A paler shade of ultraviolet

[nfoto]

Steve:

while D2X certain can do UV(A), its UV response drops very quickly down the spectral band and while I haven't made direct measurements, I'd be surprised if there is anything at all left below 370 nm or so. This makes the camera not very suited for many UV applications. For example, UV nectar guides on flower petals are typically present around 350-360 nm and D2X would not record these properly unless exposures were greatly prolonged, not very practical when you do close-ups of flowers :frown: .

I see issues with D2X and landscape UV as well, sometimes the camera performs marvellously, on other occasions, the resulting image is very very soft, lacking in detail and contrast, so as to be virtually useless. Also exposure time for UV landscapes tends to run into 10-20 sec or longer even under ideal conditions (slightly overcast, but bright sun). This is impractical for many UV applications.

While I often shoot UV with D2X, this is more to augment my understanding of the camera's potential, and I normally switch the setup over to my standard UV camera, D70, or its backup, D1H, to get the "real picture"

 

[Wilk]

Update... rule #1 - read as much as you can, so you can ask informed questions :wink:

I re-read your D2x reveiw, and I think it's probably worth a shot giving UV a try. If you have any observations since then, I'm all ears. But I'm big on not asking questions for which I can get informed answers from - epecially when the author of the answers is the same person I'm asking the question of!

What a joy it is having you a part of this forum!

 

[Wilk]

Steve:

while D2X certain can do UV(A), its UV response drops very quickly down the spectral band and while I haven't made direct measurements, I'd be surprised if there is anything at all left below 370 nm or so. This makes the camera not very suited for many UV applications. For example, UV nectar guides on flower petals are typically present around 350-360 nm and D2X would not record these properly unless exposures were greatly prolonged, not very practical when you do close-ups of flowers :frown: .

I see issues with D2X and landscape UV as well, sometimes the camera performs marvellously, on other occasions, the resulting image is very very soft, lacking in detail and contrast, so as to be virtually useless. Also exposure time for UV landscapes tends to run into 10-20 sec or longer even under ideal conditions (slightly overcast, but bright sun). This is impractical for many UV applications.

While I often shoot UV with D2X, this is more to augment my understanding of the camera's potential, and I normally switch the setup over to my standard UV camera, D70, or its backup, D1H, to get the "real picture"

Thanks for the quick response, you were responding as I was with my update :biggrin: I do have another D70 with the standard bayer filter... I'll likely keep that unmodified as a backup. Nice thing about trying the D2x is I don't have to chip the E lens I end up with.

This is a longer term goal, so I may not get into it for a while, but I'll keep you posted. Your artistic musings in invisible light is such an inpsiration to me, I can't thank you enough.

 

[strobel]

I would have to agree this shot is strangely fascinating..