Ultraviolet photo cameras used by military?

[Avalon]

I remember reading a long time ago somewhere that ultraviolet photo cameras had military applications, too bad I can't remember where I found article since over 10 years have passed. They were used to photograph landscapes and to detect camouflaged objects from planes. So I was wondering what camera and lens were used, maybe I could find soviet equipment.

 

https://en.topwar.ru/1989-v-uf-diapazone-kamuflyazh-bespolezen.html

 

[Andrea B.]

For the record, the company referred to in that link, UVR Defense Tech, owned by our vendor-member, Reed Curry. 

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Like any military, they probably had Soviet companies make their gear to spec. As one example, Lomo made some UV-capable lenses for their Mars space program.

 

The cameras were film only back then. So the camera is less important than the film and the lens, both of which would need to be UV-capable.

 

Ebay has an ad for an antique, Soviet military aerial lens: LINK https://www.ebay.com/itm/391918446720

Of course, there are more. That is just one example.

 

Here is a list of Soviet/Russian military cameras: Military and Official Use Cameras on the website ussrphoto.com.

 

A funky old aerial cam made by Komz. Look for the photo with the wire grid over the lens. 

http://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?WikiCatID=17&ParentID=1&ContentID=799&Item=A-39+Aerial+Camera

 

A Soviet aerial lens: https://www.ebay.com/itm/404339168351

But is it UV-capable? Who knows!

 

[Dmitry]

Here they are on wiki

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Уран_(объективы)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastigmat

[Dmitry]

And here

https://radojuva.com/2022/06/uran-27/

 

... best to use with orange filter ...