CSI: Miami ... a UV tutorial! :)

The line went something like... "all I had to do was fit a UV filter and flood her face with light".

Sheesh, don't they know anything?! UV filters BLOCK the UV light, not let it through! Add to that the anti-reflective coatings on lenses block UV and film/sensors aren't sensitive to UV either (well, film was many many years ago, but it hasn't been for ages). And of course, you'd need a light source with a UV wavelength in it.

So, I wonder how much other stuff they say is total b*llox too!

Excal

Was the filter clear (UV excluding) or opaque (UV passing only)?

There are UV filters that pass only the UV wavelengths, such as Wratten 18A. This type of photography is used in medicine, especially dermatology.
I suspect this is the type to which the character was referring.

Even IF that was the case, no mention of using UV film or a UV lens (eg. that famous old Nikkor one ... in fact, I have a feeling that was the only one ever made). She says "all I had to do was..." ha! As if it were that easy! And light it with what source? How did she meter it? And what about the reciprocity failure rate of whatever UV sensitive chemical film used?

Excal

Pretty darn fake. Ask anyone in science or forensics how long it takes to do a DNA test. It's NOT an hour.

--
http://www.pbase.com/ckrueger

I am a CSI (retired). The TV show is so far from reality, I am unable to watch or find it entertaining. It is doing a huge dis-service to law enforecement by creating unrealistic expectations in the mind of the public.

Regards,

kunza

I enjoy the show as entertainment only (living in the Uk it bears no resemblance to reality for us) but we often chuckle that they have so much time to spend on each bizarre new theory for each case and the fact that the labs seem to have nothing to do but instantly respond to every spurious test request!!

My wife is a medical doctor and also enjoys the PM's and comments on drugs, toxins and causes of death - although this is not always too innacurate.....keeps us smiling!
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http://www.pbase.com/bigpikle
FCAS Member #124
DSLR Division

In the one the other night, the doc presents something retreived from the stomach of the "vic". The "vic" is lying infront of them at the time, perfectly intact - no "Y" disection done. I'm no doc, but even I thought that odd too! When it came to protographing in UV ... stuff I do know a little about ... I just creased myself at how bad it was!

Excal

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http://www.pbase.com/bigpikle
FCAS Member #124
DSLR Division

Do you guys honestly expect a tv show or movie to be realistic ?

Did you think the Dukes of Hazard could really jump the General Lee and not have the wheels fall of ?

Could all of the cool sci-fi gadgets really exist in real life even though they have a "scientific" basis on the programs ?

Did you really think Denise Richards could be a Nuclear Physicist in that James Bond movie ?

Some people take this photography hobby a bit to seriously I think. If you want real CSI, theres a show on discovery channel. Its intresting but its also pretty boring and mundane cases.

Sure evertime I see them type on the keyboard and enhance a photo in crazy ways I think, thats fake, yet I also think how I wish that was a real program I could buy.

just the same is doesnt take away from my enjoyment of the show. They have some very intresting cases and for as long as its been on, they still keep it pretty fresh.

they always have a big hammerhead style flash and the sound effect of is fo the shutter and flash firing and yet on screen it never goes off

I guess if you have that super graphics software they have you can use a very slow lens to take a handheld photo in a dark room without flash and still have it come out well exposed

This explains it all... The flashes are firing all right, you just can't see them. You see, these are special UV flashes. Duh.


-- smily underlined due to recent volatility in the forums--

I used to watch csi. I also used to watch law and order. Now there are 4 or 5 versions of each show, and I just can't be bothered. I find the techno-babble they fit into '24' way more entertaining.

--
Steve