UV filter for digital camera

Nicolas Cretois <cretoisnico [at] yahoo__fr> writes

>Would anyone have any advice/suggestion about photography under UV
>light with a digital camera? We used to have an analogue camera with
>a UV Wratten filter but they have all been replaced with digital
>cameras (Nikon D90 and D300). I tried to adjust the white balance
>but the result is not completely satisfactory. I am wondering if a
>UV filter on a digital camera would work, is so, where could we get
>it from?

You still need the same UV filter for digital photographs as you do
with film as the digital cameras have much the same spectral
sensitivity. The ideal filter to use is a Kodak Wratten 2E as this
blocks out most of the UV light the camera will be recording.  As
far as I know the only usable one is a Kodak Wratten 2 optical
filter  No:2E, Kodak Product code 830 1285 for the 3 inch square
(they also do 4x4 inch - 132 9481 and a 4x12 inch  893 2670).  You
should be able to get/order one of these filters from Calumet
Photographic.

As for white balance the best option is to set a specific colour
temperature in the bluer region, we always use 8,000 Kelvin.  If the
camera does not have this use Auto White Balance and you will get
useable results but they are not as good (though you could always
adjust the colour temperature if working with RAW).

Jason Revell
Photographic Technician
Conservation of Fine Art
Northumbria University


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:24
                 Distributed: Sunday, November 7, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-24-003
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