

There actually isn't enough red light to get a colour balance. Shoot
RAW.

Using flash underwater is often a problem as waterborne particles
reflect the light back at the camera.

Yep. "Backscatter." How much of a problem it is varies depending on
recent weather patterns (rain will cause runoff), time of day (morning
is clearer, before everyone gets to the beach) and how still the water
is, among other things.

Move the strobe a long way from the camera, and in extreme cases, well
behind the camera. Shooting mantas with a 10.5mm lens I have the
strobe about 18" behind and about 4' away from the lens centre.
Further is better!!

Pete S.