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UltravioletPhotography

Spectra of two Exo Terra reptile fluorescent lamps


enricosavazzi

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enricosavazzi

As promised, here are the spectra of two Exo Terra CFL lamps marketed for reptile terraria. I cut the part above 750 nm because there is nothing there.

Top: Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 UVB

Bottom: Exo Terra Reptile UVB200

post-60-0-27471300-1490434738.jpg

The second (bottom) lamp seems to emit substantially more UV, compared to the peaks in the VIS. Both lamps are rated at 25-26W. There are spectra printed on the box of these lamps, but they are not quite like the ones I obtained. The spectra on the box seem a little too "optimistic" with respect to the width of the Hg lines (which are not called "lines" for nothing) and the relative height and shape of the UVB peak. As a whole, I believe my results are more correct.

 

PS - When you first turn on these lamps, they glow only near the socket. It takes about 5 minutes for them to warm up and glow along the whole tube length, so this is something to remember when using them for imaging purposes.

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Enrico, Thanks!

Comparing that to your test of the compact "blacklight" tube, it looks like the black light is stronger, and has a slightly wider UV band?

http://www.ultraviol...&attach_id=8827

My recent shots seem to get a little more UV color with the UVB200 than with my 13W black light, for some reason(?).

I should do a more strict test of that.

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enricosavazzi
Both lamp types (UVB and blacklight) emit the 365 nm Hg line, so in both cases you should get "false yellow". The blacklight gives you also longer UVA wavelengths (should be false orange/red/violet), but not so much the UVB lamp. The UVB lamp, on the other hand, should give you the 330-340 nm false green, and perhaps also some "dead blue" or coerulean near the short end of the UVB. With all the reservations attached to UV false colors. Then in both lamps there is also a very strong Hg line just inside the VIS range, which may leak through some UV-pass filters.
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