Saturday, November 6, 2021

Russian Catadioptric ZIKAR-1A f1.2/100mm anastigmat lens for space use

Today about a lens I have forgotten to write about it here: the Russian catadioptric ZIKAR-1A f1.2/100mm anastigmat lens I found in 2018, which had been developed for the Russian space defence program, to detect fired rockets aiming at the (then) USSR from about 45.000 km away, mounted at some special (unknown) camera system from a satellite in orbit around earth. It is a catadioptric system with two Beryllium mirrors, very fast f1.2/100mm and some fluorite auxiliary lenses. Several such systems were successfully launched into space and were in operation several years long.

(source: net)

I found a russian document about it HERE (Google translated) :
On September 19, 1972, the first space-520 experimental SPACECRAFT was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. On Board in addition to the control equipment and reset information were installed two types of BAO: television (MBT-A) and heat direction finding (105-A). The TV-type equipment was a two-chamber receiver with IR-vidicons Radian with a lens”Zikar-1A". One camera had a relatively wide angle of view (SPK) and the other narrow band (UPK). The field of vision of the CPC was inside the field of vision of the SPC. The TP-type equipment had one line of fifty sensitive elements scanning the field with the help of a swinging mirror. The total field of view was no more than 10 square degrees. (end)


From that and more data I found that it was designed for SWIR, 1.5 - 2.5 microns, I assumed that this lens would only useful for IR and possible visible light, but having it on my spectrometric UV-VIS-IR system surprisingly revealed that it could be used in UV down to 320nm!

(own spectrometric measurement)


Further research showed that his lens was a part of TB (телевизионная аппаратура) unit, possibly used as an auxiliary lens to help aiming a much larger main lens unit. That main TП (теплопеленгатор) unit was a massive lens with a main mirror having a diameter of one meter (100 centimeters or 1.000 millimeters) [early versions УС-К had a diameter of 50cm; later versions УС-КМО had 100cm (1.000 millimeters)].

That impressive main unit УС-К/УС-КМО looked like this:

(source: net)

1 - a mirror made of vitrified beryllium with a diameter of 60 cm, the surface shape being a convex hyperbola of the second order.
2 - a mirror made of vitrified beryllium with a diameter of 100 cm, a surface shape being an aspheric of the 12th order.
3 - correcting lenses made of fluorides of calcium and lithium.


That ZIKAR-1A lens will be given a suitable adaption to fit my digital multispectral cameras and I will certainly take multispectral photos with it as soon as possible and report about here later on. That will not be easy, as it has a very short back focal length.

Data of this lens, as well as its normal (= non catadioptric) quartz fluorite sister lenses with shorter focal length may be found on my macrolenses database site HERE


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

Friday, October 8, 2021

UV-VIS-NIR Camera + Lens + Filters system for Sale

I have here a complete professionally full spectrum converted UV-VIS-NIR Olympus M5 MkII (with pixel shift technology 40/80MB) camera system for sale, including 85mm lens with neglectable focus shift, infinity to 0.6x focusing range (up to 1x with a short tube), Baader-U UV (320-380nm) transmission filter as well as a Schott BG (for visual light) filter, magnetic filter holders plus Teflon white standard, which I would sell, as that client of mine just dropped out due to a budget issue.

 
 
Other filters or modifications on request. If interested please drop me an email....

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Nectar Mimicry at Lewisia cotylodon made visible using multispectral photography I

Today about something new: Nectar Mimicry! This Summer 2021 I took shots of an orange long blooming, perennial flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. And this was when I detected a highly refective ring in visible and especially reflected UV photography. Talking to Prof. Klaus Lunau, whom I know since years, revealed that he has just recently discovered and published about this!

This clearly visible reflecting ring, formed by those shiny petals which is also visible in UV has recently been discovered by Prof. (em) Klaus Lunau of the University of Duesseldorf, Germany and he has published about that in NATURE 2020 here: Lunau, K., Ren, ZX., Fan, XQ. et al. Nectar mimicry: a new phenomenon. Sci Rep 10, 7039 (2020). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63997-3

All these shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was Xenon light from my UV enhanced studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this and this highl yreflecting ring structure gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

I have written more about that flower 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

Friday, August 20, 2021

Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision VIII

Today in Summer of 2021 more shots of an orange long blooming (2nd bloom), perennial flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was Xenon light from my UV enhanced studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision. 

But there is also a reflecting ring visible, formed by those shiny petals which is especially visible in UV! This has recently been discovered by Prof. (em) Klaus Lunau of the University of Duesseldorf, Germany and he has published about that in NATURE 2020 here: Lunau, K., Ren, ZX., Fan, XQ. et al. Nectar mimicry: a new phenomenon. Sci Rep 10, 7039 (2020). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63997-3

I have written more about that flower 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

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Creeping Zinnia - Sanvitalia procumbens in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision V

Today in Summer 2021 shots of a long blooming flower Creeping Zinnia - Sanvitalia procumbens in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was a studio flash, modified for higher UV output.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Sanvitalia has a strong visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 365nm and its center is quite UV dark, and this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

I have written about Sanvitalia previously 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

Friday, July 30, 2021

Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision VII

Today in Summer of 2021 more shots of a  pink long blooming (2nd bloom), perennial flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was Xenon light from my UV enhanced studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

I have written more about that flower 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

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision XVI

Today in 2021 shots of a human bread beautiful flower, originating from the USA Prairie, a Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as in simulated bee and butterfly vision using my XBV filters. All shots were done at f8. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was my UV enhanced studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected ultraviolet (UV):
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, ultraviolet, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

This flower shows a very prominent UV bullseye pattern, as its petal tips are very UV bright (around 365nm) and its center is very UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have previously written about that flower 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

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Black-Eyed-Susan - Rudbeckia fulgida in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision VI

Today in 2021 shots of a beautiful flower, originating from the USA Prairie, a Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia fulgida in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as in simulated bee and butterfly vision using my XBV filters. All shots were done at f8. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight (shade).

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected ultraviolet (UV):
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, ultraviolet, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

This flower shows a very prominent UV bullseye pattern, as its petal tips are very UV bright (around 365nm) and its center is very UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have previously written about that flower 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

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography as moving GIF XX

Today in 2021 more about that long blooming spring flower Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was a modified for high UV output Studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Animated Gif image to show that invisible pattern (need to click):
 

Bidens has a strong visible UV "bullseye" pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 365nm, its center is quite UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in this animated Gif-Image. 

I have written about Bidens previously 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

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision XIX

Today in 2021 more shots of a long blooming spring flower Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was a modified for high UV output Studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych (details) of human vision, UV, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Bidens has a strong visible UV "bullseye" pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 365nm, its center is quite UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

Here I was testing a new black backdrop, as it is rather difficult to find materials which really are "UV black", but this Japanese material seems to work very well, with approx. 0.7% reflection from UV to IR!

I have written about Bidens previously 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

Friday, April 23, 2021

Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision VI

Today in 2021 more closeup shots of a pink long blooming, perennial spring flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was Xenon light from my UV enhanced studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

I have written more about that flower 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

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision XVIII

Today in 2021 shots of a long blooming spring flower Apache beggarticks - Bidens ferulifolia in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f8 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision (new version):
 

Quadriptych (details) of human vision, UV, new simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Bidens has a strong visible UV "bullseye" pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 365nm, its center is quite UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision.

I have written about Bidens previously 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