Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Simple answers are here! For Theory look in General Holography.
Beta7

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by Beta7 »

dave battin wrote:You have not provided an picture of your set up as this may help us to pinpoint your problem........I Too would really hate to see you turn away from holography before you've made a decent hologram first!
i usually have my skype channel open and you may contact me for some direct answers to your questions @ davebatt1
I will try to get some photos uploaded later today or early tomorrow - but as of right now, I have to go to my grandmother's house for an Easter Dinner. >.<
JohnFP

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by JohnFP »

Hey, let's try something. Take a plate and cut it in half. Take half the plate and develop is without exposing it. It SHOULD NOT TURN DARK in the developer. Then take the other half of the plate put it on the coins let it settle as usual with the laser running but the shutter closed. DO NOT LIFT THE SHUTTER and expose the film. Develop the plate. It SHOULD NOT turn dark in the fixer. If the first plate turns dark, your batch is fogged or the way you are handling the plate is bad, maybe wrong or two strong a safe light. If the first one does not turn dark but the second one does then there is too much light leaking on you plate on the table. Once we are sure of these varibles are controlled, we can move onto the very basic next test.
Jeffrey

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by Jeffrey »

Very good testing points, John. Knowing if your plates are fogged or your safelights are not safe is absolutely necessary. You will go crazy if you don't perform these... The plate should develop dark, (I like to shadow or tape an edge to assure there is no light and no exposure, therefor no development in a small spot) then bleach clear. The developed dark state needs to be examined in the safelight (or brighter light, it's not really sensitive anymore if you are done developing), before bleaching, as it tells you of even exposure, adequate beam spread, stray beams hitting the plate, object reflections that may be too bright, and anything else you might see that is too light or dark which you didn't expect. A white card in the place of the plate beforehand can catch some of these things before you ruin a plate.

...and a problem could be in the laser, what kind is it? Is it warmed up? HeNe's are pretty stable, but diodes could be doing anything inside. Any laser instability (internal temperature changes, mode hopping, frequency ramping) could make the fringes jump around and not get recorded clearly. A split beam interferometer (Michelson) would tell you something, interference lines should all sit somewhat still, except if you touch the table, or breathe over it, or slam a door, or a bus goes by, or your sister screams, or the toilet flushes, then you would see the fringe lines bob around.

Safelight - I like electroluminescent green nightlights, 2" squares that plug in the wall. Assuming you are using red lasers. Wrapping photographic gel sheets around a flourescent light tube gives you much better lighting, to see what you're doing in the dark, but it must be dim and a pure monochrome of the color the emulsion is not sensitive to.

Plates - BB is the way to go, either red or green sensitive depending on your laser. Don't start with film, or Russian plates. Don't make your own yet.

Make money back ? - forget it. Consider all your wild expenses tuition in a school that does not exist, perhaps the Holography Institute. If someone would give you $20 for a picture, that's very nice...

You do this for the unique visual thrill and esoteric knowledge that you are experiencing something your fellow mortals will never truly know, or care about. You will see everything differently. You will know intimately the world of microscopic motions, and those will cost you in ruined plates, but you will buy more. You will bathe in lightwave patterns of incredible complexity, and learn to interpret them. You will be educated beyond your wildest imagination. No college can give you this.
JohnFP

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by JohnFP »

Well, you have definitely come to the right place to get advice on what is needed as a minimum and we can offer all the help you need. However, I think what you are asking is a little vague.

"Reporting using holography"

Could you be more specific? What do you want to report on? How do you want to use a 3-d hologram that you create to portray the report?

John
DJ Mathson

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by DJ Mathson »

Sorry to say, John, but that was just a spammer. Removed now.
JohnFP

Looking to start holography - where do I even start?

Post by JohnFP »

Really? I usually catch them. Thanks DJ.
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