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Thread: HOT Lens. . .

  1. #1
    4x5 Is So Small. . . J.B. Harlin's Avatar
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    HOT Lens. . .

    Very interesting information. If you own one of these, you may want to invest in a lead box!

    The Aero-Ektars

    http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelbr...aeroektar.html

  2. #2
    Scott Walker's Avatar
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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Yes, very interesting. Thanks for sharing

  3. #3

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Quote Originally Posted by J.B. Harlin View Post
    Very interesting information. If you own one of these, you may want to invest in a lead box!

    The Aero-Ektars

    http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelbr...aeroektar.html
    Ummm. Yeah. Just don't surround your testes with a ring of radioactive elements fron disassembled Aeros, and you'll be fine. It isn't what you would call penetrating radiation, so no worries unless you really work hard at doing something really stupid.

    Worry more about the tapwater you drink, that worry is a good deal more realistic.
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  4. #4

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    After reading the article, the radioactivity is caused by thorium. The radioactivity of thorium is low, because it has such a long half life. Distance is a much more convenient way to minimize dose than lead shielding. If the lens is kept in a closet that you don't spend very much time near, that should be plenty sufficient. Obviously, a person would be much closer to the lens when they are carrying it around and using it. But unless they spend a significant amount of time every day doing that, radiation exposure should be minimal.

    There are other sources of thorium in a workplace environment. The TIG welding process uses thoriated tungsten electrodes. I'm not aware of welders having issues with radioactivity with these. A welder would have to keep several of these in a pocket at all times to get a radiation dose significantly above background levels. I suspect the radiation check source attached to the side of a geiger counter would be more radioactive than an Aero Ektar.

  5. #5

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Thorium was used in older Coleman gas lantern mantles, too. I have some of those in my basement but I think I'll be fine.

    Jonathan

  6. #6
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Thorium was also used as the standard mordant in dye transfer printing. The people who
    worked with it for decades might be a little nutty by disposition, but I don't know of any
    of them glowing in the dark yet! You've probably got more to fear visiting the dentist or
    camping atop radon soil.

  7. #7

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    This is a very old song;--))))

    Cheers Armin

  8. #8

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Some vacuum tubes have thoriated tungsten filaments, and Newt Gingrich apparently has balls of depleted uranium.
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  9. #9
    Lachlan 717
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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Quote Originally Posted by E. von Hoegh View Post
    Newt Gingrich apparently has balls of depleted uranium.
    Yuck; you made me think a) about Newt Gingrich, b) his balls, and c) how he depleted them… You bastard!!
    Lachlan.

    You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky

  10. #10

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    Re: HOT Lens. . .

    Quote Originally Posted by Lachlan 717 View Post
    Yuck; you made me think a) about Newt Gingrich, b) his balls, and c) how he depleted them… You bastard!!

    Hah! (contrite smiley)
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

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