Where can I order custom camera filters?

[Ben321]

I have seen some very useful (but expensive) specialty filters at Edmund Optics, but these are either unmounted or designed to be mounted in optical lab equipment in special optics-lab table mounts. As a result they are not threaded filters as needed to attach to a camera. Is there some website that will take custom requests for filters? For example my camera has 52mm diameter threads, so the filter will need to fit this specific thread size, and I'm interested in the filter being made of UV-PASSING glass (not the normal so called "UV filter" for cameras that blocks UV). I have found a few websites that sell pre-made UV-passing filters for cameras, but the problem is these have the unfortunate problem of also passing quite a bit of IR light (sometimes sold with 2 pieces of glass, one passes UV and IR, and one is made of IR blocking glass).

In my research for a better solution than this, I found one type of filter glass that actually has quite decent rejection of IR light, while passing UV quite well. That filter glass is Hoya U-340. But there's one problem. Unfortunately I have NEVER found a website selling a filter made out of this Hoya U-340 glass mounted in a threaded filter ring designed to go on a standard camera. I might need to custom order the glass cut from Hoya, and then separately purchase a filter ring to mount it in. But if it wasn't cut to exactly the correct diameter it could be too big to fit the filter ring, or so small it rattles around inside the filter ring. It would be nice if there was some company I could go to and custom order a filter with the right type of glass, with the right thread diameter and they would custom make the filter for me. Does anybody here know if such a company exists? And can you link me to their website?

[ogden]

In case of exotic filters and specific/many thread sizes good idea to use rectangular filters with holder.

[jfiresto]

You might ask Schneider Kreuznach what they could do for you. They are open to custom work.

[Kleinstein]

There are holders for square filter glasses available.

A simple DIY method may be gluing the filter in front of a thread adapter ring. Those rings are available for many common sizes.

[GridWork]

Midwest Optics makes filters for various bits of machine vision. They have a large assortment of sizes and filters to choose from. There is probably a thread to fit whatever lens you have.

There are even a couple of sellers on ebay that have some of the filters for a bargain price.

[Ultrapurple]

You will find everything you could possibly want to know about ultraviolet photography, suitable cameras, filters (including stacking filters to tailor response), lenses and techniques on the Ultraviolet Photography site. Although on the surface it appears to be all about scientific photography of flowers, there is a good forum and a huge amount of friendly advice.



NIR - vis - UV (by me, 2015)

[Ultrapurple]

You will also find a lot more on the website of Dr Klaus Schmitt, a renowned UV photographer. No forum there, though.

[dl6lr]

Use a cheap UV filter, and remove the glass, it is usually mounted with a clamping ring. Ask your local optician (optometrist) if he will grind the filter for you.