Filter options for Yongnuo YN660 flash UVIVF

[Jon2070]

I am thinking about converting a Yongnuo YN660 (Xenon bulb) as per Dom's video

, by coincidence I already have three of these flashes and the wireless trigger. However to be safe I would probably buy a new one, so it can be done straight out of the box. I also do sometimes use all three for some setups, so would like to keep them unmodified.

 

Being located in the UK, I wonder whether there are any less expensive filter options for me? As I haven't found a UK supplier of the Hoya U340 77mm and the other filter to block the IR leakage, I haven't checked but I'm not hopeful.

 

The 'window' on the YN660 is about 70mm x 35mm, has anyone tried using two smaller filters side by side in such situations?

[Cadmium]

I think the adapter that Craig links to fits 560 and 660.

https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/3569-my-work/page__view__findpost__p__31094

[ulf]

Filters for our hobby are expensive, especially high quality ones to put on lenses.

Cadmium (Steve) produce such filters.

He has a filter set custom-cut for a Canon 199A with high quality material and might be able to supply you with a set better shaped for the YN660.

Here he is using the best IR-suppressing material S8612 instead of the fancy Midopt filter.

https://www.ebay.com...2kAAOSwEppcC2pa

 

For illumination it is sometimes possible to use less high quality materials if you get it right.

If your budget don't allow quality filters like the ones from Steve (uviroptics.com) you might try some Chinese filter material.

Then also if your camera is not modified (not full-spectrum converted) it's internal filters might suppress IR enough to not needing an IR suppressing filter on the flash.

 

I think this will fit your flash and might be worth a first try:

https://www.ebay.com...2wAAOSw7OdcLe39

This piece is 3mm thick and might suppress the IR better than displayed in the crappy transmission diagram.

I don't trust the diagram a bit, but if the glass material is reasonably good for a Chinese filter glass the 3mm will definitely help.

 

Be aware of that this might not be a perfect solution, but it will be cheapish enough to try.

[Cadmium]

That will not remove red/IR.

[Jon2070]

I think the adapter that Craig links to fits 560 and 660.

https://www.ultravio...dpost__p__31094

 

Thank you Steve, I've read through the post and see that Craig is in Australia, does he sell these adaptors and ship to the UK?

 

Filters for our hobby are expensive, especially high quality ones to put on lenses.

Cadmium (Steve) produce such filters.

He has a filter set custom-cut for a Canon 199A with high quality material and might be able to supply you with a set better shaped for the YN660.

Here he is using the best IR-suppressing material S8612 instead of the fancy Midopt filter.

https://www.ebay.com...2kAAOSwEppcC2pa

 

For illumination it is sometimes possible to use less high quality materials if you get it right.

If your budget don't allow quality filters like the ones from Steve (uviroptics.com) you might try some Chinese filter material.

Then also if your camera is not modified (not full-spectrum converted) it's internal filters might suppress IR enough to not needing an IR suppressing filter on the flash.

 

I think this will fit your flash and might be worth a first try:

https://www.ebay.com...2wAAOSw7OdcLe39

This piece is 3mm thick and might suppress the IR better than displayed in the crappy transmission diagram.

I don't trust the diagram a bit, but if the glass material is reasonably good for a Chinese filter glass the 3mm will definitely help.

 

Be aware of that this might not be a perfect solution, but it will be cheapish enough to try.

 

Thank you Ulf that is some great information, I came across Steve's U340/S8612 combination and it is an excellent solution.

 

As I am at the start of the UVIVF journey I am interested in the ZWB filters, is it best to use the one that you linked in combination with another ZWB to suppress the IR? I would be interested to hear other's experiences with the ZWB filters and flash. These could be a good entry point before progressing to the U340/S8612.

 

 

That will not remove red/IR.

 

Good to know

[Cadmium]

Jon, I wrote to Craig, and he has not replied yet, so I don't know the price yet.

I have two he sent me, and they work great, and it makes it very quick and simple to use the rectangular filters.

 

Send Craigk79 a private message on here. Click "Send me a message", top right on the following page (when sighed in):

https://www.ultravio...r/278-craigk79/

 

Here is his YouTube about it:

 

Here is his 3D printer page for the adapter:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3956427

 

Here is another YouTube showing how to convert the flash to full spectrum:

[StephanN]

You can also buy a simple plastic diffusor for around 8 € on amazon, cut out the front part and paste some filter glass in. Together with some duct tape around the sides this makes a usable filter system. Drawback: you can't just screw in a different filter

[ulf]

You could also just tape the filter to the front of the flash the same way as the round filters was fastened in the modification movie.

