Filters for UV induced visible Fluorescence

Here now an overview and comparative test of filters for UV induced visible fluorescence, as an outcome of a recent test I made using a Phalaenopsis as a target. I was using for that test my newly developed High Power UV Flash with UV transmitting front filter to stimulate UV induced visible fluorescence.  As optics I used the X35 lens at f8, 1/160 exposure time and the various mentioned filters (but any good lens for visible photography would obviously do).

Just a reminder: The intention was to find a filter, which allows to record visible fluorescence in the 400-650nm range. Deep red or NIR flourescence >650nm is tricky to record, since it coincides with NIR (near infrared) transmitted from the flash, so it would be wiped out in the resulting images (IR leakage). To record that, either a NIR blocking but UV transmissive flash front filter has to be used (a bit tricky, but could be done by sandwiching a BG38 or BG40 filter in front of the UV transmissive flash filter), OR a excinting source like the Nichia 365nm UV LED has to be used, which emits no NIR/IR at all.

[click on image to see a larger version]

1. Schott BG38 filter, transmits UV, but filters out IR - NOT useful


2. Commercial noname IR Cut filter, obviously transmits UV, blocks IR - NOT useful


3. Omega UV cut, IR blocking filter (from 650nm onwards) - too much blue also cut off (missing blue)


4. Baader UV IR Cut filter - nice colors, but transmits to about 700nm, which creates an
issue with most UV transmissive flash filters, since NIR is transmitted (too bright reds)


5. Baader UV IR Cut filter + IR cut filter (from 650nm onwards) - nice and UV flash issue
also nicely covered; but needs two stacked filters


6. Xcut filter, UV + NIR cut, transmits ca 410-650nm - works nicely, the best, all in just one filter


7. Xcut2 filter, UV + NIR cut, transmits ca 400-650nm - works nicely, bit on the cold side with enhanced blue, all in just one filter


8. Tiffen Hotmirror - quite some UV bleed through - NOT useful
[identical to the Canon Hot Mirror Filter btw.]


9. B+W 489 IR blocking filter - quite some UV bleed through - NOT useful
[the B+W 486 digital UV IR cut filter cuts on at 370nm, so it will be about the same, NOT useful result]


10. Noname Hot Mirror Filter - quite some UV bleed through - NOT useful


...and just for the fun of it and for comparison....purely reflected UV...
Baader U-filter ("Venus") 310...390nm


Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...

More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos

High Power UV Flash for stimulated visible Fluorescence

Here a recent test I made to see if my newly developed High Power UV Flash would be able with just one pop to stimulate UV induced visible fluorescence. I used the X35 lens at f8, 1/160 exposure time and a Xcut blocking filter (prototype) ,which only allows 400-650nm vivible light to pass and thus also controls the risk of IR leakage coming from the flash, since Xenon emits plenty of IR. The flash itself is modified for high UV output and uses a quartz flashtube plus a UV transmissive, visible light blocking filter.

The following pic is (C) Michigan State University and shows clearly the high IR output of a normal Xenon flash (red line). The blue line however shows the effect of a flash circuit modification, allowing more amps per square centimeter to pass through the Xenon plasma, so as to enhance UV output and suppress the usually high IR content.

Here now the shot and the proof that the High Power UV Flash idea works to stimulate visible fluorescence:

[click on image to see a larger version]

And now how fluorescent minerals look like using that flash.

All fluorescent minerals from the famous Franklin Mine/USA:

Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject... More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos