Godox AD200 Speedlite-head mod. for UVIVF

[ulf]

Some time in the future I would like to try UVIVF with my Godox AD200 flashes.

The Speedlite-head H200 that comes with the flash is very fast and easy to modify.

You just need a PH1 screwdriver to loosen two screws to reach and replace the thick inner glass filter while at the same time remove the fresnel lens.

Retightening the screws need some finesse as they are screws cutting their thread into a hole in the plastic structure.

 

The H200 heads can be bought separately if needed.

 

I discussed with my optician, the possibility to shape a filter glass after the shape of the original glass filter.

He wanted to try doing it with his advanced grinding machine.

Last summer I bought a few ZWB1, 3mm with a diameter slightly bigger than the original filter. At the same time I also got a few FS windows, 2mm with the same diameter.

 

Yesterday I finally got the filters reshaped.

They fit perfectly into the gasket and slot in the flash head. The modification took less that a minute per flash head.

From left to right, bottom row, shaped  ZWB1, fused silica window and original yellow-tined glass filter.

Top row, two flash heads modified with the filters. The rightmost head, unmodified and with the fresnel lens in place.

 

The flash tubes in these flash heads are uncoated and emit a nice amount of UV. 

Here is a link to a post with pictures showing the flash head separated and also some emission graphs:

https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php?/topic/3206-is-the-godox-ad200-ttl-pocket-flash-kit-uv-convertable/#elControls_26649_menu

 

[colinbm]

I hope you have better luck then I have had with the AD200 flash, It is not bright enough in UV for my liking ?

[ulf]

It is always difficult with good UV- flash illumination.

 

I have had quite good luck with my two AD200, using the circular reflector and a straight quartz tube in the bare-bulb adaptor, so much that I bought yet two more flashes of the same type. I have not tested the quad AD200 set but hope to get even better control over shadows etc.

One of them is about four times as powerful as a modified Canon A199

 

For macro the two flashes are enough at 1:1, with the lens stopped down to the f/11 setting.

I only have to switch the camera to the sensors high gain setting at ISO640 for the U-360 stack. 

For other filter stacks I can run at ISO100 to get great noise performance.

 

If you need more UV it is likely that you have to use a mains powered solution, but I want to be able to be portable and use the flash on site outdoors.

I found that the AD600 with quartz-tubes was too weak due to difficulties in the reflector design. The AD200 flashes works quite well for me

[Doug A]

@ulf great looking project. Can't wait to see some images made with these. How did you cut the glass filters to fit the head. They don't look like standard rectangles. Four should output a lot of UV. 

 

Thanks,

Doug A

[Andy Perrin]

I'm looking forward to the photos, Ulf!

[ulf]

3 hours ago, Doug A said:

@ulf  How did you cut the glass filters to fit the head. They don't look like standard rectangles. Four should output a lot of UV. 

 

Thanks,

Doug A

I thought I answered that question in the first post:

"I discussed with my optician, the possibility to shape a filter glass after the shape of the original glass filter.

He wanted to try doing it with his advanced grinding machine."

What is unclear with that statement?

[Doug A]

@ulfnothing, I just totally missed it somehow.

 

Thanks,

Doug A

[KhanhDam]

20 hours ago, ulf said:

 

I found that the AD600 with quartz-tubes was too weak due to difficulties in the reflector design. The AD200 flashes works quite well for me

thanks for the detailed write up. too bad the ad600 never worked well after all that effort. I was really hoping you would make it work. these woudl be great for doing some milk splash model work using Uv rave paint like this stuff:  Paint Party Paint - Party Paint Videos, Frat Party, Church Festival, Music Video
are you getting the glass off of aliexpress through this store:  https://tangsinuo.aliexpress.com/store/1101294608/search?SearchText=ug11

[Andrea B.]

I hope you have better luck then I have had with the AD200 flash, It is not bright enough in UV for my liking ?

 

Can't you flash it multiple times?

With both the old Nikon SB-140 and SB-14 flashs, I usually set a long exposure interval and fire the flash up to 3 times for nice even coverage of the subject. This of course works best with smaller subjects. I haven't tried it for landscapes or such. 

 

What I do not know is whether other flashes have this capability of being fired manually. If not, then you would have to use two or three flashes units all fired simultaneously.