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Blak-Rays vs. MTE UV 301 Nichia Flashlight: Last Light Standing


Damon

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UVIVFL Comparison between a Blak-Ray B-100AP and a MTE UV 301 Nichia Flashlight/Torch

 

I thought that title would fire Col up and make him get out of bed to post something back. :D

 

Anyway, I found out some cool things, some of which may finally put to rest my long over-winded exploration into the realm of Blak-Rays. But each time I think that, something crops up and pulls me back in. There are a couple questions here but I believe the end pulls the important aspects together. 2 glasses of Jersey Devil Forte and I stand by that statement.

 

Ok, aside from the placebo visible shot, I took pics of the same orchid with the same camera with the same settings for every shot, & same distance with the 2 different lights. All 5s, f/8, iso200 The only variable I changed was the 2 light sources and various filters. All glowy stuff from shack was moved away. Yeah there is probably a million holes in my methods and conclusions but it sure is fun doing it!

All pictures are 100% RAW untouched converted to JPEG

 

First, I must say I am impressed with the MTE Uv flashlight. I do think that it throws more UV than a single Blak-Ray. But it is not a complete run away. Both it and a Blak-Ray push my UV meter right off the chart, but the Flashlight does it faster. And I can just tell that it looks brighter--even filtered. I like it. I do have ~12 Blak-Rays though...and got 10 of them for ~$100 and the MTE is ~$200 for 1.

 

Here are a few pics to look at.

 

 

1. Visible: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 with Baader UV-IR-Cut Filter, Unfiltered Halogen light, 1/2 s @ f/11 ISO 200, No Adjusted WB for Unfiltered Halogen source

post-51-0-24291300-1424658073.jpg

 

 

Unattractive, harsh reflective surface areas

2. UVIVFL: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 unfiltered, 1 Blak-Ray B-100AP, 5 s @ f/8 ISO 200, complete darkness

post-51-0-24836600-1424658071.jpg

 

 

 

Instantly the image becomes nice and pretty. Yes I know it's underexposed. It's a RAW image for testing. (What exactly did that UV/IR cut filter do?--is it possible UV sneaking in is causing the displeasing look found in the previous photo, no you say? Keep reading.) Visible light?

3. UVIVFL: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 with new Baader UV-IR-Cut Filter, 1 Blak-Ray B-100AP, 5 s @ f/8 ISO 200, complete darkness

post-51-0-39828600-1424658070.jpg

 

 

 

Crappy and has same ugly traits as #2 (What happened, this is a different light that doesn't have IR? Is it it the visible light from the MTE?)

4. UVIVFL: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 unfiltered, 1 MTE UV 301 Nichia Flashlight/Torch unfiltered, 5 s @ f/8 ISO 200, complete darkness

post-51-0-76607500-1424658071.jpg

 

 

Ah that looks better, but were not quite there yet. So it's either UV or IR getting through in the last photo? I have already demonstrated that IR doesn't get to my sensor with that UV/IR cut filter on

5. UVIVFL: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 with new Baader UV-IR-Cut Filter, 1 MTE UV 301 Nichia Flashlight/Torch unfiltered, 5 s @ f/8 ISO 200, complete darkness

post-51-0-70040000-1424658072.jpg

 

 

Bingo!

6. UVIVFL: Canon 1D Mark IV Unmodified, EL-Nikkor 80mm f5.6 with new Baader UV-IR-Cut Filter, 1 MTE UV 301 Nichia Flashlight/Torch with Baader U filter, 5 s @ f/8 ISO 200, complete darkness

post-51-0-20288000-1424658072.jpg

 

 

 

Now I find this interesting and enlightening: My coup de gras with questioning the Blak-Rays IR getting to my sensor? Can we put this final nail in the coffin? C'mon, can we? :)

Can you tell me which was taken with the Blak-Ray and which was taken with the MTE 301? Don't cheat and go look back at the images.

 

 

-D

post-51-0-40153800-1424658069.jpg

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Damon, please review this summary of your excellent experiment. And Thank You!!

