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Andrea B.

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Sticky :: SWIR Photography: Cams, Mods, Lenses, Lights, Links

Sticky :: UV-Capable Lenses (You are here.)

Sticky :: UV/IR Books

Sticky :: UV/Vis/IR Filters

Sticky :: UV Induced Visible Fluorescence

Sticky :: UV Photography: Cams, Mods, Lights, Links

Sticky :: White Balance in UV/IR Photography

 

 


Best Basic Gear:  Goggles, Filters, Torches

Beginners might want to start with this topic. Then return here for more details.


 

Sticky :: UV-Capable Lenses
by Andrea G. Blum for UltravioletPhotography.com
[Last Update :: 13 Nov 2023. Sticky formatting was cleaned up.]

 

This Sticky is presented in separate posts within this topic for easier maintenance.

Section 1. You are reading it now. "-)

Section 2. UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Currently Manufactured

Section 3. UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Historical

Section 4. UV-Dedicated Lens :: Special Use

Section 5. UV-Capable Lenses This section contains a brief summary of our UV LENS TECHNICAL DATA board and a list of possibly good lenses which have not yet been measured.

 

UV LENS TECHNICAL DATA contains a detailed analysis of some of the best lenses for reflected UV photography. This board is produced and directed by our member Ulf Wilhelm. This board is briefly summarized in Section 5 of this topic.

 

Note from Editor:
This Sticky began as a joint effort by the members of various forums who enjoy UV/IR photography. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, comments, proofreading, lists, links, measurements, experiments and all round good fellowship.


Please PM Andrea B. on UltravioletPhotography.com with any corrections, additions or suggestions. Or write to rudbeckia ultravioletphotography com.


Abbreviations:

  • IR = infrared
  • UV = ultraviolet
  • UVIR = ultraviolet and/or infrared

 

[ultravioletPhotography.com does not endorse any specific products as a website. We simply offer reports, reviews and gear lists for your further investigation. Any opinions in such reports/reviews/lists belong solely to the poster writing them. UltravioletPhotography.com as a website is non-monetized and receives no compensation or income from any source.]



UV-Dedicated Lenses
There are UV-dedicated, UV-capable lenses and ordinary lenses. A UV-dedicated lens is one which was designed and manufactured specifically for reflected UV photography. One of the most familiar UV-dedicated lenses is the UV-Nikkor 105/4.5. Others are discussed in later sections. Such lenses are very expensive and out-of-reach for most who want to try shooting UV. The next section will discuss the alternative: less expensive, non-UV-dedicated but UV-capable lenses.

 

For the record, here are some characteristics of a UV-dedicated lens suitable for reflected UV photography. 

 

  • Transmittance is high. Transmittance is (usually) an even 60-70% or more across the lens range. Elements are typically made from fluorite and/or quartz for higher transmittance. Other glass is sometimes used.
  • Non-fluorescing elements, element glue and internal lens parts under UV light.
  • Wavelength range is wide. The lens should reach to at least 310-300 nm. Some reach all the way to 200 nm.
  • Lens is corrected for chromatic aberration in the UV range. Although please note that many UV-dedicated industrial lenses - designed for use with narrowband filters - are not corrected.
  • Lens is corrected for focus shift between the Visible and UV wavebands. This would permit focusing in visible light before placing the dark UV-pass filter over the lens. This has become lless important with the advent of Live View and UV-LED torches together which permit focusing directly in UV for many scenes. Again, it must be noted that some UV-dedicated industrial lenses not intended for typical photography are not corrected for UV-Vis focus shift.

