Infra Red - What Camera

[Graham_of_Rainham]

I've played about with IR for a while and I'm thinking of either buying a camera that has a good IR response or one that if converted would have a good IR response.

I've seen a few web site that give advice on old cameras without modification but there's not so much on what ones convert well.

Any suggestions, from anyone that has done it

Thanks

[Stephen]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

Patrick has had his old Canon 10D converted so he can use it for IR photography. You could perhaps try sending him a PM

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

Patrick has had his old Canon 10D converted so he can use it for IR photography. You could perhaps try sending him a PM

Funny you should say that... I did just that asking, how he has got on with it.

[mike_j]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

I have bought a filter (HK cheapie) for my M8 and it works very well. Exposures of about 1/30th sec at f2.8 on a sunny autumn day.

There is no problem with exposure or framing on the M8 but focusing is a bit hit or miss. the lens I was using (Zeiss Biogon 28mm) has a IR index mark and I think the idea is that you focus with the rangefinder, read the distance off the lens barrrel then align that distance marking to the IR index mark.

[Bob Ross]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

I have bought a filter (HK cheapie) for my M8 and it works very well. Exposures of about 1/30th sec at f2.8 on a sunny autumn day.

There is no problem with exposure or framing on the M8 but focusing is a bit hit or miss. the lens I was using (Zeiss Biogon 28mm) has a IR index mark and I think the idea is that you focus with the rangefinder, read the distance off the lens barrrel then align that distance marking to the IR index mark.

I haven't done any digital IR, but from the film era, rangefinders are the easiest to use for IR. The M8 is a natural, since it has only minimal IR ciut off, as designed. I haven't used mine that way, but I have seen some exellent image examples. Zeiss has always been good about the IR focus mark, while Leica hasn't marked their lenses, even the old ones from the 70s & 80s.
Bob

[Patrick]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

I haven't done any digital IR, but from the film era, rangefinders are the easiest to use for IR. The M8 is a natural, since it has only minimal IR ciut off, as designed. I haven't used mine that way, but I have seen some exellent image examples. Zeiss has always been good about the IR focus mark, while Leica hasn't marked their lenses, even the old ones from the 70s & 80s.
Bob

Focusing is one of the advantages of a converted to IR DSLR, the focus is recalibrate to focus at IR wavelength. Makes Life very easy.

Patrick

[Bob Ross]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

Focusing is one of the advantages of a converted to IR DSLR, the focus is recalibrate to focus at IR wavelength. Makes Life very easy.

Patrick

Hi Patrick,
That focus adjustment is a great idea, especially at the wider apertures. I don't know much about the IR conversions, do any of them install the IR filter on the sensor? That would make viewing through the lens quite a bit better than viewing through the dark lens filter.
Bob

[Patrick]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

Hi Patrick,
That focus adjustment is a great idea, especially at the wider apertures. I don't know much about the IR conversions, do any of them install the IR filter on the sensor? That would make viewing through the lens quite a bit better than viewing through the dark lens filter.
Bob

Ho Bob
Its more to do with the removal if the filter on the sensor and a plain optical filter as protection fitted.
So regular shutter speed are used allowing the camera to be hand held most of the time and naturaly the viewfinder is unaffected.

I haven't posted many IR, not posted many pictures lately for that matter so here are one or two

Patrick

[Bob Ross]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

HI Patrick,
Very nice examples. On the converted cameras, I would have guessed that it would still be necessary to cut the visible spectrum to some extent. Are you saying that no additional filter was needed for these shots?
Bob

[Patrick]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

HI Patrick,
Very nice examples. On the converted cameras, I would have guessed that it would still be necessary to cut the visible spectrum to some extent. Are you saying that no additional filter was needed for these shots?
Bob

[Bob Ross]

Re: Infra Red - What Camera

HI Patrick,
Thanks for the explaination. That conversion seems to cover all the bases in making IR fun again.
Yes, I remember Leica's problem with IR and I shared it with them until I got the free IR cut filters from them. I certainly learned a lot about IR color contamination in those early M8 days
Bob