IR on the CHEAP

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by postcardcv

I tried the Cokin IR filter at my local shop today and have just taken a look at the images... very disapointed. I guess that my 30D must have a strong internal IR filter as the results were not what I was hoping for. Basically I've just got shots with a very strong red cast that I can't process to give anything other than a typical B&W effect, nothing like the files I got when testing a IR converted D200 the other week... I guess I need to either forget IR for the time being or bite the bullet and get my 30D converted.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that earlier models like the D30 and D60 are more sensitive to IR than later models

[andy153]

Nice examples Harry, thanks. Adey, from the reading I am doing it appears that some models of cameras are better for conversion than others, I think this is due to the make up of their original sensors. There are one or two DSLR's that are definitely not recommended. The earlier digiloyd link I posted above has something about different cameras and their sensors.

[Adey Baker]

Originally Posted by andy153

Adey, from the reading I am doing it appears that some models of cameras are better for conversion than others, I think this is due to the make up of their original sensors.

Sorry, I should have explained more fully - I was thinking that they might be worth trying without going to the expense of having a 'decent' camera converted which then needs additional expense for the filter to bring it back to 'normal'. 'Enough is as good as a feast,' so they say, and IR shots can look dramatic, but you wouldn't want to churn out a 'feast' of hundreds of them!

The D30 and D60 probably only give a similar effect to Don's D100 (Nikon's D70 is also good according to last week's 'Amateur Photographer') but you can often pick up a 'well used' example very cheaply, though you have to be aware that EF-S lenses are incompatible with these earlier models.

[Don Hoey]

Wow Harry,
I really like the effect you have achieved on the fourth image. Thanks for taking the time to take & post those, even more fired up now.

Seems like the weather is now conspiring against trying more stuff out. 9/10 cloud now, and the next 5 days do not look promising . Still I suppose it does give time to look at processing options and surfing for more info.

Reading Adey's post on suitable cameras I found this link which also details some suitable and not lenses. Quite impressed as to where my D100 sits in the sensitivity scheme of things as I have found my D2X is not really suitable. Bucket loads of info if you go through the links at the bottom as well.
http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~gisle/photo/ir.html

Don

[Don Hoey]

Harry,

I spent the whole afternoon spent trying to get any sort of False Colour from the few I took the other day.
Not knowing about the white balance bit at the taking time, I resorted to trying most combinations of white balance from 2600k through to 7042k on the RAW file. Even following a few processing sequence clues posted on the net I keep ending up with a B&W. I have read that as the IR cut off gets higher up the range as with filters like B+W 092 and 093 images only go that way, no colour. So maybe my diy job falls in that range. Blue skies to follow your method are I fear a few days away.

Decided that I will lash out the £35 on a Hoya R72 tomorrow. Should be interesting anyway, as I will be able to compare its results with those from the film strip filter.
I need a new cable release anyway, as after 20 plus years mine has fallen apart. Norwich has WHE, London Camera Exchange and Jessops, unless of course the old fashioned job is now not stocked by anyone.

Don

[wolfie]

Don here's an IR file for you to play with, just some local trees.

First do an Auto levels, the swop over the red and blue channels.

Harry

[andy153]

Thanks for that Harry, I'm also going to have a play, hope you don't mind.

[wolfie]

No problem Andy. When will you get your converted Nikon back?

Have you come across this IR site yet http://diglloyd.com/diglloyd/free/Infrared/index.html

I differ slightly from what he says about using Raw, I prefere to use Jpg and do a Custom White Balance on the day.

Harry

Harry

[andy153]

No problem Andy. When will you get your converted Nikon back?

Have you come across this IR site yet http://diglloyd.com/diglloyd/free/Infrared/index.html

I differ slightly from what he says about using Raw, I prefere to use Jpg and do a Custom White Balance on the day.

Harry

Thanks Harry, yes I've come across Diglloyd and signed up for his IR bits. You've answered a question I had about JPEG though, I was going to try the RAW, but I'll also try JPEG as well now. The camera is due any day now, it has been with them since the 17th April, but they did say that due to a backlog it might be up to six weeks

[wolfie]

Andy.

"it has been with them since the 17th April, but they did say that due to a backlog it might be up to six weeks".

Business, must be booming for them, I wonder how much of this is due to IR conversions. My 10D conversion was returned to me within a week. I had the camera converted the backend of 2007.

Mind you I did have rather a long chat with them on the phone and that I would post on the various forums regarding quality of their work and also the turn around time. Possibly that had something to do with the quick modification.

Harry