.
UV-Capable Lenses
from Birna Rørslett
Here at UVP, we term a non-UV-dedicated lens as a UV-capable lens if the following criteria hold. The lens must:

 

  • Easily disclose well-known UV-signatures. For example, floral signatures of familiar flowers like dandelions and sunflowers should be easily capturable. This first requirement can sometimes be met with an ordinary lens.
  • Have elements, element glue and internal lens parts which are non-fluorescing under UV light.
  • Render subjects with acceptable lack of chromatic aberration in UV. This second requirement is much harder for most ordinary lenses and even for some UV-capable lenses which are uncorrected.
  • Provide sufficient resolution, sharpness and contrast. An ordinary lens which can transmit some UV is useless if it also produces a blurry mess.
  • Require at most EV+3 more exposure for the same scene than would a dedicated UV lens. This requirement is the one with which most ordinary lenses cannot adequately cope.

 

It is unlikely that any modern multi-coated, multi-element lens can be truly designated as a UV-capable lens. If the aim just is to detect flower patterns, such a lens might do adequate service in the 380 - 398 nm range. However, this in no way ensures the lens will render all there is of floral UV signatures or UV signatures of other subjects. For this reason alone using a UV-dedicated lens or a non-dedicated, but very UV-capable lens is advantageous.

There's no predicting whether a given lens is UV-capable if it was not specifically designed for UV shooting. As noted, with a very long exposure an ordinary lens can often leak enough near-UV to produce an image, but it likely will not record the fine surface details that UV can reveal. What we can say generally about non-dedicated, UV-capable lenses is that they tend to have the following construction:

 

  • Uncoated elements
  • Little or no element cement. If cemented, cement must be non-fluorescing.
  • A small number of elements, 3 or 4
  • Of course, there are some exceptions to this general rule. Do note that most non-dedicated, UV-capable lenses have an axial chromatic aberration problem called 'focus shift' to deal with (see later).


Birnian Rule of Thumb for UV-Capable Lenses
from Birna Rørslett
A decent UV-capable lens should require at most 3 stops more overall compared to the Nikon 105/4.5 UV-Nikkor or the Coastal Optics 60/4 APO.

Measuring UV Transmission of a Lens
I asked member Shane Elen what was needed to accurately measure the UV transmission of a given lens. 
from Shane Elen
Ideally you need a CCD spectrometer, or spectrophotometer (preferably in a dual beam configuration) with a monochromator, an integrating sphere, and a stable output UV-V-IR source. The integrating sphere helps ensure that the readings are independent of the incoming light ray angle. This will provide you with wavelength specific transmission response.

To informally test UV lens transmission, it is possible to collect a set of narrow UV bandpass filters, mount them in some kind of holder and estimate a lens UV transmission by taking a UV photo of the mounted filters. Although the idea has been used before, Steve Smeed was the first in recent years to implement mounted UV bandpass filters in his clever Sparticle Board. Here is another example shown in an article by Enrico Savazzi: Filter Strip for Testing UV Lenses. See also Links to Informal Lens Transmission Tests.

 


UV Focus Shift
Focus shift between the Ultraviolet & Visible wavebands in a lens is a form of axial chromatic aberration that occurs because shorter, higher frequency UV wavelengths focus at a different distance along the longitudinal axis of a typical lens than do longer, lower frequency Visible wavelengths.

Such wavelength-induced focus shift is a topic of particular interest in UV photography when using an external filter and a camera that has no Live View. First you must focus the lens in Visible light before mounting the dark UV-pass filter. After mounting the filter you might have to adjust your initial focus if the lens has not been designed to also bring the UV rays to the Visible plane of convergence. With a bit of trial and error you should be able to determine the proper correction at various apertures and note it for future reference.

UV focus shift is less of a worry with an internal UV filter because during conversion the auto-focus can be adjusted a bit to compensate for UV for most lenses at most apertures.

 

Focus shift is not problem at all when using Live View if you have sufficient UV illumination. Attaining sufficient illumination to use Live View for focusing in the UV case is not always easy especially for UV between 300-350 nm.

 

Other Lens Terms of Interest

Chromatic Aberration

Spherical Aberration

Achromatic Lens

Apochromatic Lens

Superachromatic Lens

 

Diffraction
In photography, diffraction is the interference of light waves with one another caused by their passage through a lens aperture. The narrower the aperture, the more the diffraction. The spreading light waves' interactions cause interference patterns around the Airy disk which is recorded on a digital sensor as a loss of sharpness in an image.

