JAMES EMERY
Marketing and Media Manager

The Keldan 8XR Ambient lights continue to be one of my absolute favorite tools for capturing completely natural-looking underwater video. Rather than using traditional video lights that clash with the surrounding water column, the 8XRs feature a unique cyan-spectrum output specifically designed to match the ambient light. 

My main goal when shooting is to make it so the audience can’t even tell artificial lights were used. During the Shootout, I found my sweet spot was running these at about 80% power, as jumping all the way to 100% was usually a bit too overpowering. Dialing them back to 80% provides a beautifully natural look—perfectly filling in the shadows and bringing out the fine details of the subjects without blasting them out. 

Managing that output underwater was incredibly easy thanks to the Keldan remote control. Being able to quickly adjust the power levels right from my housing handles, without having to reach out and manually turn the physical dials on the light heads, is a huge workflow upgrade. 

This seamless blending effect isn’t just for the shallows, either. Even down at 80 feet / 25 meters, I can simply turn the Keldans on, pull a custom white balance on my camera, and instantly capture stunningly vibrant and accurate colors. If you are a serious underwater filmmaker aiming to elevate your footage with undetectable, perfectly balanced lighting, these remain an essential piece of kit.