Re: Fiber optic platinum enlarger. Is it Possible?

SCHRAMMR@WLSVAX.WVNET.EDU
Sun, 19 May 1996 18:45:04 -0400 (EDT)

I would like to suggest some possible difficulties. First, I wonder
how well plastic or glass fibers in the light pipe would transmit UV
light. Second, IR absorbers might absorb a lot of UV as well. So
would the glass lenses in the enlarger. Both glass and plastic do a
fair job of filtering the short wave UV. When this subject came up
previously, I had suggested quartz lenses and/or first surface silver
mirrors. These lenses and mirrors are available. Simple lenses would
suffice (rather than acromatic lens normally found in enlarger lenses)
since one would be dealing with a rather narrow range of wavelengths.
I believe a UV enlarger could be designed given the availability of
light sources, lens and mirrors of the proper type.

Bob Schramm
Dept. of Physics or Art
West Liberty State College