GoPro Red Filter – When and How To Use It?
Adding a GoPro red filter to your action camera will significantly increase the quality of your underwater photos and videos by enhancing the colors of your footage. If you use a red filter while snorkeling or diving, you will enjoy clearer and sharper images without post-processing! In this guide, we explain to you when and how to use a red filter and feature our top picks for the latest Hero action cameras.
Table of Contents
What is a red filter?
A red filter is an underwater photography accessory. It is a small red plastic cover that needs to be installed over the lens of the camera. It filters the blue/green color while returning the lost red and like that, gives back the natural colors and tones to your photos and videos.
Why do you need GoPro red filter underwater?
Using a red filter on your GoPro is not necessary. However, if you have you ever felt unsatisfied when replaying your snorkeling videos because all the footage was bluish or greenish without real colors, you might consider getting one.
If it comes to underwater photography or cinematography, the biggest problem is how to get back those beautiful colors of the corals and sea creatures.
One solution is to buy a compact waterproof camera that has UW settings to correct the colors. Or, you can edit your photos and videos on your computer using Photoshop, Lightroom, PremierPro, or any other software that can do color grading, but learning how to use such software takes time.
If you have a travel-size GoPro Hero action camera, you might have noticed that the underwater images and videos are not so perfectly colored, too green or too blue. Although GoPro cameras deliver great quality videos and sharp images and get better and better in terms of color correction, they don’t have special settings to capture underwater scenes.
For filming and taking photos in water, you can play around with the settings by changing white balance, sharpness, ISO and the color profile or you can use different GoPro accessories for diving and snorkeling like underwater GoPro lights that can help make your UW footage look more natural. But the simplest solution for instant correction is still using GoPro red filter.
Tip: read what is the best GoPro for underwater!
Why does everything look blue and green underwater?
Water begins to absorb colors immediately as we descend meaning colors look washed out even in shallow water. Red wavelengths are absorbed at around 5 meters (16ft), orange at 10 meters (32ft). Yellow disappears at 20 meters (66ft), green at 30 meters (98ft) and eventually blue at 60 meters (197ft).
This means the GoPro red filter is not only recommended for divers but also for snorkelers. Using an underwater red filter will instantly enhance colors and improve the contrast. Choose one of the filters according to conditions and depth (find more information about this a little below), and enjoy colorful, natural footage!
What does a red filter do?
Underwater GoPro filters work by adding back the red color spectrum to the image. Like this, the camera can select the right white balance, meaning colors will be natural again and your underwater photos will be bright and sharp.
So if you were ever wondering how an underwater red filter can correct colors, the answer is really this simple: just put it on and enjoy filming; the red filter will take care of the rest!
What is the difference between GoPro red and magenta filters
Underwater filters are usually referred to simply as red filters but it is important to know not all of them are the same. Red filters are designed for a specific depth rate and some GoPro filter kits include additional colors like yellow or magenta filters too.
You need a different filter if you dive in green water, in a freshwater lake or in the ocean according to this guide:
Red filter: use in blue water (tropical water). Generally, red filters work best if you go deeper than 10-15 ft (3-5 m) but always check the recommended depth rate that you find on the filter itself or in the manual.
Magenta filter: use in green water. The magenta filter works best in cold, greenish seawater or in lakes.
Yellow filter: optimized for night diving
Some brands offer snorkel filter too which is a light red filter specially designed for shallow water snorkeling where a normal red filter for diving would be too much.
How to choose the right red filter
The filter you need to use depends mainly on the water conditions and on the depth of your dive. Always decide how deep you want to dive and choose a filter accordingly.
There is usually no filter needed when snorkeling on the surface, but if the water you snorkel in is greenish or you use to dive to shallow depths (up to 10ft/3m), a light red filter for snorkeling can come in handy. For depths of greater than 10-15ft (3-4.5m), choose a red filter.
Note that using a stronger filter won’t make your footage better but will make it too red. Our advice is to put the filters in a pouch and keep the red filter kit with you so you can change them if needed.
To avoid scratches, keep the filters in a storage bag when not in use. Before fixing the filter on your action camera, make sure that there is no sand or salt on it, otherwise, your footage might be spotty. Rinse them with fresh water after use. Use a clean, soft cloth for cleaning.
Tip: Did you know that creating professional split photos with your tiny action camera is much easier than it looks? Learn here how to take half underwater photos with a GoPro dome port!
Best GoPro red filters
PolarPro Red Filter for GoPro Hero11/10/9 Black
The worldwide known PolarPro offers a wide variety of digital cameras, drones and GoPro filters. The fact that all products are designed and developed by professional photographers guarantees that the PolarPro DiveMaster kit is one of the best GoPro red filter collections available today.
