Steinheil Quinon 152mm vs UV-Nikkor 105mm for reflected UV photography

Today a comparison between the well known UV-Nikkor 105mm lens and the hardly known Steinheil Quinon f2.8/152mm lens (this lens seems to be a prototype as a f2.8 Quinon is not known, not even in the Steinheil production list). I'm using a white Phalaenopsis flower for that comparison and my work horse UV filter, the Baader-U filter. Light source was an UV enhanced Xenon flash as well as a Nichia 365nm UV LED. All shots done at f11.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Steinheil 152mm: UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm) and Xenon flash:
 

UV-Nikkor 105mm: UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm) and Xenon flash:
 

Steinheil 152mm: UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm) and UV LED:
 

UV-Nikkor 105mm UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm) and UV LED:
 

Comparison, UV-Nikkor image scaled to fit Steinheil:
 


That Steinheil lens transmits down to about 340nm and at 365nm has about 35% transmission.

This comparison shows, that the UV-Nikkor 105mm is very hard to beat, but finding a longer focal length UV-capable lens is a hard thing to do, so that Steinheil seems to be rather useful!

I have written about other Steinheil lenses 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