9 replies to this topic

[aboshoff]

Good day
I am interested in photographing fluorescence in the 400-600nm range.I would need a light source emitting in the region of 450nm and photograph the resulting fluorescence range.

I need advice and suggestions to the source of light i would need and where to source filters from
Thanks

[bvanant]

Good day
I am interested in photographing fluorescence in the 400-600nm range.I would need a light source emitting in the region of 450nm and photograph the resulting fluorescence range.

I need advice and suggestions to the source of light i would need and where to source filters from
Thanks

Give Nigthsea a call. They sell all the bits to do fluorescence/phosphorescence photography.
Bill

[davelew]

Good day
I am interested in photographing fluorescence in the 400-600nm range.I would need a light source emitting in the region of 450nm and photograph the resulting fluorescence range.

I need advice and suggestions to the source of light i would need and where to source filters from
Thanks

I've purchased dichroic filters from Omega Optical in Vermont in the past, but never for underwater photography (I used them for laser fluorescense applications).

If you are going to do this with an underwater setup, I would start by putting a band-pass filter on your strobe (cutting out everything but 450nm), a rejection-pass filter inside a flat port (cutting out the reflected 450nm light from the strobe so you can see the fluorescense), and a really high ISO setting on your camera.

[Mooseman1007]

I have just started putting together some kit myself on the cheap. I have bought a cheap LED dive torch and replaced the LED's with 405nm one's, then bought a cheap UV filter for the front of the camera. The two work nicely together so you cannot "see" the torch with the camera, but can see the resulting fluorescence. It illuminates GFP bacterial colonies ( usually visualised on my microscope using 485nm Excitation/ 515 Emission fine). Depending on what you want to photograph this solution may work on the cheap for you

[bvanant]

Where did you get the filters? From the website?
thanks
BVA

Edited by Drew, 20 August 2010 - 11:34 AM.

[blueglass]

Where did you get the filters? From the website?
thanks
BVA

If you are in UK you can contact Alex who will have them available soon.
Otherwise you can take a look at www.glowdive.com where you will find underwater ultraviolet lights and the filters needed to photograph underwater fluorescence. Website still in Spanish only, English version coming soon. Contact me at info@glowdive.com if you need more information.
Cheers,

Carlos

[Packhorse]

Interesting thread.

I have thought about building a UV light ring for my camera.

How important is it to use a UV filter on the lens?

[bvanant]

You will need to block out only the excitation wavelengths, otherwise you will not see "only" the fluorescence but also reflection and scattering.
Bill

[Basileus]

The main and worst thing in a real UW UV fluorescence, speaking about at least UV-C range, is the fact that polycarbonate will cut out all UV under ~450 nm. So, by using a standard UW strobe you will be unable to get UV-C – tested with YS-110a. LED light for 360-390 nm is very (VERY) expensive and not intensive a much. (several hundred mW of UV radiation)

Edited by Basileus, 13 June 2012 - 12:01 AM.

[tamas970]

I am thinking of getting into fluorescence photography as well and considering two types of lightning:

 

#1: DIY continous LED light using a 50W 460nm module - I have to find the right cheap "host" light yet.

 

#2: Blue filters, cutting off at <470nm for my INON S2000's - Here I am looking for the right filters that transmit >90% of the

blue (below 470nm) and <5% above 480nm. I browsed through the Lee brochure but haven't found any that fulfills my criteria.

 

Which one would be the more efficient for photography? In normal photography I'd never take a video light instead of strobes but here the LED version doesn't waste energy on unused colors while ~60% of the strobe's energy is not used. further advantage of the LED version is the video and focus assist capability.

 

Any suggestions on "host" light I could start with? (cheap, easy to build in a ~2*2" LED board, provides plenty of power - the best would be 36650 cells)