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Adam Savage’s Tested
Hidden Text Revealed By Multispectral Imaging!
⏱ 10 min video · 2 min read8 May 2026Worth watching
TL;DR
Adam Savage visits the National Parks Museum Conservation Lab where photographer Ray demonstrates multispectral imaging — using a standard DSLR with swappable UV and infrared filters to reveal hidden text and coatings invisible to the naked eye. The technique has uncovered inscriptions inside trunks, hidden resin coatings, and mysteriously fluorescent porcelain bases from Eisenhower-era artifacts.
Key points
1
Multispectral imaging uses three spectra: visible light, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) — with UV and IR technically being radiation, not light
2
A standard DSLR camera with swappable lens filters is all that is needed — no specialist equipment required, keeping it in-house and cost-free
3
The camera must be autofocused under visible light first, then switched to full manual before IR/UV filters are applied, because the camera cannot autofocus without visible light
4
A live demo reveals the word 'Tested' written inside a sealed opaque envelope using infrared imaging, clearly invisible to the naked eye
5
Real conservation discoveries include a hidden inscription on an Eisenhower writing desk, a brushed-on tree resin coating inside a trunk, and an unexplained fluorescent orange base on a porcelain sculpture
Key takeaways
→
Autofocus under visible light first, then switch everything to manual before swapping in IR or UV filters — the camera cannot focus once visible light is blocked
→
Processing IR images is as simple as desaturating the color to black and white in post — no complex software needed to reveal hidden content
→
Reserve multispectral imaging for objects showing evidence of hidden inscriptions or unknown coatings — it is time-consuming to set up and not warranted for routine before/after documentation
Notable quotes
“You occasionally find stuff you weren't even looking for.”
“I wouldn't say I become attached to them — and then when it's time to send them back or put them back in storage, you're like, Bye.”
“Not every object has a secret but occasionally we see evidence of maybe an inscription that might be partially hidden and that we can't really make out.”
Worth watching?
✅
Worth watching the full video?
Watch if you want to see the live envelope demo and the real Eisenhower artifact discoveries — the visual payoff is genuinely impressive and the key process details are all captured here.
Saved you some time? The creator still deserves a like.
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