 

Of course, any attempt at characterizing the light leakage mentioned below is still open for correction or refinement.

 

I need some links to the IR leakage tests, please, so I can reference this thread elsewhere and so that other folks can use it as a complete reference thread. "-)

 

Equipment:

  • UVIR-Block = Baader UV/IR-Cut Filter
  • UV-Pass = Baader-U UV-Pass Filter
  • MTE UV-Led flashlight/torch model = MTE Ultra Violet 301 with 365nm Nichia NCSU033B diode.
    The torch is unfiltered.
  • Blak-Ray lamp model = B-100AP. This lamp is filtered.
  • Canon 1D Mark IV, unmodified. Recording of potential IR or UV leakage is dependent on the camera being used. Do not assume internal filters are strong enough to completely block IR or UV. This Canon and other unmodified cameras such as the Nikon D70 can record some IR or UV.

2. Blak-Ray + Lens Unfiltered

  • Visible: Probably violet/blue leak, reflected.
  • IR: As per another test result, there is no IR leakage. Need link to a post here.
  • UV: If there is UV leakage, it probably would not be obvious on this flower? Repeat with sunflower?

3. Blak-Ray + Lens UVIR-Block

  • Compare to results of #6. They are basically the same.

4. MTE UV-Led Unfiltered + Lens Unfiltered

  • Visible: Probably violet/blue leak, reflected.
  • IR: As per another test result, there is no IR leakage. Need link to a post here.
  • UV: If there is UV leakage, it probably would not be obvious on this flower? Repeat with sunflower?

5a. MTE UV-Led Unfiltered + Lens UVIR-Block

  • Visible: Probably violet/blue leak, reflected. Very much reduced compared to #4.
  • IR: As per another test result, there is no IR leakage. Need link to a post here.
  • UV: If there is UV leakage, it probably would not be obvious on this flower? Repeat with sunflower?

5b. What about the single-filter case: MTE UV-Led UV-Pass + Lens Unfiltered ???

 

6. MTE UV-Led UV-Pass + Lens UVIR-Block

  • Compare to results of #3. They are basically the same.
  • Need Shiny Metal Test for this doubly filtered combo.

Conclusion:

  • Damon has shown that the Blak-Ray B-100AP UV lamp and the Baader-U filtered MTE 301 UV-LED flashlight perform similarly for making UV-induced Visible Fluorescence (UVIVF) photographs in total darkness with a UV/IR-blocked lens.

  • This supports the well-known, mandatory protocol of filtering for both excitation and emission wavelengths in fluorescence photography.

***********

 

Please let us know of any corrections, omissions or typos in this thread. And thanks!!

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Thanks!

Cool stuff.

 

I will work on answering your questions Andrea.

 

John, there was chatter about the older Baader UV/IR cut model perhaps having leakage I think in the violet, so I wanted to make sure it was known that I am using the latest version that remediated that--that's all.

 

---

The LED: MTE Ultra Violet UV 301, 365nm Nichia NCSU033B diode, 658mw Long wave

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  • 8 months later...
So one Blak-Ray has roughly the same light output as one MTE-301? You have 10 Blak-Rays? At first I had the impression that the Blak-Ray was a very powerful light source but now after looking at this thread it seems like it is pretty much identical to the MTE-301 in terms of light output. Would you say this is true? Or does the Blak-Ray spread out to cover a wider area?
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Out of curiosity, which "older" Baader filter is being referred to? I know there was one some years ago which showed green on the outer face and yellow on the inner face; that was superseded by one showing magenta on the outer face (which I have, made circa 2009;) are there newer iterations?
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Damon is referring to earlier and later versions of the UVIR-Cut filter.

 

But there have also been versions of the BaaderU UV-Pass filter.

I don't know the history. Perhaps Klaus or Bjørn does?

I've owned 3 versions. The first was an the old leaky one, then a magenta/green and yellowish/green in some order.

 

*******

 

I looked on the MTE website but they do not give a clue about their UV light output. Strange.

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