Ideal kelvin colour temperature of dive lights?

[UweK]

Hi guys. I'd like to get more opinions on which kelvin / colour temperature is best for diving.

I know 5000K is popular, gives good light and is good all round.
I like warm colours. To my eyes they seem to bring out colour better.

Is there a colour proven as best and how low would you go?

Thanks Uwe

 

[NoNotAgain]

Lights that are in the range of 3800-4300 kelvin yield more vivid colors.
If using a LED light, the Nichia 219B emitter has good color rendition. If using HID lighting 4300 is about as close as it gets.

The Polarion Abyss HID light was rated at 4300 kelvin and other than the cost is a highly respected dive light.

If you're shooting using a good digital camera, shoot in RAW and you can balance your results any way you want.

 

[lucca brassi]

http://keldanlights.com/english/products/filters/index.html

 

[UweK]

http://keldanlights.com/english/products/filters/index.html

Thanks Lucca Brassi. The colour looks great I have no idea of what cameras want. I am only interested in what appeals to my eyes.

 

[UweK]

Lights that are in the range of 3800-4300 kelvin yield more vivid colors.
If using a LED light, the Nichia 219B emitter has good color rendition. If using HID lighting 4300 is about as close as it gets.

The Polarion Abyss HID light was rated at 4300 kelvin and other than the cost is a highly respected dive light.

If you're shooting using a good digital camera, shoot in RAW and you can balance your results any way you want.

Do you think something in the 3500 to 4000 Kelvin range would be useful underwater? Is it a disadvantage to go this low?

 

[NoNotAgain]

Do you think something in the 3500 to 4000 Kelvin range would be useful underwater? Is it a disadvantage to go this low?

Water filters out the red spectrum of light which gives you the blue cast pictures.

Older dive cameras like the Nikonos V lenses had a red bias. If you used the camera out of water, the red color was pronounced, underwater it was great.

Provided the light you purchase has the lumens you need to light the area you are shooting, a light in the 3500-4000 kelvin range would be a good choice.

A lot of misconception on underwater photography is the brighter the light, the better. If you're shooting in the Caribbean where there aren't many nutrients in the water you can use the light. If you're shooting where the water is murky, all you see is mud.

Digital killed off underwater film cameras for a number of reasons, primarily the number of frames you can shoot before reloading.