In UVIR photography, a key fact to note is that longer IR wavelengths spread more at a given aperture than shorter Visible or UV wavelengths. Hence IR shots are more prone to the effects of diffraction and UV shots less so. Thus, for example, if you make a Visible light photo with a sensor & lens combo that begins to show diffraction blur past f/8, then you might have to open up your lens to f/5.6 (or larger) to shoot a sharp IR version of the same photo. On the UV side, you might be able to stop down to f/11 (or smaller) and still stay sharp. Opening up in IR to reduce diffraction must be balanced against the need for stopped-down depth of field. Some diffraction can be compensated for in the editor by various sharpening tools.

 

Relevant Links:

Diffraction

Huygens-Fresnel Principle

Airy Disk

George Biddell Airy

Lens Diffraction and Photography

 

About the UV Lens List
For a lens to be on our UV Lens List, it must have at least one member or contributer who has either used it or tested it to confirm that the lens is UV-capable in some portion of the UV bandwidth. Our lists are by no means exhaustive, so please experiment and let us know of your discoveries.

Please Note the following:

 

UV-Capability ?
The amount of UV-capability of the lenses on this list varies. We have tried to list lenses that reach at least 350nm, but not all lenses have been formally tested.
Investigate before purchase!

 

Mount Type ?
Many lenses on this list may need modification of the lens mount and the use of focusing helicoids and/or bellows for use on your particular camera body. Under such modification, the lens may not focus to infinity.
Investigate before purchase!

 

UV Focus Shift ?
Most of the lenses listed below have some degree of the UV focus shift discussed above. Lenses without such focus shift are noted. Consider converting a camera with Live View to avoid dealing with focus shift.
Investigate before purchase!

 

Warning about Lens Scams
The original UV-Nikkor 105/4.5 has become a very high-priced collectible. Prices have skyrocketed to the $4000-5000(US) range, maybe more. The lens has been seen offered at a much lower price in several lens scams across the internet.
Do not fall for these scams! No one who is reputable will be selling the UV-Nikkor or any other rare UV-capable lens at a price under its current market value.

Enlarger Lenses for UV
An enlarger lens (EL) is used in a photographic enlarger for producing a print from a film negative. Some alternate photographic print processes require UV light to produce a contact print: cyanotype, platinum/palladium, gum, carbon, Kallitype and Van Dyke.

So, most ELs pass some ultraviolet light between 370-400nm, some beyond that. But note that there is no generally accepted range of UV transmission for ELs. The range will vary by brand and lens construction. Enlarger lenses also, of course, magnify and have a flat-field construction. So ELs can be very useful for UV macro work when reversed.

There are several enlarger lenses listed in the Lens Sticky, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. Use what is listed there for further explorations and experiments.

Enlarger Lens References:

Enlarger Lenses in Photomacrography by Enrico Savazzi

Reversed Enlarger Lenses by Johan J. Ingles-Le Nobel

Ultraviolet Light Sources for Printing with the Alternative Processes by Sandy King

 

35mm f/3.5 Lenses for UV - not the only category
Any reader of the lens lists here in this Sticky will have noticed a predominance of non-dedicated, UV-capable lenses in the 35mm f/3.5 category. As has been remarked elsewhere, simply constructed lenses with minimal coatings and no UVIR-reflecting or fluorescing glues or other fluorescing or problematic inner parts, have been proven useful for UV imaging. Many of the older 35/3.5 lenses with manual apertures or preset apertures fall into that category. Read this post by Enrico Savazzi for a bit more insight into this:
35mm lenses for UV photography.

