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B+W UV-PRO Premium Anti-Fungus Light


stephengv

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True at $350 no, but at $120 I'll give it a shot. I have one on order. The big question is how to prove its effectiveness. It's easy to prove if it's a failure, but success, that's more difficult.

 

The question of authenticity, I'll judge on build quality, when it arrives.

 

 

Your order might arrive first than mine, please do make a short review. If possible. Thanks. 

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I don't know how true this video is, but check it outhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc2oAoK1MUs

It is probably true, but irrelevant.

Some mould that is not hiding behind Absorban (which is the lens cement that Leica developed to block  the transmission of UV light) and is a totally different species, doesn't like UV light.  Yes. And?

This species obviously lives on broth and gelatin, lens fungus feeds on some types of lens coatings.

 

Who is going to prove the effectiveness of this light by keeping two Noctiluxes in a moist, warm place and using it on one of the two until the other one has succumbed to fungus?

 

Just to make it clear, modern high-end lenses (not just Leica) use a combination of UV opaque coatings and UV absorbing lens cements to block the transmission of UV light.

An UV light might inhibit the growth of fungus on a front element, or any other surface that it can irradiate directly, but it cannot penetrate inside the lens.

The blue visible light that this lamp produces  besides UV may well pass through, but won't have any more effect than visible daylight.

 

And be careful not to expose your eyes to  this kind of UV LED output. Even  relatively low levels of concentrated UV and  blue light can cause macular degeneration.

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And be careful not to expose your eyes to  this kind of UV LED output. Even  relatively low levels of concentrated UV and  blue light can cause macular degeneration.

 

 

Actually your lens and cornea will absorb almost all UV, and will extend to longer wavelengths (>350nm) as you age. You're unlikely to get macular degeneration from wavelengths lower than 315nm* (UV-B) - it is a UV-A issue - but very likely to get cataracts. From a short intense burst you'll get photokeratitis (welders flash) which would normally heal by itself but hurts like a b!tch. Best to avoid either way.

 

*The lamp specs say less than 300nm...

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And be careful not to expose your eyes to this kind of UV LED output. Even relatively low levels of concentrated UV and blue light can cause macular degeneration.

Jaapv you've always been the cautious one. I remember you railing against the thumbs up because it might damage the flash socket.

 

The reason that come to mind why this unit is not sold in the US is similar. Because someone might do something stupid and stare at the light point blank. There probably is no protection built in against stupidity. There are many examples of toys outlawed in the US because of what someone might do.

 

Until proven otherwise I consider this a toy, even if it's marginally effective, it's worth the experiment.

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Canada Balsam apparently blocks some UV wavelengths .....

 

The best solution to fungus and lenses is prevention - keeping them in conditions which are not damp (so not in the bottom of wardrobes in temperate climates and somewhere dry in tropical areas. Not rocket science.

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Canada Balsam apparently blocks some UV wavelengths .....

 

The best solution to fungus and lenses is prevention - keeping them in conditions which are not damp (so not in the bottom of wardrobes in temperate climates and somewhere dry in tropical areas. Not rocket science.

Yes, but you know us leica users, we love Rube Goldberg like contraptions (think Visoflex)... ;)

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Actually your lens and cornea will absorb almost all UV, and will extend to longer wavelengths (>350nm) as you age. You're unlikely to get macular degeneration from wavelengths lower than 315nm* (UV- B) - it is a UV-A issue - but very likely to get cataracts. From a short intense burst you'll get photokeratitis (welders flash) which would normally heal by itself but hurts like a b!tch. Best to avoid either way.

 

*The lamp specs say less than 300nm...

Judging by the sales images it emits light well into the blue. We are required to use orange shielding with similar light source.

 

Macular degeneration or. Cataracts, a bit of Hobson's choice I would say ;)

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Judgong by the sales images it emits light well into the blue. We are required to use orange shielding with similar light sources.

Cool, orange sunglasses, how fun.

 

I just wish I could find eyeglass frames that take a 39mm filter so I can be protected and a super nerd at same time.

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Judging by the sales images it emits light well into the blue. We are required to use orange shielding with similar light source.

 

Macular degeneration or. Cataracts, a bit of Hobson's choice I would say ;)

 

 

I'd take the cataracts, at least it can be operated on. But year, I'm not hoping for either.

 

If the specs are right, the sales image is false, and is showing what people think UV light looks like. There's a reason why UV is outside the 'visible' spectrum...

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I'd take the cataracts, at least it can be operated on. But year, I'm not hoping for either.

 

If the specs are right, the sales image is false, and is showing what people think UV light looks like. There's a reason why UV is outside the 'visible' spectrum...

In my experience UV LED light sources produce a fair amount of blue light as well. It does mean that the source is not filtered properly, though.

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In my experience UV LED light sources produce a fair amount of blue light as well. It does mean that the source is not filtered properly, though.

 

You can do a lot of bandgap engineering, in general, yes GaN emits into the blue.

 

Remember when Nakamura finally made GaN work at Nichia and this enabled the blue laser? A LED is essentially the same as a semiconductor laser but without the mirrors.

 

Why would one want to filter out the visible part of the spectrum in the first place?

 

Google UV-led emission spectrum for details on where UV-LEDs sit in the spectrum.

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That is an interesting google; most if not all UV LEDs at wavelengths under 300 nm emit little to no visible light as the emission curve is too steep. If the device shines blue one may wonder whether it meets the specification.

 

This is a typical curve:

 

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