Infrared camera conversions

2008-04-02 • SEND FEEDBACK |
Related: digital sensor, infrared

Have some caution when converting a camera for infrared use. First, read the diglloyd Guide to Digital Infrared Photographybefore you pick a camera. Then pick your vendor for a camera conversion (if conversion is the route you choose). I’ve used maxmax.com and highly recommend them; I’ve had half a dozen various cameras converted there, including two DSLRs and 4 point and shoots. Site owner Dan really knows his stuff.

The reference “Guide”

Dan recently sent me examples (pictures) of two conversions he redid for customers dissatisfied with conversions from unspecified “other vendors”.

First example: the exquisite precision of using a belt sander to adjust the focus; so much for plane-parallel sensor alignment (critical for digital sensors). The job done by  “major west coast player” according to Dan.

Don’t do this to your camera

The second example is a plastic filter, showing an obvious lack of flatness (waviness). According to Dan: “This is from an East Coast vendor. The customer said he was told to shoot at F10 or higher (to compensate for the wrong refractive index).”

Don’t do this to your camera

While my Nikon D70 was converted using a plastic filter, the one in my D70 is “hardened” and doesn’t show any waviness. Also the vendor took months to do and redo the conversion to solve a filthy sensor problem. But it was a painful experience.

It’s important to not tar all vendors with the same brush. But equally important is realizing that quality can vary, so satisfy yourself before you have a camera converted.