IR on modified P&S

[fidget]

Hi, Having fun using my modified Lumix FH20.
Good for bright or sunny days out in landscape that can be pretty uninteresting in full colour.

This image/camera has the fairly standard 720nm IR pass filter fitted.

Much like the screw on filters that can be bought, giving results very like
my Ilford SFX film + SFX filter shots of a few years ago.
The image from the sensor retains a little colour that can be processed to look like this.
A different look.

Any more IR P&S shots out there?

Dave

 

[rbelyell]

i really like this, very creative. i have been debating whether to similarly customize my no longer used canon s90. i feel like i really cant sell it for very much even though its like new, so maybe this would be a good use for it. so the 720 is the one i should get if i want a 'tad' of color left, correct?
tony

 

[fidget]

Thanks for the comment.
The 720 leaves some colour, although this varies between camera sensors.
I have an old Canon converted to 680nm and this gives a nice (false) colour image whilst still converting to B&W very well.
There are many users of the Spencer's conversion at 650nm which gives more than enough for most.

720nm is a very good starting point, I think.

Dave

 

[rbelyell]

thanks dave,much appreciated.
tony

 

[Bobfrance]

I really do like your IR shot's Dave and they're all the more stunning to say they're from an adapted point and shoot. Pardon my ignorace, but how exactly are they adapted? Is it as simple of finding a way of fastening an IR filter to the lens or do you have to open them up and remove a cut filter?

Bob.

 

[Peter_wrote:]

the cut filter has to be removed.

even with cut filter there is some ir sensibility. but with an ir filter + an ir cut filter u will get very long exposure times, and i don't think u could get these colors like on dave's picture.
the cut filter removed + ir filter u have really an ir p&s then...

it seems that there are some camera models, which are quite popular for doing so, because of their "easy" ( in comparison) to remove cut filter. e.g. the canon powershot g-series.

 

[fidget]

Peter wrote is correct.
Some (particularly older) models allowed a good amount of IR to pass through their IR blocking filters (hot mirror). This is the piece of glass that covers the sensor.
I got quite a few good pics from my Oly D990 (2Mp) with a chunk of SFX gel filter glued over the lens. Gave good results, but 1/2 second exposures difficult handheld.

Got reasonable colour too:
Unedited colour on this example Oly D990 1/2 sec, filter over lens.

Read about how the hot mirror is removed and replaced with plain glass or an IR pass filter, so bought an old cam and removed the mirror/IR filter and put in a shaped piece of 720nm filter glass cut out from a screw-on filter. The cutting of the glass was critical and not done very well (and possibly impossible on the kitchen table), but as an exercise was very useful. This gave some great results when it decided to focus as in about 40% of shots (and you didn't see the marks created by the hack job on the glass).

Here's one that I like: Minolta 4mp 720nm

Good colour possible too. Here's an image from the home DIY Minolta that shows the colour and
the other great problem with IR, "hot-spots", and area of higher exposure or colour change given by some lenses in some conditions. Note the area in the centre. These cams give "normal" exposure times.

I bought a professionally modified P&S camera or two (720nm & 680nm) and play with these from time to time. The idea was to make B&W images like this:

(I like lone trees!)

But began to enjoy the odd colouration of some images, particularly if the red and blue channels are transposed to make the sky blueish.

Now considering getting my D80 modified............

Dave

 

[KEH]

Canon G10 IR converted - Ruaha NP, Tanzania


20100220-IMG_0527 by Kirk.Hamilton, on Flickr

The G10 produces noisy files, but the grain works for some photos.

Kirk

 

[kxl]

I had my Nikon D40X converted by Lifepixel to 590nm IR.

 

[nighstar]

beautiful photos, you guys. 😀

after staring in awe of infrared photos on Flickr for a long time i got a 720nm filter for my 5D Mark III and have been playing with it for the past couple of months. the 5D MK3 handles high ISO and long exposures well, but i quickly got tired of having to wait for the PERFECT, windless, cloudy day to get the sharp foliage and dynamic skies that i wanted. that, plus having to always have my tripod with me. ANNOYING!

i watched infrared converted cameras come and go on eBay for a long time and considered getting a converted P&S, but in the end (ie. just last week) i bought an Olympus E-PL1 that'd been converted to full spectrum for a nice price. not a P&S, but not a DSLR either! i still haven't really gotten to use it much due to being busy, but also due to the lens that i had intended to use with the camera having horrendous hotspot issues...

can't wait to be making photos like you guys'! i have so much to learn PP wise and i swear hotspots have been the bane of my IR experience. ;(


Timeless Journey by nighstar, on Flickr

my most successful IR photo thus far taken with the 5D MK3 (not a P&S, i know! SORRY!)

 

[fidget]

Hey guys, nice work, good to see that others have an interest in IR.

Dave