John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

In the ten years since I retired I have collected a few nikons. I am considering converting the oldest, a D300s to infrared for BW landscape shots. It is my only DX camera. Should I consider keeping this and converting say, an early D800 instead. I don't know enough about the sensors and filters to decide. But I sort of like having the DX to use for birds and almost never use the D800 since I got the D810. I guess a lucky problem to have, but would appreciate any input from those Shooting infrared. Thx.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

I have an old d5000 that I converted to IR and it's gives me great black and white shots.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I converted a Nikon D300 to IR using a company Life Pixel. They are great to work with.Great results.

https://www.lifepixel.com/

cjstanley

If it were me, I'd keep the DX body for birds, etc. and use the "spare" FX body for infrared. I have a D200 converted by Lifepixel - a great outfit to work with.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

The 8oo will make a better Infrared camera than the 300. My understanding is that your using less of the pixels because of the spectrum so having more pixels are better.

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Yes thanks. I found them online and they get good reviews.

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Thanks. I did not think of that.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I would recommend Life Pixel. The main issue for you after "which camera body" is which IR filter to have installed. You might want to have two cameras converted differently. I have a camera converted to 665nm and it gives IR false color images. A camera converted to 830nm would be more like B&W IR Film in appearance. I can process my 665nm images with Ps CS6 to Black & White but they still are not as nice in B&W with an over the lens 880nm or 850nm image. Check Life Pixel's examples closely and read their site closely. Good luck, and post some results later. Full spectrum gives you all of Normal Color, IR and UV. But then for all you need special filters over the lens. I'd also advise to have the camera calibrated with a lens on it and then stick with that one lens for IR use. I did not and I have to refocus for IR manually, and for newer "digital" lenses that is guess work for nearly impossible. Older lenses have a "IR" mark on them for focusing.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Before you do it, go to the LifePixel site and see their recommendations for camera conversions. Some cameras work out better than others.

https://www.lifepixel.com/

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I find that just putting an IR filter on an unmodified camera will work.
--Bob

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

Bob, 720nm or?
Marion

Jer Loc: Mesa, Arizona

Life pixel did my a6000. Great, great company. They also will give you one on one training via phone or computer.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Life Pixel did my Canon. Excellent results.

HarryBinNC Loc: Blue Ridge Mtns, No.Carolina, USA

I have experienced IR photography with several cameras - a D70, D800, a Lumix GH2 and a Fuji X-pro1. I have found that "mirrorless" is the way to go. It's all about what you can see in the viewfinder and achieving focus. The electronic viewfinder and the focus sensors being on the imaging chip give the mirrorless a huge advantage over an SLR, especially when the SLR doesn't have Live View. If you are serious about doing IR, I would strongly recommend selling your D300 and replacing it with a fairly modern mirrorless with 12-16 megapixels and a decent electronic viewfinder. There will be no need to do anything to the focus system and you can use autofocus and the built-in manual focusing aids that mirrorless cameras have to offer. You can also see what you are shooting in the finder, whether you are shooting in good light or not. You can get something like the GH2 for around $200 or less, and it is a great camera, and of course, there are a lot of other geat options with Sony, Olympus, lower end Fujis, etc. The main thing is the EVF and on-sensor focus that mirrorless provides. And don't forget that you can adapt any manual Nikon lenses that you have to just about any mirrorless 4/3 or APS camera.

As to what filter to spec when having a camera converted, I recommend the "Full-Spectrum" conversion unless you are absolutely sure what you want to get out of the camera going forward. "Full-Spectrum" means that the camera has no filter at all on the imaging sensor (the "Filter" is a piece of clear glass), so you can put any filter you want on the lens to allow only the light you are interested in - for example: B&W IR (no false color monochrome), Near IR (lets some visible light through to allow "false color"), visible light only (the camera works like it did before modification, with full color), or UV if you get interested in that at some point. If you specify a particular filter with the conversion, it becomes a permanent part of the imaging sensor and you are stuck with it. If you haven't already been there, go to https://www.lifepixel.com/focus-calibration-options - where they discuss their different filter options and focus issues with SLRs in depth. Scroll about 1/3 the way down and read "Mirrorless Camera Calibration" (no calibration required) - and explains why you really should be looking at mirrorless cameras for IR photography.

When I finally decided to do the conversion, and decided on the simple clear glass conversion, I looked around for someone with a good reputation that doesn't cost so much. This is the person I picked - <http://www.isaacszabo.com/infrared.html> and <http://www.ebay.com/itm/Infrared-IR-Conversion-Service-for-Digital-Cameras-720nm-590nm-830nm-/191233382227> He is a very nice guy and a fabulous photographer - check out his images at both sites. He has a 100% rating on ebay and has converted over a thousand cameras. I couldn't be more pleased with the whole experience of dealing with him.

Finally, I settled on what seems to be the overwhelming extenal filter preference for IR photography - the Hoya R72, which is the "Near IR" that lets a little visible light through if you want some color on occasion. I got the 67mm size, which fits the lens that I use the most, and use reducing rings with it for the other lenses that I use once in awhile.

Best wishes for your journey into Infra-red!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Marion, it's a Hoya RM90. 900nm.
--Bob