Some IR Photos From Olympus epl1

[GaryLH]

Some more IR shots using Olympus EPL1 w/ 12-32 Pany

Gary

 

[biomed]

Gary - great IR images. Where did you have your camera converted and what filter was installed. The images look like the Life Pixel full color (or maybe super color) filter. I still plan to convert my G1 when my photo fund allows.

Mike

 

[GaryLH]

Could not pass up a deal on a Olympus EPL1 that was a refurb converted to IR (715) by Looking Glass in Berkeley, Ca. They had someone do the work for them.. I bought it from them during a sale a while back.. Apparently they bought a bunch of refurb EPL1s and sent them out to be converted to IR. These come with the kit lens (14-42 - not impressed) and a one year MAC warranty for $389.. They have actually had them a while, but were selling them around $100 more. Anyway could not resist a dedicated IR camera that is essentially cheaper then sending a camera to be converted by MaxMax. They currently have them in 665, 715 and 830nm converted versions of the camera. The 830nm is 100% IR and u will lose two stops. The 715 seems to be pretty close to normal. Because the 715 provides some info in the other color channels, it provides more tonal range..

I have tried the IR filter approach, the pseudo IR using SW and to me, I like what I am seeing much better. I can easily hand hold now since there is now more than enough light getting to the sensor. In fact, I have to set my exposure compensation at minus 0.7 to 1.0.

Supposedly the other benefit of using a dedicated IR camera is when u take landscapes, U will be able to cut thru all the smog and haze for a cleaner crisper looking shot.

Anyway, it is a fun camera.. I think Robert had his done at Lifepixel. Dante had his x100 done at maxmax. He highly recommends maxmax for the quality control and dust free environment the conversion happens.

I am thinking about converting either my gf1 or gh1 to full spectrum one day as well. If I had to do over, I would look for full spectrum.
- keep a ur/ir filter on for normal photo work
- 720nm for normal ir.
- other ir filters for more special effects

Gary

 

[GaryLH]

Cut and paste from older post showing effects of different filters

Cut and paste from older post showing effects of different filters

OK did some more testing ... using some different IR filters..

Here is shot w/o any filter in front. The IR conversion is suppose to be a 715nm one.

Now here is the same shot a couple of minutes later using a high quality Hoya IR filter (720nm). The difference in looks between 715 vs 720 is different enough, that I wonder if this is a true 715 conversion.

This next one is from a cheap IR filter but it is suppose to be a 830nm. Right I am guessing the blue tinge would not be there if I was using a high quality filter like the Hoya. But the Hoya or better filters are really expensive for just a quick test. But again u can c a difference in the look. I may eventually buy a higher quality 830 filter like the Hoya, have not decided yet.

Now a 950nm IR filter from same cheap filter company

In terms of exposure related issues, the base Olympus w/o any filter is using an exposure compensation of minus 0.7. This EC value is used for all the testing so that the whites do not get washed out. The difference in exposure between no filter and w/ the 720nm is essentially the same, no difference. However once u go to IR 830, you will c an increase of about 2 stops and again when you go to IR950.

For my purpose, using the 720 or no filter setup is probably covers over 90% of how I plan to use this camera. Right now I don't think I would ever go to 950..

Gary

 

[GaryLH]

Some of the different color shifts when the different filters are used is due to white balance. The camera came w/ a custom for 715. Since this is my preferred, I decided not to play around w/ correcting for the other filter wavelengths. Most people will convert these to b&w, but I kind of like the fauss color effect.

Gary