 

Steve is correct that you'll have some red and IR leakage with just a ZWB1 filter even if it is thick.

How problematic that is depends on how strong the fluorescence is. To improve you could add another ZWB1 to make it even thicker or add some IR-suppressing BG-type glass.

 

The technically best solution is the glass types that Steve uses, but it might be fun to start experimenting a bit with less expensive parts.

 

Instead of using a flash strong UV-LEDs might be an alternative. They do not emit any strong visual or IR and demand much less filtering.

There are different advantages with both types of illumination.

[Jon2070]

Jon, I wrote to Craig, and he has not replied yet, so I don't know the price yet.

I have two he sent me, and they work great, and it makes it very quick and simple to use the rectangular filters.

 

Send Craigk79 a private message on here. Click "Send me a message", top right on the following page (when sighed in):

https://www.ultravio...r/278-craigk79/

 

Here is his YouTube about it:

 

Here is his 3D printer page for the adapter:

https://www.thingive...m/thing:3956427

 

Here is another YouTube showing how to convert the flash to full spectrum:

 

Thank you Steve that is really helpful.

 

You can also buy a simple plastic diffusor for around 8 € on amazon, cut out the front part and paste some filter glass in. Together with some duct tape around the sides this makes a usable filter system. Drawback: you can't just screw in a different filter

 

Thank you Stephan.

 

You could also just tape the filter to the front of the flash the same way as the round filters was fastened in the modification movie.

 

Steve is correct that you'll have some red and IR leakage with just a ZWB1 filter even if it is thick.

How problematic that is depends on how strong the fluorescence is. To improve you could add another ZWB1 to make it even thicker or add some IR-suppressing BG-type glass.

 

The technically best solution is the glass types that Steve uses, but it might be fun to start experimenting a bit with less expensive parts.

 

Instead of using a flash strong UV-LEDs might be an alternative. They do not emit any strong visual or IR and demand much less filtering.

There are different advantages with both types of illumination.

 

Thank you Ulf, yes it does seem that Steve supplies the ideal solution, unfortunately the exchange rate is dire at the moment plus there will be customs and import tax on top. I will investigate the ZWB filter as a cheap starting point to see how I get on with UVIVF (I did this with AP using just the DSLR and tripod that I already had and now a few years later I have a dedicated cooled mono camera, broadband and narrowband filters, mount, telescope etc.... and a much lower bank balance).

 

Can you give me an example of IR-suppressing BG-type glass please?

 

Yes I had thought about a UV-LED for some of the applications that I have in mind and I will look into this more, I believe that the Convoy S2 is popular among the members here? I would like to try portraiture though and I think that a flash is the only option there.

[Cadmium]

Nothing both cuts IR and transmits UV as well as S8612, there is no equivalent. BG39 is the closest, but it will cut more UV.

So any other BG type will do the same, cutting more UV if given enough thickness to suppress the Red/IR.

There are examples on here, a while back or more now, showing the difference between UV flash suppressed with U-340 2mm and U340-2mm + S8612 2mm,

in other words, with and without Red/IR suppression. It looks different, perhaps better depending, but not a true visual fluorescence only, it has reflected red mixed in.

(see link below)

 

With the Convoy S2+ Nichia 365nm UV LED you don't have the Red/IR emission to suppress, the U-340 2mm will block any visual violet that leaks about 400nm, void of any reflected visual,

just pure fluorescence.

Yeah, I wouldn't do portraits with the convoy, but I don't know if I would to them with flash either.

 

Pylor demonstrates well how using Red/IR suppression S8612 cuts the red/IR.

Using a UV/IR-cut filter will cut the range the camera sees, but it doesn't separate visual fluorescence light from visual reflected light.

https://www.ultravio...ndpost__p__9952

 

Maybe that red sink looks cool, but it is not true pure fluorescing light, it has reflected visual light making it red.

That is the best example I can find on here, but he posted other examples using that flash/filter set.

[Cadmium]

Update. From talking to Craig, it doesn't sound like he is much into making the adapter for sale these days, but people can still 3D print using the info his website if they know how or know someone who knows how.

Too bad, great adapter and certainly worth whatever.

 

Also, about cheap filters from China, there was a whole topic a while back that grew into a discussion about all that:

https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/3950-interesting-store-on-aliexpress/page__view__findpost__p__36423

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