Gazania rigens: human vision vs simulated bee vison using a quartz singlet lens for reflected UV ultraviolet photography

This is a Gazania rigens flower that I have shot before but now using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet, stopped down to around f16 (estimated as no scale). Took some shots in normal human vision VIS, in UV using the Baader-U and Jupiter-U filter, as well as in simulated bee vision using my XBV2 and XBV3 filters respectively.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual shot:


Simulated bee vison using XBV3 filter:


Simulated bee vison using XBV2 filter:


UV using Baader-U filter:


UV using Jupiter-U filter:


So and here you have the comparison as a quadriptych VIS-UV-BV2-BV3:




Missed the focus at the visible shot a bit obviously since this lens is not color corrected, i.e. has some focus shift. As you may further notice, the center is quite sharp, but of course the more outside it gets, the more the blur increases. For flowers this can actually be quite nice in my opinion.

Well, of course I cannot make a decision for somebody else if an investment of a few hours work and, depending if a mechanic is needed or not, the cost for making such a lens mount is within budget, but surely such a quartz singlet could be, as it can be had new for about $100. There is inconvenience of course, due to the "substantial" focus shift, but lifeview solves that easily.

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