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UltravioletPhotography

First Flash


Cadmium

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This is the FIRST shot I have ever done using a flash for UV, so please excuse my excitement.

This is hand held, no tripod, very quick and simple.

This is using a Canon 199A (modified of course with the clear plastic front flash lens removed so it will not impede UV transmission).

CAUTION: Use precautions! This modification is dangerous, not only because of the capacitor, but also because of the UV light that is not blocked without the plastic filter.

DO NOT use this for shooting people, etc., and use eye/skin protection when shooting with this modified UV flash.

 

I have tried to get this flash to work on my Nikon before, but I was not able to get it to work, evidently because I didn't have the camera set to the correct mode.

In this test I have it set to Aperture Priority mode. 199A is installed on the hot shoe.

 

Again, just my first test using the 199A flash.

The flash has no filter on it.

The camera has a Baader U on the lens (Kuri 35mm).

post-87-0-63217000-1477034308.jpg

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An interesting twist on the topic 'Game of Gourds'; alternatively, 'How' to make UV images of Aliens' :D

 

You probably should experiment with using a bracket or similar for your flash to move it off the camera itself. In that manner less uneven illumination can be secured.

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I must go find some gourds! The convolutions are compositionally interesting.

 

Cadmium, you have me chuckling just a bit. Did you mean to write "please excuse my excrement"? Or did you want "please excuse my excitement"?? I would be happy to excuse either. :rolleyes: :D :D :D Did spell check kick in??

 

I've been hand-holding and manually triggering my UV-flash so that I can control it better. With my UV flash I must control the strength by changing the distance from the subject as the flash itself seems to have no way to increase/decrease the output. However, over the years, I have become adept at this and manage to get some nice even lighting by using 15-30 second exposures in which I can fire multiple flashes.

 

My UV-flash goggles live with the flash so they are always handy. B)

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Bjorn: Yes, the flash on top of the camera will not aim down low enough to give an even flash, so moving it off the camera would be good, and also that shot is so close to the subject, which doesn't help.

Added: I think if the flash tilted down a little more it would work good, but the flash is aimed a little high at it's lowest angle of rotation, here is a pic.

post-87-0-11952300-1477104321.jpg

 

Andrea: Cough cough, no... sorry, spell checker... I have edited that. :-)

 

That is an interesting technique, using longer exposure and multiple flashes.

I was mostly just excited to get the flash working with the camera at all, because I had tried a few times before, but for some reason it wasn't working.

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UV snapshot of Rudbeckia, outside at night, in the rain, hand held, using Canon 199A modified flash.

This shot was a little further away from the subject, so not as much uneven light perhaps.

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For moving the Canon 199A flash off the camera, as Bjorn suggested, I got one of these Nikon SC-17 hot shoe extension cords.

This works great, and the base of the flash end is threads for mounting on tripods/stands.

These are readily available used, and fairly inexpensive.

post-87-0-30362500-1477456879.jpg

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Now, apart from the actual brand of the flash and lens, this looks like my standard field gear for UV :D

 

Being able to move around and quickly capturing fleeting impressions in UV is great.

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Thanks Bjorn, Yes indeed, the UV flash is quite handy!

These mushrooms have been growing outside this fall for some reason, many more than in the photo, it has been raining, so I have stayed inside until today.

I hopped out there real fast with the 199A UV flash (and SC-17 cord) and shot this pic of them in UV.

This is a daytime shot, in the rain, hand held, ISO 400, f/8, 1/25s. Then back inside to dry off.

post-87-0-28883600-1477594803.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here is a UV bandpass test of the Cannon 199A UV/Full Spectrum modified flash, using the Sparticle, shot with La La U vs Baader U filters on the lens (Kuri 35mm).

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Cadmium, does the 325BP10 have the same peak transmission as the other filters? The short wavelength filters I've seen online have been like 40% or worse.
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Andy, That's right, their UV bandpass (BP) filters have quite varied peak amplitudes.

For example, here is the 325BP10 they have on eBay now: 310242377981

It is what it is, I am just using it here to see how much of the UV spectrum the flash has.

Part of the attenuation has to do with the lens and UV-only filters on the lens, all of which cut off right around 320/3255nm.

Here are a couple examples of the UV BP filter peak amplitudes I have, according to the graphs that came with them:

325BP10 = 14%

340BP10 = 30%

They are all different. They use to sell sets of these also, and I have seen graphs in the past showing a set of UV bandpass filters all together, which illustrated this point very well, but I can't find one of their sets right now.

You would need to look up the current offerings to see what the graphs look like.

 

As far as the flash, it seems to covers the UV-A range of the filter quite well.

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Yeah, you have to remove the clear plastic on the front of the flash, and if you are using the slip on wide angle frame, then you need to remove the clear plastic from that also.

The clear plastic could be replaced with some kind of glass or plastic which transmits UV deep enough for the task, but so far I have not installed any clear replacement.

I have been using mine with no filters on the front for UV only shots. For UVIVF (or UVIIRF) you can put filters in the slide on adapter, and some tape to seal up the light leaks and hold the filters in more securely.

So far I have not tried it with any filters, just for UV only.

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Here is a 199A flash test using the Sparticle + a clear CD plastic case, half and half, to show the difference.

CD plastic shows some small amount of bluish cast to the 15mm thick PTFE background.

Test is shot in absolute darkness, other than rear flash illumination. 15mm thick PTFE is rear illuminated by the flash, same as the bandpass filters.

The CD plastic may be a good safety feature to add to the flash when unfiltered, however, I have no way to test if the CD plastic cuts UV-B/C, or at what amount.

post-87-0-99374600-1480039227.jpg

 

See also comparison:

http://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/2028-making-xenon-quartz-flash-tubes-relatively-safe/page__view__findpost__p__14249

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Here is the Canon 199a flash original clear plastic lens (which needs to be removed, because it blocks UV).

Also two 199a flashes with UVT 1/8" (3mm) thick UV transmitting plastic installed, one of which as the back side of the plastic sanded.

These UVT lenses replace the original lens and transmit UV-A (and some UV-B extremely well).

I made my UVT lenses this size: 58mm x 33mm

post-87-0-18250000-1480209878.jpg

 

post-87-0-26684400-1480209898.jpg

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