With the research done by Klaus Schmitt, Enrico Savazzi and others and several nice 35/3.5 finds made by Oleksandr Holovachov, Steve Smeed and others, we have accumulated a good listing of UV-capable 35/3.5s. This, of course, has spurred others to look into this category where they discovered that there were quite a few UV-capable 35/3.5 designs produced by various non-mainstream lens manufacturers. And nice discoveries; were also made in the associated 105/3.5 and 135/3.5 categories and listed here.

This is not to say, however, that there are no UV-capable lenses in other categories. There are indeed quite a few. Reed Curry, for example, has found many UV-capable lenses in Exakta mount which are not 35/3.5s: see Exackta Lens List (Partial) for more about Exackta lenses in general.


UV shooters such as Boon Tang, Vivek Iyer and Igor Butorsky have found other good UV-capable lenses outside the 35/3.5 category which are listed below. So let us keep up the search! We will continue to add some examples of non-dedicated, UV-capable here as they are brought to our attention.

 

Contributors to the UV Lens List

Alex H = Oleksandr Holovachov

annedi = Andrea Blum

anon = Anonymous

brianc1959 = Brian Caldwell

Cadmium = Steve Smeed

enricosavazzi = Enrico Savazzi

igoriginal = Igor Butorsky

kds315 = Klaus Schmitt

nfoto = Birna Rørslett

overmywaders = Reed Curry

RKPhotog = Bob Kerr

Vivek = Vivek Iyer

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UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Currently Manufactured

NAME Focal Length Speed Info Mount Filter Sz FFD Range
Est.
Tester
Jenoptik
Optical Systems

Currently manufactured. Color corrected for 310-1100nm. Exceptionally sharp. No UV-Vis-IR focus shift. Transmission 290nm-1500nm. $5750(US).
Hotspots at high magnification in this lens can be easily controlled via extension tubes or by a certain kind of lens shade.

60mm f/4.0 CoastalOpt®
Apo Macro
F 52mm 46.50mm 310-
1500nm
nfoto
Jenoptik
Optical Systems
Currently manufactured. Color corrected for 250nm-650nm. No UV-Vis focus shift. $5350(US).
105mm f/4.0 CoastalOpt®
UV-Micro-Apo
F 52mm 46.50mm 250-
650nm
kds315
MegaVision Currently manufactured shutter lens for medium format. Designed by Dr. Brian Caldwell. Corrected 325-1100nm. No UV-Vis-IR focus shift.
120nm f/4.5 Macro UV-IR Apo       ?  
Tochigi Nikon Currently manufactured. Tochigi Nikon is a Nikon subsidiary. This is a replica of the UV-Nikkor 105/4.5. Transmits down to 200nm with approx. 60% trans at 220nm onward. Three quartz and three calcium fluoride elements. No UV-Vis focus shift. No hot spots. Exceptionally sharp. Must be special ordered. Approx. $7500(US).
One US distributor: Company Seven.
105mm f/4.5 Rayfact
PF10545MF-UV
F 52mm 46.50mm 200nm Dave
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UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Historical
These photograpic lenses having excellent UV transmission are no longer manufactured. Most are rarely seen from dealers or on Ebay although the Carl Zeiss 60/4.0 UV-Objektiv and Nikon 105/4.5 UV-Nikkor
may sometimes be found.

