Infrared Conversion

[Nikonian]

has anyone converted their bodies to infrared? if so, how are the results? feel free to post any shots you might have. i currently am tossing the idea around for my d40. :shrug:

 

[Joe©]

I had my Fuji S3 converted some years ago at http://www.lifepixel.com/IR.htm

there are plenty more now that convert cameras


if you like it as much as i do then yes it is worth it


erm you did say post a few images? lol

 

[Jonno_dudley]

Great shots joe.

especially the first one. I'd be tempted if i could afford to give up my slr for just the use of infrared shots.

Nikonian, what about purchasing an infrared lens filter instead? I'm not sure if the results would be as good maybe someone else on this forum could tell you...

 

[Joe©]

Great shots joe.

especially the first one. I'd be tempted if i could afford to give up my slr for just the use of infrared shots.

Nikonian, what about purchasing an infrared lens filter instead? I'm not sure if the results would be as good maybe someone else on this forum could tell you...

thats the way i went at first


dire slow shutter speeds (30 seconds plus) - ok for certain shots but clouds move and so do trees lol

with the conversion is like a normal daylight camera once you get used to it

 

[Jonno_dudley]

thats the way i went at first


dire slow shutter speeds (30 seconds plus) - ok for certain shots but clouds move and so do trees lol

with the conversion is like a normal daylight camera once you get used to it

Yes slow shutter speeds were a problem when i used to dabble with an IR lens filter. Also shooting blind was a bit of ballache at times. So with the conversion do you not get neither of those problems?

 

[Joe©]

Yes slow shutter speeds were a problem when i used to dabble with an IR lens filter. Also shooting blind was a bit of ballache at times. So with the conversion do you not get neither of those problems?

neither


the IR filter sits on the hotplate behind the mirror - so your viewfinder shows exactly the same

images have the redcast to them until processed - though you can get a good idea of what you have with showing images as B&W in camera.


shutter speeds like i said are as your normal range - give or take a stp or 2

 

[Slipper-one]

Check the ir images and exif on Daniella Theoret's site taken with a Minolta dimage 7 which can be bought on ebay for much less than the cost of conversion of the D40. No shooting blind as you can compose through vf or rear display and shot hand held ir out of the box with an r72 planted on front.
http://www.pbase.com/zylen/infrared_with_dimage_7

 

[Flash In The Pan]

I've got a D40 away getting converted at the moment (shipped to them today), I'll post some results and details of the company that are doing the conversion once I get it back, predicted turnaround is 2 weeks.

 

[Messiah Khan]

I've got a D40 away getting converted at the moment (shipped to them today), I'll post some results and details of the company that are doing the conversion once I get it back, predicted turnaround is 2 weeks.

I've been tempted to get a D40 converted. How much is it setting you back if you don't mind me asking?

 

[rickyp]

I have a converted D70 and it's a great toy to play with, IR lends itself well to BnW conversions like the great ones above. The actual colour shots you get need quite a bit of tweaking to make them strange yet also visually appealing rather than just looking strange.

I got mine on eBay, I think there are a few people on there who buy up second hand bodies, do the conversion and then sell them on for a profit.

 

[Flash In The Pan]

There used to be a guy in Ireland who converted Fuji S5600/S5700 etc for £65, but I haven't seen him advertising for quite a while. I bought one of his ready-converted cameras and it was great fun, got some great pics from it

 

[Nikonian]

yes ive heard alot about the long shutter times in daylight with the filter. as well i have read that you have to get the focus bang on before attaching the filter, making composition a bit tough.

flash in the pan, that would be great. feel free to post some resuts!

as for cost, i hear it might be a little pricy...

 

[Slipper-one]

Ebay Item number: 270370155886 PROTECH, Uckfield, East Sussex. D70 £170 for conversion.

Some my hand held Dimage 7 images

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[MisterE]

yes ive heard alot about the long shutter times in daylight with the filter. as well i have read that you have to get the focus bang on before attaching the filter, making composition a bit tough.

You can't get it "bang on" with IR. There's an element of guesswork. IR light focuses at a slightly different point than visible light. Older lenses, and a few newer ones have an IR focusing point on the lens scale which you use instead of the normal one. Autofocus will be slightly out. Whether or not it will make a difference depends on the usual depth of field parameter - aperture. For example, with one lens I've just looked at, for something at 10m, to focus IR I have to back it off to 7m. If your lens doesn't have an IR mark, then it's a bit of guesswork and trusting DOF.

