[SAFETY WARNING] Wearing Safety Clothes for UVC Imaging

[dabateman]

SAFETY WARNING: 

UV-C is dangerous to your eyes and your skin.

UVP DOES NOT SUPPORT USING UV-C ILLUMINATION.

[UV SAFETY] UV-C Light Dangers

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This idea came as a start to a best practice article I think I will write for imaging at 254nm.

 

First of all, 95% of UV reflective imaging is conducted from 340nm to 400nm.

Do Not Buy a Germicidal UV bulb for UV reflective photography.

Next, don't even try to photograph in the lower UV ranges unless you own an expensive Quartz lens and a Special camera.

 

The special camera would be specifically selected for UVC and would not be the typical converted camera. This may include a photocathode imager, like I have. Don't try UVC imaging with regular cameras, you will kill yourself before you capture an image.

 

Once you have a camera that is known to work in UVC (proven when purchased), then you need to buy an Ozone free germicial bulb. These have Titanium doped glass and block all light less than 230/220nm. This is important as you will get monochromatic UVC (254nm) light and very little ozone. You will still smell some, but in a large room or with proper fans and ventilation you can work with it.

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Now the important question. BEFORE you turn on that UVC bulb -- what are you wearing?

You can't just wear ordinary clothing, because you need to protect your skin and your eyes.

 

Do not buy a lab coat! I have used gel docks for over 10 years and burnt my wrists twice. Lab coats will not seal around your wrists, and a glove-to-lab coat gap can easily form. You need to wear Nitrile gloves. So wear a comfortable, tight-to-wrist shirt that fits over or under your gloves well. Here I decided to test some of the clothes I have worn and will now never wear again!

 

Image of UVC germicial bulb with KSS Imager 254bp25 filter (ISO 200, F5.6, 1/10 seconds):

 

 

Amber UVex googles placed in front of lens (ISO 3200, F5.6, 1 second):

 

 

Orange UVex googles placed in front of lens (ISO 3200, F5.6, 1 second).

The Orange UVex googles are better than the Amber for blocking. I wear both, the Orange on top of the Amber, if I need to be in the same room with UVC light.

 

 

Plastic mask (ISO 200, F5.6, 1/2 seconds).

This was shocking to me. The mask is utterly useless. I will have to get a new hard plastic mask, like one from Eyes Wide shut. A metal one would be better, the goggles go over the mask on your face.

 

 

 

100% Polyester shirt (ISO 200, F5.6, 1/10 seconds).

Yes, as I expected -- don't wear polyester if you intend to photograph UV. You might as well be naked!

 

 

50% Polyester 50% cotton shirt (ISO 200, F5.6, 1 second).

Better but not great.

 

 

 

100% Cotton shirt (ISO 400, F5.6, 1 second):

 

 

So what we learned is NEVER to wear polyester for UV photography. Just like Lee filters, polyester is transparent to UV light. Also, I will need to get a better mask.

 

At a minimum wear the following:

• 100% cotton thick socks with shoes for safety.
• 100% cotton thick jeans.
  Better to wear leather pants if you have them (We won't judge you  - it's for safety).
• 100% cotton thick long sleeve turtle neck.
  Make sure it goes all the way to your hands and covers high up on your neck.
• Leather jacket for added protection.
• Nitrile gloves to protect your hands. Make sure that they seal over or under the turtle neck.
• Hard plastic mask. (I will have to upgrade this myself and retest.)
• UVex eye protection, preferably doubled.
• Leather or thick cotton hat.

 

You want to be comfortable, but DO NOT EVER take this stuff off if you are there in the same room with UV-C light.

 

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It is best to not be in the room with UV-C light. Learn how Wifi remote control applications work to remotely control your camera. Or use tethering software to remotely control your camera via computer.

 

Also get a computer controlled macro focus rail. These are expensive, but work best to move the focus point.

I don't have one yet, So I have learned the focus shift of my filters to light.

 

Additional Topic:  How to find UV-C focus point.

Get a ruler and photograph it sharp in the center using "safer" 385nm or 365nm LED light with your standard filter.

Switch to your 254.7bp25 filter and then leave the room.