NAME Focal Length Speed Info Mount Filter Sz FFD Range
Est.
Tester
Asahi Pentax 85mm f/4.5 Ultra-Achromatic-Takumar M42 49mm 45.46mm 200nm kds315
Fluorite & quartz elements. Corrected 220-1000nm. No UV/Vis/IR focus shift.
300mm f/5.6 Ultra-Achromatic-Takumar M42 58mm 45.46mm 400-
850nm
kds315
For IR work. Fluorite & glass elements. Corrected 400-850nm. No Vis/IR focus shift.
Carl Zeiss Jena 60mm f/4.0 UV-Objektiv Exakta 49mm 44mm 300nm kds315
Has some UV-Vis focus shift. Kds315 says 300nm.
120mm f/4.5 Quarz-Anastigmat Compur     ? kds315
Shutter lens for large format. Uncorrected, uncoated quartz triplet. Has big UV-Vis focus shift.
120mm f/4.5 Achromat-Quarz-Anastigmat       ? kds315
No info.
Hasselblad 105mm f/4.3 UV-Sonnar H special 74.90mm 215nm kds315,Vivek
For medium format. Fluorite & quartz elements. Made by Zeiss. Corrected. No UV-Vis focus shift. Zeiss says 215nm. Recently outrageously overpriced even for an historical lens.
Lomo 41mm f/2.5 UFAR M42 na   ? kds315
One-of-a-kind lens developed for Russian Mars Mission. Only a very few copies were made. No UV-Vis focus shift.
Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor F 52mm 46.50mm 200nm nfoto,Vivek,
kds315,annedi
Fluorite & quartz elements. Corrected 220nm-900nm. No UV-Vis focus shift. See Tochigi Nikon 105/4.5 Rayfact above.
Steinheil 50mm f/1.8 Quarzobjektiv M39x.75     200nm kds315
Shutter lens for large format. Has some UV-Vis focus shift. Kds315 says 200nm. Uncoated so may flare.
Wollensak 102mm f/4.0 UV Anastigmat flange     ? kds315
Shutter lens for large format. Uncorrected. Has some UV-Vis focus shift.
267mm f/8.0 UV Amaton flange     ? kds315
Shutter lens for large format. Uncorrected. Has some UV-Vis focus shift.
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UV-Dedicated Lens :: Special Use :: Currently Manufactured

Quartz lenses with deep UV transmission are currently manufactured for various industrial uses, but please be warned that many of these lenses may not be corrected over their transmission range and would therefore not be suitable for UV photography on a DSLR or mirrorless camera due to serious chromatic aberration. Such lenses, like their historical counterparts (see Asahi Pentax Quartz Takumar in the next table, for example), are intended for use with narrow bandpass filtration. Many of them may not fully cover a DX or FX sensor, although some can.

We cannot provide an extensive list, but here are two manufacturers of such lenses and an example of their products. An internet search will provide other examples.

 

UniverseOptics.com a.k.a.Universe Kogaku America
Universe Optics is a US company which makes the 78mm f/3.8 Quartz (UV8040) and the 105mm f/4.0 Quartz (UV1054B), both of which cover full frame but are not corrected. The lenses have a native C-mount with an underlying T-mount and are adaptable to the Nikon F-mount. Other more specialized UV lenses are also available.

 

ResolveOptics.com
Resolve Optics is a UK company which makes the telescoping UV-forensic 60mm f/3.5 (228-000) lens and others. The UV-forensic lens transmits between 230nm-500nm and is corrected. No online technical information is available about this lens, but it is discussed briefly in this white paper: Ultraviolet Technology Aids Forensic Investigation. The UV-forensic lens 'images onto' the Horiba SceneScope RUVIS (a reflected UV imaging system).

 

UV-Dedicated Lens :: Special Use :: Historical
These lenses having excellent UV transmission are no longer manufactured and are rarely seen from dealers or on Ebay. On this list are industrial enlargers, microscope lenses and other special purpose lenses. Most require significant adaptions for use on a digital camera.

