Adaptalux UV arms

[dancingcat]

My first test of Adaptalux UV arms; their website says the LEDs are 365nm... Adaptalux offers a free phone app which communicates via Bluetooth with the "pod" and allows you to vary the intensity of the arms individually.  I wanted a steady light source for use in the field for long exposures.  The photo below is the rig, using the white light arms.  Subject is Lindheimera texana.  [They were a mess after I dug them up yesterday, but perked up overnight.]  I really like the phone app to control the lighting.

 

 

And here is the first test of the UV arms.  Olympus EM1mk2-broadband, Sigma 30mm DC DN lens, BaaderU filter, 2x Adaptalux UV arms at 75% intensity, f/16, iso 200, 60".  Not great sharp - but that probably was pilot error.  I've ordered a good tube set for the Sigma lens so I can get closer; wildflowers around me are mostly smallish.  My Oly 60mm macro lens sadly doesn't see UV.  I do think though that two of the UV arms are going to be good in the field.

 

 

 

[Fandyus]

It's great you have such a nice setup, but a lot of your images thus far seem to have motion blur. Any idea why?

[dancingcat]

@Fandyus I'm not sure.  Some are very sharp of late, and some (UV in particular) are not.  I'll check my notebook and see if there's any differences in lighting or technique. 

[Dmitry]

You can use focus bracketing.

Or stacking if using modified firmware.

[Fandyus]

22 hours ago, dancingcat said:

@Fandyus I'm not sure.  Some are very sharp of late, and some (UV in particular) are not.  I'll check my notebook and see if there's any differences in lighting or technique. 

I think it would be better to check for whether the flowers or the camera is shaking during the exposure. Not to sound rude or anything - flowers in macro are surprisingly prone to flailing around, sometimes even just because you're breathing nearby.

[nfoto]

The combination of flowers and UV is a classic example of the observer impacting the observation. The flowers often respond very quickly to UV illumination by moving around. Perhaps not by a large distance; however in the close-up range that might suffice to give unsharp images. Thus, using a flash whenever possible and keeping an eye (sic) on the perfect focus is required. For photo stacks the problem tends to get worse and only by working rapidly can be movements be mitigated.

 

 

[dancingcat]

@nfoto Thank you, I had not considered the flower moving in response to the UV.  Long exposures under static lighting probably not a good thing.  So flash and up the shutter speed.  I'd been using a third hand on the stalk for the most part, but that won't keep the flower itself from moving.