# Has anybody here tried UV photography?



## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Lately I have UV photography on the brain. Bees see in near UV, and what they distinguish in flowers is amazing. They see patterns we don't including changes in flower appearance in the UV depending on the presence of nectar. I just gotta try this.

Evidently you can get modified pocket cameras with UV capability for not much money. There are mods for some DSLR brands that I don't own, including Canons. But I have a couple of digital Nikons and was wondering what they can do. Apparently they can detect near-UV if you can get the lenses right. This led me to Company Seven, a telescope outfit near me from which I bought a 'scope many years ago. They sell an old Nikkor lens with UV lens elements ... fused quartz and calcium fluorite. For $6000. This is a very good UV lens but the price is a non-starter.

OK, what other lens work? One website mentioned some simple 4-element lenses, leading me to dig in the drawer for an old Nikkor 50mm f1.4 manual from a bygone era. It is a 7-element lens but with a huge aperture, so worth a try. I tried it out with a UV flashlight and some fluorescent paper ... it does indeed pass UV as I can focus the LEDs of the flashlight on the paper in the fluorescent pattern. 

Leaving the need for a filter to block visible light. The usual recommendation is a Wratten 18A filter, but I had no joy finding a seller. But finally I found some "Grade 403 UV Black" UV A filters that will fit my lens, for $88.50 from B&H. Sounds like next spring I'll be eagerly awaiting the first blooms with this rig.

But I was wondering if any of you had better options.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

I still shoot a bunch of IR black & white film. If I remember correctly years ago, say 40, I shot a few rolls of UV slide film. I believe the cars, building and the such kept their color but the grass was red. If I have time I'll look around and see if I can put my hands on them. I guessing they don't sell UV slide film any more.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

photobiker said:


> I still shoot a bunch of IR black & white film. If I remember correctly years ago, say 40, I shot a few rolls of UV slide film. I believe the cars, building and the such kept their color but the grass was red. If I have time I'll look around and see if I can put my hands on them. I guessing they don't sell UV slide film any more.


This guy got the red grass effect, and from the description he just used color film: http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_IR_rev00.html

I think maybe a few niche places sell slide film, but I have not bought any since the old Nikon F4 died. Apparently you can do false color on UV images on digital cameras, about any colors you like.

One of the accessories Company Seven recommends with the $6000 lens is a "Baader U" UV filter that blocks the stray IR coming thru other filters. At $355, plus a 48-52 mm adapter to mount it to my lens, probably not enough to make my wife leave me (although she might grouse a bit and make me do more dishes).


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

The memory is not quite correct. I shot color IR not UV. But the trees and grasses were red. I guess it is the same effect I get with b&w IR film.

Quick check and there is at least one color UV forums out there and there seems to be a lot of plant/flower stuff.
http://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/


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## Jayoung21 (Jun 22, 2010)

I just read this thread and it gave me an idea. Not meaning to hijack. Do you think a UV lens would be able to detect the heat from a hive in a tree or would the tree be too much insulation? I know they use FLIR to detect heat leaks in houses, around windows, ect. Seems like it could be a pretty good way to find bee trees if it worked.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Jason, there was a thread within the last week or so discussing finding bees using UV. Along the lines of finding the cluster in walls.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Jayoung21 said:


> I just read this thread and it gave me an idea. Not meaning to hijack. Do you think a UV lens would be able to detect the heat from a hive in a tree or would the tree be too much insulation? I know they use FLIR to detect heat leaks in houses, around windows, ect. Seems like it could be a pretty good way to find bee trees if it worked.


That's longwave IR, not UV, but I absolutely would like to try my Flir i7 thermal imager on a swarm. Might also be an aid in doing a cutout. Alas, I'm not on the club's swarm call list, so I have not yet gotten a chance to try it.

Can you tell I like extreme photographic toys?


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Sounds like extreme toys equals expensive toys. Hopefully I'm done buying equipment. Now a days it darkroom papers and chemicals and mat board.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

photobiker said:


> Sounds like extreme toys equals expensive toys. Hopefully I'm done buying equipment. Now a days it darkroom papers and chemicals and mat board.


Well, yeah, but expensive is relative. I got away with the $2k thermal imager (and there are even cheaper options now). I convinced my wife it was a good consulting tool, and a bargain compared to the $30k models I wanted at work back in the '80s.

She wasn't going for the $6000 UV lens. She's OK with the $89 UV filter stuck on an old lens.

What can I say, its an educational hobby, and maybe a consulting tool.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

I had a friend from the Netherlands that had removed the ir filter from the sensor in his point ad shoot digital camera and replaced it with a piece of exposed amd developed flim. The result was pretty good ir imaging.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I have some security and trail cameras that do IR pretty well. Both of my DSLRs still have their IR filters in place, which will actually help with the UV pictures. The less expensive UV filters have a gap in their blocking and let thru some IR.

But it is standard practice when modifying a DSLR for IR astrophotography to yank out the IR blocking filter. My Nikons are not the first choice for astro work ... I might need to pick up an abused Canon for that.

I can see me going out with a Frankencamera ... an IR on one side, a visible light camera in the middle, and UV on the other side, all mounted on a rail. The shutter release will be tricky ... both Nikons would respond to the same remote control, but the Canon would be the oddball.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

This is interesting....I have a Sony nex 3 body that I might consider modifiying.http://m.instructables.com/id/DIY-Permanent-Infrared-DSLR-Camera/?ALLSTEPS


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Phoebee was looking at UV which is the spectrum bees see in. See what they see. Color IR shows most plant material as red in color and everything else a normal. B&W IR I think is a little cooler. Has a ghost or surreal effect. I believe you can shoot b&w IR in most of the higher end digital cameras these days with just changing a setting or two. I still shoot IR film. See attached








This link to photobucket give you a better/larger image.

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee459/ellell16/Image1resized_zpsc908a4a2.jpg


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Speaking of ghostly images, here are two of one particular fawn. In the IR photo taken at night with a game camera and IR illuminator, he looks white. Deer typically look ghostly white in black and white IR.









But check the same deer in daylight (the following year, sporting spikes) and he looks ... white. That's why we call him Casper.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Here is one of Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. I tell everyone the white spots are spirits, they tend to back up a bit.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I'd call them fireflies.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

photobiker said:


> Here is one of Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. I tell everyone the white spots are spirits, they tend to back up a bit.


I think one of the ones in the back left may be my Dad. Hollywood Cemetery is his current residence.


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Berry, actually I think or hope the spots are air bubbles on the film where I didn't shake the film well enough in the development tank. Got to give it a couple of good raps or shakes to dislodge any bubbles from the film.

Phoebee your Dad is in a really neat place. I love going up there and shoot b&w IR. They have some really unique monuments.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

A few from a tour of a Manassas cemetery, in false color thermal imagery around the 10 micron band, using the Flir i7. The ones showing the name have some interesting physics going on. The smooth part of the stone does not show the temperature of the stone because the shiny surface is reflective in IR. The low indicated temperature is the sky temperature. But the engraved name is a rough-surface and cavity, both of which tend to make it give a valid temperatur reading. One view shows a tree reflected. These are low resolution pics as the camera is 140 x 140 pixels.



























Looking up the name Hottenstein, this marker turns out to have some historic significance. It is for Solomon J. Hottenstein, recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. 

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=b8e438ef-5bca-414a-b7dd-1206b852679b


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