Now, since I have just talked about various colored eyewear that I own, I thought I’d mention a few of the filters that my camera wears now and then. Unfortunately at this point, pictures will be unavaliable until my camera is back in the field (she’s in pieces atm, which I will talk about later on, as it involves technology and is rather cool surgery.) Now since my predeliction towards the unseen is definatly there with the exotic (IR, UV photographu) or the slightly esoteric with mounting a pinhole to my camera, the filters that will be mentioned will be of these categorys.
Now with regards to the lens’s that get used, most of my shooting has been done with my favourite lens I own which is a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 prime. Not the best lens for IR photography for its troublesome with Hotspotting and backfocus issues, but shes got nice weight to her and a damn fine lens for visible work. However I have added a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II to my collection in the very recent past and she will get a good workout once my camera is back together as she is alot more usable in relations to hotspots and backfocus. However if someone wishes to purchase me a Coastal Optics UV-VIS-IR 60mm Apo Macro lens they are most welcome to as it would become my main lens for almost everything (its only about $4500 US.) With these lens considerations out of the way, the reason why all my filters are of 58mm size is because most of my lenses use that thread, a 52-58mm stepping ring for the f/1.8 however is used. And now the filters themselves.
For my standard filters I carry with me when out the run of the mill workhorse is a simple HOYA R72 Filter (58mm.) A common fitler for IR work and is cheap compared to some of hoyas darker glass. It lets through some deep red light and tends to give quite nice false color images. This filter I also own in a variety of sizes, a 37mm and a 52mm as well. [Images will go here]
The next filter I am going to start carrying now that I own the f/1.8 is my more expensive HOYA RM90 Filter (52mm.) A less common filter in many respects compared to say the B+W 093 which is definatly cheaper and due to its cost it will usually be seen with more serious IR photographers. A monochromatic IR lens as the dye on the bayermask of the CCD had become transparent to IR light by this point so false color images are not as simple. Most work ive done with this lens has been via an Imaging Source DMK 31BF03 monochrome video camera using CS mount lenses. So I cant really say too much about it at the moment until I put her through her paces with a color camera.
In the IR spectra, there is also a set of 3 25mm filters at 750nm, 820nm, 955nm (I think are the wavelengths) which were ordered due to a screwup on my part of what size glass I needed for my pinhole setup. Cheap chinese filters I really cant say to much about as Ive had little to no reason to use them. But they pass IR light I know that much by holding them up in front of the video cam and seeing throught them.
Now on to the more esoteric filters. For my threaded filters there is a B+W 403 filter using Schott UG-1 glass in conjucntion with a Tiffen Hot Mirror. Cant honestly say too much about it tbh, Its got a very short workout so far since my lenses arent the best to pass UV (damn glass lenses, need fluoride lenses.) Which is a little disapointing cause it wasnt cheap. Ill have to test it with the f/1.8 which has less elements. I’d like to get a Baader Planaterium Venus filter for UV which has less IR passing that what I have currently, but doesnt come in a 58mm mounted filter so not so useful. However UV in this case isnt so important as I cant effectivly take pictures in that waveband yet.
This isnt my only UV filter though, there is also an unmounted (as in no screw fitting) 25mm disc of HOYA U-340 glass to go with my pinhole lens assembly (rather complex tbh, EOS to T mount adaptor, then a T mount lens holder holding a precision pinhole of either 300um or 400um and the glass. Doesnt work too bad if I say so myself, but have to figure out a way to mount a hotmirror/IR block on it so its straight UV.
Now onto filters I want/need. The top of the need list is a MaxMax CC1 Color Correcting filter. Due to the surgery my camera is undertaking, her ability to take normal photos has been hurt, as too much IR is now seen (and deep red at that.) The CC1 will correct this problem but I have yet to order it as their international ordering is screwed up with calculating shipping.
The Top of the Want list is all of the MaxMax filters. In particular their bandpass filter set. Mmm gorgeous false color images purely in the IR band. I also wouldnt mind a set of visible light Band Pass filters to use with my monochrome camera as well. Hell, what Id really love is the coastal optics lens, a monochromatic DSLR and a large filterwheel full of bandpass filters. Yay for hyperspectral images.
Links to where I bought things:
Photo & Video Accessories
Hoya R72
Hoya RM90
B+W 403 (Schott UG-1)
Tiffen Hot Mirror
Edmund Optics
Pinholes (300um and 400um)
Hoya U-340 25mm
MaxMax
X-Nite Color Correcting Filter #1
X-Nite Band Pass 660nm-750nm
X-Nite Band Pass 710nm-855nm
X-Nite Band Pass 835nm-955nm
Coastal Optics
Coastal Optics UV-VIS-IR 60mm Apo Macro
August 20th, 2008 | Camera Things