- designed for GoPro Hero9/10/11 Black SuperSuit housing
- 3 filters: red, magenta and snorkel filter
- easy-to-use, instant color correction
- secure dual-lockling installation
- with custom protective case to avoid scratches and damages
This PolarPro Red Filter Kit is designed to fit perfectly to the Hero Black 9, 10 and 11 and includes 3 custom-developed aqua filters:
- red filter for tropical water from 15 to 75 ft deep (4.5-22.8 m)
- magenta filter for green water from 15 to 75 ft deep (4.5-22.8 m)
- snorkel filter for shallow tropical water from 2 to 15 ft deep (0.5-4.5 m)
The snap-and-twist dual lock system ensures a secure fit so you can capture sharp and vibrant colors in all water conditions.
Tip: if you have some of the older models, find here the PolarPro underwater filter kit for Hero7, Hero6 and Hero5!
SOONSUN Dive filter kit for Hero8, Hero9 and Hero10/11 Black
This GoPro red filter kit might be a good choice for those who use their GoPro just occasionally underwater and looking for an affordable product to enhance the colors of their snorkeling and diving videos and photos.
- 3in1 diving filter kit for GoPro Hero11 Black, Hero10 and Hero9 and Hero8
- Red, light red and magenta filter
- can be used with original GoPro SuperSuit housing and SOONSUN underwater case
- easy-to-use snap on/off system
SOONSUN red filter set includes all the filters you need if you go snorkeling and diving:
- light red filter: us while snorkeling up to 15 ft (4.5 m) depth
- red filter: use while diving in tropical water from 12 to 85 ft (3.5-26 m)
- magenta filter: use in fresh and/or green water between 8-75 ft (2.4-23 m)
The filters can be used with the original GoPro Super Suit housing for the above-mentioned models or also the company’s own waterproof housing. Note that you can order everything in a package, see this option here: SOONSUN GoPro waterproof housing with dive filters. This type of set is available for Hero8 as well: GoPro Hero8 Black waterproof housing with red filters.
SANDMARC Dive filter set for GoPro Hero7 Black, Hero6, Hero5
Capture sharp and bright images with SANDMARC filters! Being a high-quality accessory designer for GoPro and DJI products, you can be sure that SANDMARC Aqua filter kit delivers footage you will be satisfied with.
- fits GoPro Hero Hero7 Black, Hero6 and Hero5 SuperSuit housing
- 5 underwater filters for any water conditions
- with microfiber cleaning cloth and tether for maximum protection
- versatile premium GoPro accessory
This GoPro Red Filter Kit is compatible with the GoPro Hero7 Black, Hero6 and Hero5 cameras’ Super Suit housings and includes 5 filters so you will always find the matching one no matter whether you go snorkeling in shallow water or diving at night:
- 3 red filter for depths 5-20 ft (1.5-6 m), 20-50 ft (6-15 m), 50+ ft (15+ m)
- magenta filter for greenish water
- yellow filter for diving at night
Camkix GoPro red filter review
We prefer editing our underwater videos using software, therefore, we didn’t want to spend a higher amount on the filters and decided to give a try to the cheaper CamKix brand. We used the filters with our older Hero4 edition (we did not have filters for our newer GoPro as we correct the colors on the computer if needed).
The Camkix diving lens kit came with 5 filters in a storage bag:
- 3 red filters: 5-20 feet (1.5-6 meters) 20-50 feet (6-15 meters) 50 feet+ (15 meters+)
- magenta filter: for fresh or salt green water due to high concentration of algae
- yellow filter: ideal for night use up to 130 feet (40 meters)
- designed for GoPro Hero4 and Hero3+
- 5 underwater filters for any various underwater conditions
- easy clip and slip system
- with storage bag, tether and cleaning cloth
Camkix red filter kit for Hero6 and Hero5 also available as well as underwater filters for GoPro session.
CamKix diving lens kit for GoPro pros and cons
We have tested the Camkix GoPro red filter kit for Hero4 in different conditions in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and are pleased with the results. Using the right filter colors are bright but natural, and also the contrast was improved. The photos and videos are more detailed when the filter is on. A nice surprise that the water seems much clearer in the footage than it was in reality!
The filter holder can be mounted on the waterproof housing and fits perfectly. The Easy Clip and Slip system makes changing the different underwater GoPro filters simple and fast.
Pros:
- instantly improved colors
- great price
- all in one pack for various underwater conditions
- easy installation: filter holder fits perfectly on the waterproof housing
Cons:
- changing filters could be a bit difficult because the filter fits tight in the holder (but at least it won’t slide out accidentally)
- you need to be careful to avoid scratches
In total, Camkix GoPro red filter set works pretty well! The filters we used improved the colors noticeably, the kit has a great value for money.
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