So I tried IR...

[minicoop1985]

And it's really freaking cool. Hacked apart an old Kodak Easyshare point and shoot and removed the IR filter, then glued some old overexposed film to the front. Here's what came of it:


109_0195 by longm1985, on Flickr


For surreal? by longm1985, on Flickr

Any tips or tricks? I've converted my wife's old Panasonic Lumix with Vario-Elmarit, so image quality will be better and I can mount filters. Any filter suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Gavjenks]

What is the wavelength cutoff? If it's truly ONLY infrared, then you can only really shoot in B&W. If it lets in some visible, then you can do some coloration of skies, etc. I can't tell from the images above.

 

[SamSpade1941]

I have a 715nm converted D200 by life pixel normally i run it in Black and White optimization mode and it can produce stunning results. I also can produce some faux color by swapping red and blue levels in Photoshop. To get the best results you need to process your images in Photoshop or LR. You will not get very good results till you do that. Also just removing the color filter from your camera and not actually doing a proper conversion will not give you as good a result as using a IR filter on your lens. YMMV.

 

[dxqcanada3]

Umm, why don't you just shoot with IR film (and filter) ... though I don't think you will still find any IR colour film.
B&W IR is such fun to shoot, though I really miss Kodak HEI.

Digitaltruth Photo

 

[Gavjenks]

Umm, why don't you just shoot with IR film (and filter) ... though I don't think you will still find any IR colour film.

1) Like you just said, it's hard to find
2) It's not actually cheaper. Not even up front, really. Even just a few rolls to start with of film + the massively expensive filters + a deep yellow filter on top of that that the color IR film requires = the same cost of converting a digital body or the entire cost of some smaller mirrorless type converted bodies. Why pay the same only to not get instant feedback AND have to scan everything to do color shifting or color editing (unless you like bright magenta everything...), AND being burdened with ongoing film costs, etc.?

The sensor based filters are inherently more efficient because they're only the size of a sensor (1.5 inches square), versus a 77mm filter, let's say, that is almost 5x more glass. That essentially makes up for the labor difference, as it turns out.

 

[dxqcanada3]

What's the spectral sensitivity of most camera sensors (with the filter removed)?

Digitaltruth Photo

 

[SamSpade1941]

OP These are two test images I shot with my IR conversion camera when I first got it back after the conversion. I was shooting images so I would have something to play with in post so I had an idea of what to do. As you can see the IR color image actually has blue skies , If you really want to play with IR get a lens filter for your SLR. you will get much better results , if you like it then you can find a cheap used DSLR and pay for the conversion which has come down a lot in price. Last I looked life pixel was doing conversions for a hair under $300 where they used to be $400 or more. I have learned from owning an IR Camera that you will absolutely get your best results using the lowest ISO setting on the camera and a tripod.

Anyway thats my 2 cents. Have fun experimenting.

 

[Gavjenks]

What's the spectral sensitivity of most camera sensors (with the filter removed)?

Digitaltruth Photo

Nikon D70 IR cut filter removal
Scroll about halfway down, he shows the difference stock and IR blocker cut out, and then with a visible blocker added.
The version I have would be more light than that at the end, as it intentionally lets in some red maybe even a skoch of yellow light to help with the sky thing.

 

[minicoop1985]

Sweet. Thanks for the advice. As for the spectrum, I'm using horribly overexposed film for a filter, glued to the front of the camera in my typically ghettotastic way (there wasn't any obvious way to get it to stay near the sensor) so I have no idea what wavelength it's letting through-it DEFINITELY lets in some visible light though, hence the purple. I just successfully converted a Panasonic Lumix with a Leica Vario-Elmarit that can take filters, so I've got to try this for real. I made a filter, but it's not that great. Just more film.

I'm planning on trying infrared film, actually. I WANTED to do it with 120/medium format, but that's... not gonna happen. I'm not good enough in a changing bag and I have a bad feeling Series 7 IR filters are gonna be preeeeeeeeetty pricy. Might as well stick with 35mm and my SLRs, though I gotta figure out which one's most light tight. Probably my Nikon.