UV Photography with Leica (Warning: Long post…)

[Sonnar Brian]

If it is the AA filter that messes up the UV, I suspect the Old Kodak DCS200m and DCS420m will work well. They do not have AA filters, just IR cutoff filters. The KAF1600 goes down into the UV, but not too far. I donated some quartz lenses to a researcher in Germany that was going down near 200nm or so.

 

[PaulN]

Hi Tom, with Paul's and your remarks, I may give that Summar a go 🙂

Does the summar even have threads for a filter? I have never attempted to put one on. If I can find a <$50 filter that I can jimmy onto it, I'll take some shots and let you know. I had $$ before I purchased the R-D1 😉

Given the small diameter of the lense, I can't imagine it being too expensive. SLR filters on the other hand were >$100.

-Paul

 

[waterlenz]

Does the summar even have threads for a filter? I have never attempted to put one on. If I can find a <$50 filter that I can jimmy onto it, I'll take some shots and let you know. I had $$ before I purchased the R-D1 😉

Given the small diameter of the lense, I can't imagine it being too expensive. SLR filters on the other hand were >$100.

-Paul

You might be able to adapt a microscope filter. Standard size for older (up to ~ 1990) Carl Zeiss microscopes is 32mm OD. These show up on the bay with some frequency for little $$. UV light is used in microscopy. Hg arc lamps are used to generate the UV.
Tom

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Does the summar even have threads for a filter?l

Yes, it has threads for a filter, and you can also use the snap-on 36mm filters.

 

[regit]

Yes, it has threads for a filter, and you can also use the snap-on 36mm filters.

On top of the above suggested, you can get a adapter called SOOGZ. It clamps onto the lens barrel and allow you to use the more common 39mm size... here's a pic ...

Alternatively, you can fit a 34mm filter to the Summar. Kevincameras carries a number of them ... not UV-bandpass though...

 

[regit]

If it is the AA filter that messes up the UV, I suspect the Old Kodak DCS200m and DCS420m will work well. They do not have AA filters, just IR cutoff filters. The KAF1600 goes down into the UV, but not too far. I donated some quartz lenses to a researcher in Germany that was going down near 200nm or so.

If I may be so bold to ask, would KDS be the German researcher you're referring to?

 

[XAos]

Are you referring to the filter prices? Not the cheapest around, but I think it is competivite in lights of what a B+W IR filter costs...

Ah, well, I generally shop for filters in two sizes. 55 covers my 55 and 52's and I've also got a 77 & 72 which can be covered by the 77's. I didn't see them in 55 and the first price for a 77 I saw was north of $150, which for me is a lot to pay for a very specialized filter. Adorama has a 55 for $44.

 

[kds315]

If I may be so bold to ask, would KDS be the German researcher you're referring to?

Yes Regit,

to make it easier for Brian, that was me he donated that lens to. Now it looks like this and works quite well on a RD-1 and D70:
http://www.macrolenses.de/ml_detail_sl.php?ObjektiveNr=240

The UA Tak 85mm works very well btw for this kind of photography and here you find much info on suitable "UV lenses" (meanwhile I also found quite a few others which I calibrated for UV use):
http://www.macrolenses.de/objektive_sl.php?lang

Cheers, Klaus

http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.com/