NAME Focal Len Speed Info Mount Filter Sz FFD Range
Est.
Tester
Asahi Pentax 50mm f/3.5 Quartz Takumar M42   45.46mm ? kds315
85mm f/3.5 Quartz Takumar M42 49mm 45.46mm ? annedi
135mm f/5.0 Quartz Takumar flange     ? kds315
All 3 are bellows lenses with no helicoid. Must be used with narrow bandpass filters to avoid chromatic aberration even in UV. All have some UV-Vis focus shift.
Bausch & Lomb 229mm f/4.5 P-16 Phosphor RMS     ? kds315
Microscope lens. Has some UV-Vis focus shift.
Carl Zeiss 60mm f/4.0 UV-Planar M39 46mm   300nm Vivek, kds315
Enlarger lens with no focusing helicoid. Fluorite, lithium and special elements. Corrected.No UV-Vis focus shift. Zeiss says spectral range 300nm-450nm.
Carl Zeiss Jena 30mm f/5.0 UV Mikrotar RMS     ? kds315
Microscope lens. Has some UV-Vis focus shift.
Rodenstock 60mm f/4.5 UV-Rodagon M39 35.5mm 56.60mm 310nm kds315,annedi
80mm f/5.6 UV-Rodagon       ? kds315
105mm f/5.6 UV-Rodagon M39 49mm   315nm kds315
150mm f/5.6 UV-Rodagon M50x.75   58mm 320nm kds315
Enlarger lenses with no focusing helicoid. Aperture windows must be blocked. Corrected 350-546nm. No UV-Vis focus shift.
Sodern 42mm f/9.0 Cerco special     ? kds315
Only one was ever made. Has some UV-Vis focus shift. Kds315 says optimized for 365nm.
Link to comment
  • 5 years later...

UV-Capable Lenses

Information about the UV-Capable lenses formerly listed in the Lens Sticky is being revised. Transmittance Charts and results from Lens Test Charts are available in the following linked sections. More lenses will be added as time and money permit. The revised data is more informative and certainly more accurate.

 

 

UV Lens Technical Data

This is a container for the following sections.

 

Comparisons of UV Lenses

Consolidated transmittance charts for easy reference.

.

Lens Chart Results

Use lens testing charts to visually assess resolution, aberrations, and other flaws.

Performance of the lens in UV and IR is included.

Please go read about the lens. Some are better than others.

 

Assessment of Antique & Vintage Lenses in UV (& IR)

  • Aldis 120/7.7 Uno Anastigmat
  • Bausch & Lomb 180/8.0 Rapid Rectilinear
  • Canon 200/2.8L EF
  • EL-Nikkor 80/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • EL-Nikkor 105/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • Ensign 75/4.5 Ensar Anastigmat
  • Leitz Wetzlar 50/4.5 Focotar-2 (enlarger)
  • Meyer-Optik Görlitz 50/2.9 Trioplan
  • Prinz Galaxy 135/3.5
  • Steinheil München 50/2.8 Cassar S
  • Voigtländer 105/6.3 Voigtar Anastigmat
  • Zeiss Ikon 50/4.5 Novar
  • Zeiss Ikon 75/4.5 Nettar

Assessment of the Meritar 50mm f/2.9

  • E.Ludwig 50/2.9 Meritar
  • Leitz Wetzlar 50/4.5 Focotar-2 (enlarger)
  • Meyer-Optik Görlitz 50/2.9 Trioplan
  • Steinheil München 50/2.8 Cassar S

Performance of Various Lenses in Macrophotography - Resolving Power

  • EL-Nikkor 50/2.8 N (plastic version, enlarger)
  • EL-Nikkor 80/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • EL-Nikkor 105/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • Leitz Wetzlar 50/4.5 Focotar-2 (enlarger)
  • Sigma 24-105/4.0 DG OS HSM Art
  • Steinheil München 50/2.8 Cassar S

Putting Values against Performance of Various Lenses - Aberrations

  • Canon 28/2.8 IS USM
  • Canon 50/1.8 EF STM
  • Canon 200/2.8L EF
  • EL-Nikkor 80/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • EL-Nikkor 105/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • Enna München 28/3.5 Lithagon
  • Leitz Wetzlar 50/4.5 Focotar-2 (enlarger)
  • Prinz Galaxy 135/3.5
  • Samyang 14/2.8 ED AS IF UMC
  • Sigma 24-105/4.0 DG OS HSM Art
  • Sigma 105/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM
  • Soligor 35/3.5 (enlarger)
  • Steinheil München 50/2.8 Cassar S
  • Tamron 500/8.0 SP Macro Adaptall-2

