Grow lights for UV illumination?

[Jonny]

I'm looking for a better UV continuous light - mainly for focusing but it could also contribute to my flash photography if it is powerful enough.

I've been using one of those £10 50 UV LED torches - they are OK but not great. I then 'upgraded' to a screw in 'black light' bulb - a CFL 40w type, and it isnt powerful enough to illuminate my models

 

I have seen a few alternatives, and wondered if anyone had experience with them? (links are examples only as to the kind of products I can find)

 

LED 'Grow Light' Bulb

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30W-50W-80W-E27-Led-Grow-Light-Bulb-Full-Spectrum-UV-IR-For-Plants-Vegetables-UK/122951748160?hash=item1ca07eca40:m:mJ5YS-MsCvU8gya67Lmx6FA

 

LED UV bulb

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Ultra-Bright-E27-UV-Ultraviolet-Color-Purple-Light-50LED-Lamp-Bulb-110-220V/131643644185?hash=item1ea6929919:m:mvtUAa_7TmW50a6glN6g9Yw

 

LED 'Grow Light' Panels

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/14W-LED-UV-IR-Full-Spectrum-Grow-Light-Panel-for-Indoor-Plant-Garden-Veg-Growing/292421714048?hash=item4415b14080:m:mM3yvrVF0FQVTYdMuJvobgw

 

Traditional ballast type grow lamps (expensive)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/600W-Grow-Light-Kit-Hydroponics-Magnetic-Ballast-Dual-spectrum-HPS-Bulb/152630477291?epid=3005736595&hash=item23897c41eb:g:Fb8AAOSwWSZarqoC

[Andy Perrin]

Did you see these threads yet?

 

http://www.ultraviol...orescent-lamps/

 

http://www.ultraviol...orescent-lamps/

[Cadmium]

Interestingly... Remember Vitaly Druchinin (owner of LifePixel)... looks like he has changed to, or expanded to making grow lights now.

 

https://chilledgrowlights.com/blog/600-watt-led-grow-light-giveaway

[Guest]

Hi Jonny. From my own experience, I can only speak to the first and second of your links above - both of which are essentially useless for UV imaging. Relating to fluorescent lamps, this may also be of interest to you (as far as IR contamination is concerned): http://www.ultraviol...__fromsearch__1

[Cadmium]

At one time, back before the proliferation of LED's lighting, metal halide lights were used for 'full spectrum' lighting for both 'growing' and marine coral aquariums.

They even had very special bulbs for each, with special extended output spectrum's.

I don't know how that 'old' technology compares to the newer LED technology spectrum's available, but there may be something available in the metal halide bulb s that would have more UV output than the LED lights.

 

https://www2.highend.com/support/training/metalhalide.asp

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=metal+halide+ultraviolet+spectrum+graph&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwj6iliaLaAhWoxVQKHTXXDTIQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=923#imgrc=QRfjaa9im8GX3M:

[Jonny]

Cheers both

 

Yes I think the 3rd link is a metal halide grow light?

 

I'm not concerned about IR leakage as it just a focus lamp, Mark do you know if either are bright enough to focus through a filter stack?

[Guest]

Jonny, I don't think either would be bright enough for focusing through a filter stack (of course, that depends heavily on the stack config). Generally speaking, you can compensate a weak source with a long exposure; but focusing would require a bright(er) source, at least bright enough to see in the image in real time. So I still wouldn't recommend either.