UV torch/flashlight

[davholla]

Does anyone ever use this to look for inverts at night? If so what have you found?

 

[Original katomi]

What are they.

 

[480sparky]

What are they.

Inverts, or UV lights?

 

[Original katomi]

Uv lights I use, it’s the inverts I don’t know.
I use IR light and it picks out moths

 

[petrochemist]

What are they.

I think it's referring to using UV induced fluorescence to spot invertebrates.
I've tried UVIF photography but have found my UV torch isn't bright enough for many subjects. It works well enough for white paper, depression glass & tonic water, but for other subjects I've had to switch to a modified flash. Even then results have been disappointing for the local insects (no scorpions native here)

 

[davholla]

What are they.

I think it's referring to using UV induced fluorescence to spot invertebrates.

That is exactly what I meant.
How did you modify a flash to show UV light?

 

[petrochemist]

Modifying the flash is fairly easy, just a case of taking off the permanent diffuser panel and adding some filration to block visible - ZWB2 filters are the cheapest option but others are available with more UV transmission. Many such filters leak NIR, which is an issue if you want to use them for UV photography with a converted camera but fortunately not relevant for UVIF.

 

[Original katomi]

I used cheap torches from amazon for my uv projects
Never converted a flash

 

[480sparky]

What are they.

I think it's referring to using UV induced fluorescence to spot invertebrates.

That is exactly what I meant.
How did you modify a flash to show UV light?

The flash would have to emit UV light to begin with. A filter doesn't just create it, it just blocks out everything but UV. If there's any UV being emitted, then it would be allowed to pass through. If the flash doesn't make any, or so little it's of no use, then any modification you make won't work.

 

[petrochemist]

The flash would have to emit UV light to begin with. A filter doesn't just create it, it just blocks out everything but UV. If there's any UV being emitted, then it would be allowed to pass through. If the flash doesn't make any, or so little it's of no use, then any modification you make won't work.

Xenon arcs as used in flash guns do indeed include large amounts of UV. The diffuser panel permanently fitted (not a flip down secondary diffuser) is usually designed to block most of the UV, which is why I had to remove it.

The filter is only needed as the large amounts of visual light also produced will completely mask the fairly dim fluorescence.

 

[K9Kirk]

I bought one awhile back, full spectrum 365nM 380nM 395nM but haven't used it for photography yet, need a good subject that "lights up."