I have a 20D that has been converted. At the time of conversion the focus mechanism was recalibrated for IR. So now its autofocus works correctly, and I don't have to guess with lenses without an IR mark.

 

[Joe©]

when i had my camera done - they calibrated the focusing using a nikon 18-70 dx lens which i use on most occasions


also works fine with 70-300dx vr lens

 

[swanseamale47]

For what it's worth the Nikon D70 isn't bad without converting, just use an IR filter over the lens. Wayne

 

[fallen_mathi]

hey!, i converted an old nikon D1x last year from what i read... older bodies are generally easier to convert, and this was certianly the case with the D1x...as long as your carefull its not to hard that said... never listen to me... i acsidentally ripped the wire to the navigation pad so now i cant use the menus, or look through photos on the camera... still, that hasnt stopped me taking photos with it , il see if i can post some up in a bit.
hope it all goes well,
nathan

 

[fallen_mathi]

just two from the converted D1x:

 

[Flash In The Pan]

hey!, i converted an old nikon D1x last year from what i read... older bodies are generally easier to convert, and this was certianly the case with the D1x...as long as your carefull its not to hard that said... never listen to me... i acsidentally ripped the wire to the navigation pad so now i cant use the menus, or look through photos on the camera... still, that hasnt stopped me taking photos with it , il see if i can post some up in a bit.
hope it all goes well,
nathan

I did the same, although it was the cable to the screen I broke :bang: I ended up buying a broken D70 to get the cable (Nikon wouldn't sell me one) so if there's a chance the bit you need is the same as the one on the D70 let me know and you can have it.

 

[Jjm]

hey!, i converted an old nikon D1x last year from what i read... older bodies are generally easier to convert, and this was certianly the case with the D1x...as long as your carefull its not to hard that said... never listen to me... i acsidentally ripped the wire to the navigation pad so now i cant use the menus, or look through photos on the camera... still, that hasnt stopped me taking photos with it , il see if i can post some up in a bit.
hope it all goes well,
nathan

How do you find the images since the conversion?
I have a d1x I dont use much and have been quoted £90+vat iam so tempted to do it but it's an irreversible process:shrug:

 

[Mandoo]

I really want to give infrared a go, but not sure of the best way to go about it without spending too much money. Do I buy a camera already converted or get my hands on a cheap DSLR and get a conversion done to it?

 

[s162216]

I really want to give infrared a go, but not sure of the best way to go about it without spending too much money. Do I buy a camera already converted or get my hands on a cheap DSLR and get a conversion done to it?

Get a screw in deep red R72 filter that cuts out light beneath 720 nm; you can get them for less than £10 off ebay. That way you can take IR pictures but the exposure will be likely be fairly long.

I wrote these basic bullet points as part of a short guide to IR photography (full guide here, its based on film IR but the core features are the same, just ignore the film sections http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=2954752&postcount=3):

1. With the filter OFF, meter and focus normally.
2. Put the filter on the lens. With a 720nm filter add 4 stops onto the reading and with an 820nm filter add on 5 or 6 stops. Adjust the focus so that the IR focus mark is over where the normal focus mark was.
3. Take the picture! Its likely to be a fairly slow exposure so a tripod will likely be needed.

Note that 4 stops for the filter is a rough starting point as the camers not really built for metering IR light which varies from shot to shot. Obviously if your lens has no IR focus mark then either focus slightly closer or use a smaller aperture (e.lg f11) so that the DOF covers the slight focus shift.

 

[srichards]

If you have a mobile phone you can do IR with one of those. Normal IR filter held over the lens or stuck onto a phone case. I've done the latter. Because of the cheap sensor IR is usually completely unblocked so you can a) see it in the viewfinder b) not have such low shutter speeds.

Lens case option cost about £20 for the filter and a few quid for the case. If you get a flip open case with a rigid plastic rear then it is much easier. Bit of insulation tape and double sided sticky tape and bob's your aunty. I wondered about a converted camera but it was about £200 odd for something reasonable which is a lot to spend. Phone lash up was about £30 including a new filter (Hoya 49mm). I already had an IR filter to try as some phones (iphone4s) do actually have an IR filter so they're not better than a normal camera.

With hindsight I probably would have got a slightly bigger filter as mounting it onto the case would have been slightly easier but much bigger would have lead to it being off the edge of the case so this way it was within the case dimensions and fits snugly over the camera section which sits proud on my camera. Phones with flush cameras are probably easier unless they're in a corner right near the edge of the phone body.

You can even do it with 2 fully exposed negs of colour film stuck over the camera. I tried that but it wasn't as good as even handholding a filter.