Putting Values against Performance of Various Lenses - Resolving Power

  • Canon 28/2.8 IS USM
  • Canon 50/1.8 EF STM
  • Canon 200/2.8L EF
  • EL-Nikkor 80/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • EL-Nikkor 105/5.6 (metal version, enlarger)
  • Enna München 28/3.5 Lithagon
  • Leitz Wetzlar 50/4.5 Focotar-2 (enlarger)
  • Prinz Galaxy 135/3.5
  • Samyang 14/2.8 ED AS IF UMC
  • Sigma 24-105/4.0 DG OS HSM Art
  • Sigma 105/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM
  • Soligor 35/3.5 (enlarger)
  • Steinheil München 50/2.8 Cassar S
  • Tamron 500/8.0 SP Macro Adaptall-2

.

UV Lenses: Dedicated

Lenses made especially for UV or UV/IR.

See also above:

  • UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Currently Manufactured
  • UV-Dedicated Lens :: Photography :: Historical
  • UV-Dedicated Lens :: Special Use :: Currently Manufactured
  • UV-Dedicated Lens :: Special Use :: Historical

Lenses in this section:

.

UV Lenses: Normal

UV-capable wide, standard or short telephoto lenses.

Please go read about the lens. Some are better than others.

 

Listed by Name

Listed by Focal Length

.

UV Lenses: Non-helicoidal

UV-capable enlarger lenses, bellows lenses or others not having a focusing helicoid.

Please go read about the lens. Some are better than others.

 

Listed by Name

Listed by Focal Length

UV Lenses: Unusual

UV-capable long telephotos, fish-eyes or other unusual lenses.

 


 

UV Capable Lenses Formerly Listed in the Lens Sticky

which we hope may be included in future Transmittance or Chart tests.

These are mostly older, simply constructed lenses without coatings or with minimal coatings.

 

The older 35/3.5 lenses, typically 4 lenses in 3 groups, often have reasonably good UV-capability.

Several are also listed above.

A.Schacht Ulm 35/3.5 Edixa-Travegon

Enna München 35/3.5 Ennalyt

Galaxy 35/3.5

Hanimex 35/3.5

Kaligar 35/3.5

Kuribayashi 35/3.5 Petri Orikkor (very good!)

Optomax 35/3.5

Photax 35/3.5 Paragon

Soligor 35/3.5 wide

 

Similarly, older 135/3.5 have some UV-capability.

More are listed above.

Asahi 135/3.5

Hanimex 135/3.5

Kaligar 135/3.5

Lentar 135/3.5

Petri 135/3.5

Prinz Galaxy 135/3.5

 

Old enlarger lenses, which require added helicoids, can be useful for UV.

D.O.Industries 50/3.5 enlarger

JML 50/3.5 enlarger

Spiratone 75/3.5 Flat Field Macro enlarger

These EL-Nikkor enlargers are not quite as good as those already measured and linked above.

EL-Nikkor 50/2.8 metal enlarger

EL-Nikkor 50/4.0 metal enlarger

EL-Nikkor 63/3.5 metal enlarger

 

Other UV-capable lenses used by UVP members.

Asahi Pentax 35/4.0 Takumar (Yes, that is f4.0 and not f3.5.)

Carl Zeiss Jena 50/3.5 Tessar T

Exatar 35/3.8 Exaktar

Jupiter-12 35/2.8 Krasnogorsk

Meyer-Optik Görlitz 35/4.5 Primagon

Meyer-Optik Görlitz 50/2.8 Domiplan

Meyer-Optik Görlitz 58/1.9 Primoplan

Olympus 35/2.8 G.Zuiko

Phago 50/3.5

Russar 20/5.6 Krasnogorsk

Steinheil 45/2.8 Cassarit

Steinheil 50/2.8 Auto-Cassaron

Steinheil 50/2.8 Edixa-Auto-Cassaron

Tokina 28/2.8 (which one??)

Weltblick 55/2.5 Weltblick

 

 

You can search for all tagged Lens topics on UVP by going to the search page and entering Lens into the Tag Search box.

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