Turn on your ozone-free germicidal light remotely with on/off switch power extension cord. (You are not in the room)

Remotely snap a couple of images using your remote control camera software (on phone or computer).

Remotely turn off the light. ( You are still not in the room).

 

Look at the photos and see where the focus shifted. Is it behind or in front of your safe light filter setting?

Learn the shift in mm on a macro focus rail to compensate for the light and filter thickness shift.

Or, if you don't want to change the framing, learn the degree of focus shift on the lens to get the middle.

Like roughly 5 to 10 degree rotation of the focus ring in left or right direction.

Repeat until you learn this well so that you can safely be not in the room when you want to image something in UV-C light.

[nfoto]

One can never be too careful with energetic rays.

 

What about posing for a whole-figure portrait in your UV-C proof attire?

[Andy Perrin]

What about posing for a whole-figure portrait in your UV-C proof attire?

Now that Victoria's Secret has ended their fashion show, we need some kind of replacement. I second this motion.

[dabateman]

These are the cloths I wear.

A full double jacket that has hood and covers over the mouth and neck with straps, with long sleeves with velcro that covers tight to the wrists. I found my shooting gloves, they are black ones in the photos. But I normally wear nitrile gloves. The current mask I was wearing, but will now be replaced. My thick 100% cotton jeans and my two pairs of Uvex googles.

 

If you place the Amber on first, then the Orange you can wear both.

 

Here is rushed photo of me all geared up. This was good practice as I see a major problem rushing this on. Does any one see it?

 

 

The answer is I didn't pull my draw strings for the photo. So you can see my hair. The mask fully covers my forehead, but not my hair.

[Andy Perrin]

Yeah, I’m thinking my “enclose the light source” plan is looking better all the time. Not that you aren’t stylish.

[dabateman]

I prefer to shoot remotely. Hence the never go in the room comments.

[Andy Perrin]

Haha, i have a studio apartment. There IS only one room.

[Stefano]

If we didn't have the ozone layer, this is how we should have dressed to walk outside. Like being on an alien planet which is hostile to life.

 

So, think about X-Rays, if someone wants to play with them. They go through wood, people, thin metal sheets... you would have to build a lead box and be far away.

[Stefano]

Also, UVC can damage your furniture, especially plastics and dyes (photobleaching).

[dabateman]

Haha, i have a studio apartment. There IS only one room.

You must have a bathroom. If it has a vent to outside fan above, that would be added ventilation bonus.

I think you can wifi connection to your Sony camera using Android or iOS. That might work.

 

Actually, no joke that might be perfect. Go to CVS or art store and get a large cardboard trifold presentation board. Buy some Semple black 2.0 or 3.0 if available on Amazon. Paint the board. Align it on your sink in the bathroom.

Place your subject in center of sink area to hold board down. Tilt one part up over the faucet.

Get a desk lamp that takes E26/E27 bulbs. Plug that into an extension cord outside the room. Add imager and camera to tripod. Most of the time I am 24 inches or less from my subject.

Turn the vent on to help clear ozone and use your phone outside to snap images.

 

I may have to try this with the 185nm light. As I have bathrooms to vent out the Ozone. I need 30 minutes warm up time for the 185nm bulb. But 254nm is instantaneous. As low pressure line.

 

[Andy Perrin]

Nah, I already have a copy stand for my TriWave. All I have to do is enclose it and add a fan to exhaust out the window (which is right next to the copy stand). I may motorize the copy stand so I can raise and lower the camera without touching it.

[dabateman]

Andy new idea. Get a kids play tent. Like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/c/2108469714

Although its cheaper on Amazon. Its taller than wide, so you could place your copy stand inside. Align one window to your real window for ventilation.

Then drap some high thread count, like 1000 to 1800, 100% cotton king sheets over top of the whole thing. You could then make adjustments through the door. Control your camera remotely.

Or get a king 100% cotton thick comforter, with cotton filling, to drap over the tent.

The less the air gap the better.

You could also add an exhaust fan to your window to increase ventilation.

 

I used thinish under shirts for the images above. So the cotton will block the UV, you just need high thread count or multiple layers to stop air gaps.