Nichia 365nm flashlight: Beam Homogenizer for reflected UV photography and UV induced visible fluorescence

Today, after having previously shown the Nichia based NC4U133 (365nm) / NC4U134 (385nm) systems and my newest High Power UV LED Radiation System with easily exchangeable radiation heads for nominal wavelength of 365nm, 385nm, 395nm, 400nm and 405nm using the most modern 40W UV LEDs, I present something much easier: a simple beam homogenizing solution for the meanwhile quite commom 365nm Nichia flashlights which use the single dice NCSU033A and NCSU033B chips.

After a long search I finally located a specifically designed beam homogenizing solution that sufficiently transmits UV and allows to generate a quite even radiation field, which is beneficial to have, especially for photography which usually requires even illumination of the target.

I have also tested it working with the newer 4 dice Nichia NC4U133 (365nm) and NC4U134 (385nm) chips, but those are not used for portable flashlights yet as far as I know.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Radiation field without homogenizing solution: 


Radiation field with homogenizing solution: 


Transmission of the homogenizing solution in use:


Theses simple flashlights are useful for different applications, such as stimulating visible fluorescence, reflected UV photography, forensic, dermatological and detal examinations and photographic recording, curing of UV glue / bonding, as well as leakage detection etc.

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

Zinnias: human vision vs simulated bee vison; reflected UV ultraviolet photography

Bought a few Zinnias today from my friend Christian Mayer, a very creative florist here in Weinheim, Germany. I'll show this bouquet of various Zinnias in multispectral representation. These shots were taken using inside using my Xenon high power flower flash 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, XBV3, XBV4 and XBV6 filters respectively as well as the new XNUV filter.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual image using a BG40 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XBV3 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XBV2 filter


Simulated bee vision using XBV4 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XNUV filter :


 Simulated bee vision using XBV6 filter :


UV using Baader-U filter:


UV using Jupiter-U filter:


IR (basically) using a simple ND filter:


Unfortunately these bread Zinnias don't show that prominent deep UV patterns as the mexican Zinnia haagena do ... oh well, not all what artificial breedings does leads to pleasant results.


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

Rudbeckia triloba: human vision vs simulated bee vison; reflected UV ultraviolet photography

Today about a Rudbeckia triloba in its multispectral representation, shot in Herrmanshof Park, Weinheim, Germany. I took the shots on a very windy and cloudy day using sunlight in normal human vision VIS, in UV using the Baader-U filter, as well as in simulated bee vision using my XBV2, XBV6 and XNUV filters respectively.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual shot:


Simulated bee vision using XBV2 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XBV6 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XNUV filter:


UV using Baader-U filter:


And here a polyptych of them all:


The new filtering technique makes the very prominent UV reflectance of the petals clearly visible.

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

Achromatic Quartz Fluorite Lens: Ultraviolet Photography and Simulated Bee Vision

Well, I had taken apart some older equipment a while ago and have extracted the quartz fluorite optics that was hidden in it. I now have added some focusing helicoid, as well as I had some front and rear adapters made to mount it. Results of using it I had shown here and here and today will even show a few more results using it. A yellow Gazania flower in its last stages served as a model for some multispectral shots, all at approx f8-f11.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light shot:


Simulated bee vision using XBV3 filter :


Simulated bee vision using XBV2 filter:


Simulated bee vision using XBV6 filter:


UV using Baader-U filter:


It only has a quite small focus shift of about 1/2mm when shooting macro, but that could have been expected from a well corrected quartz fluorite lens.


UV transmittance is also quite good, as was expected from a quartz-fluorite lens and stays rather flat even beyond 300nm.

More about that used quartz fluorite lens is  HERE.


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