[Filter Test] StraightEdgeU (v2016) vs. the Others: Scarecrow Garden Scene

[Andrea B.]

An important part of testing any new UV-pass filter, in addition to the usual technical tests, is to use the filter as you normally would in your daily photographic work. My goal in this test shoot, structured around UVR Optics' new StraightEdgeU, was to photograph a typical complex outdoor scene (in a garden) with a central subject (a carrot-holding Scarecrow) at a medium distance. After conversion, each file was fully finshed just as I would have done for any online presentation here on UVP.

 

The StraightEdgeU is an excellent performer for such scenes. It's high transmission ensures that focus can be made through Live View before the lens is stopped down when the UV illumination is good. I white balanced each file in the same location (lower left on the dirt), so you can see that the StraightEdgeU's interesting near-UV range of transmission may provide some artistic false colour possibilities when used for such complex scenes.

 

All details of the Test are provided in the formal write-up immediately following this post.

 

Equipment [D600-broadband + Coastal Optics 60/4.0 + Manfrotto Tripod]

 

All photographs may be clicked up to a 1000 pixel width in an expanded browser.

 

Visible [f/11 for 1/100" @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Cut Filter]

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/11 for @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with StraightEdgeU UV-Pass Filter]

 

 

Ultraviolet f/11 for @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with AndreaU Mk-I UV-Pass Filter]

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/11 for @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with U360(2.00) + S8612(1.75) UV-Pass Filter Stack]

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/11 for @ ISO-100 in Sunlight with BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

[Andrea B.]

TEST 3: Complex Scene with Central Subject at Medium Distance

Date: 24 August 2016

By: Andrea G Blum, UltravioletPhotography.com, Middletown, NJ, USA

Location: Deep Cut Park, Middletown, NJ

 

Filters: Baader UV/IR-Cut Visible-Pass Filter

Baader Planetarium 48mm BaaderU UV-Pass Filter on 48-52mm StepRing

UVIROPTICS 52mm Schott glass U360(2.0mm)+S8612(1.75mm) UV-Pass Filter Stack

UVR Optics 52mm AndreaU Mk-I UV-Pass Filter

UVR Optics 52mm StraightEdgeU UV-Pass Filter

 

Gear: Nikon D600-Broadband + Coastal Optics 60/4.0 + Manfrotto Tripod

 

Subject: Garden scarecrow surrounded by plants and flowers.

 

Conditions: Sunny, clear and hot with moderate humidity. Some breezes.

Solartech Solarmeter 5.0: 4.1 - 4.3 mW/cm2 (for UVA/UVB between 280-400 nm).

The sun was to the left of the photographer and the scene. During 3-5" exposures, the breezes caused some motion blur in the background foliage. Occasionally the breeze also disturbed the tripod. [Note to self: order new tripod.]

 

Exposure: f/11 @ ISO-100 with varying speeds as needed.

 

Other: The D600's base ISO of 100 was chosen to prevent excess noise. This necessitated exposures of a few seconds, but not so long as to need long exposure noise reduction.

LiveView: Viewable meter needed because the viewfinder must be closed for UV work.

Picture Control: Monochrome, for exposures of maximum luminosity without misleading false colour.

ADL: Low, for a slight dynamic range boost without affecting shutter speed.

Metering: Matrix

Mode: Manual

 

Converter: Photo Ninja 1.3.4b

For both Visible and UV photos, complete edits were applied following conversion to obtain fully finished, sharpened photographs. Photo Ninja's Plain colour control was applied with saturation 65. For the sake of uniformity, Photo Ninja's Daylight/Flash Light Source was used for colour profiling of the UV photos. White balance for each UV photo was made in the lower left corner on the garden dirt. The Visible photo uses a Photo Ninja custom colour profile made for the D600-broadband. The photos were cropped in slightly for improved composition.

 

Test Procedure: Make the best photograph possible with each filter.

Focus was made on the Scarecrow's left eye as seen on the LiveView screen. An initial visible reference photo was made, then for each UV-filter, a re-focus was performed. Several shots were made for each filter in order to overcome motion blur caused by the breezes or by the less-than ideal stability of the tripod. The first shot was at the metered shutter speed. Subsequent shots were pushed in 1/3-stop increments until blinkies appeared on the luminosity histogram. All shots at the metered shutter speed were underexposed. This is not a surprise because we know metering is affected by the dark UV-pass filters.

 

Shutter Speed Summary for f/11 @ ISO-100: shortest, longest

I'm giving this as a general reference only. Test conditions were not set up so that shutter speeds were meaningful.

AndreaU [1.6", 4"]

StraightEdgeU [2", 3"]

BaaderU [2.5",5"]

U360+S8612 [3",6"]

[Andrea B.]

Two more shots of a rather undifferentiated garden scene with a lot of foliage masses.

 

For the UV files, white balance was made on the base of the birdbath in front of the fence.

Saturation was pushed -- out of curiosity as to what false colours the background foliage might show.

The wind was beginning to really whip around the foliage, so I had to quit shooting after this

 

All photos were cropped in to omit some unfortunate vignetting in one of them. The

 

Gear: Nikon D600-Broadband + Noflexar 35/3.5 + Manfrotto Tripod

 

 

Visible [f/11 for 1/400" @ ISO-400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Cut Filter]

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/11 for 1.6" @ ISO-400 in Sunlight with BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

 

 

Ultraviolet [f/11 for 1.6" @ ISO-400 in Sunlight with StraightEdgeU UV-Pass Filter]

The blues are more saturated and vivid in this SEU shot as compared to the preceding less saturated, blue-grey tones in the BU shot. This makes more apparent contrast on the sign in the right background and on some foreground false-blue flowers.