lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

I already own one dSLR, a Sony A-100, that I had converted to "Color Infrared" by Digital Silver Imaging using an internal filter that admits light > 650 nm to the sensor; it works fine. But my recent review of Internal Filters now available at Lifepixel.com reviews some new interesting choices, beyond DSI's offering of three different wavelength cut-offs (650, 715, and 810 nm, if memory serves.) Lifepixel gives them names such as SuperBlue IR, Total Spectrum, etc. in fact, these two are the ones I'm most interested in. The resultant images are in color, not necessarily all false colors.

Do any of you have experience using either of these or similar type internal filters? Mind you, one of the purposes of these IS to avoid using Photoshop PP and the like.

Thank you,
lev29 👀

ssymeono Loc: St. Louis, Missouri

I have been asking -but not getting answers- whether it is possible to duplicate the film color IR that had the capacity of penetrating the surface to detect substratum color, or to pick up minute traces of color to reconstruct original compositions. The beauty of film IR was its ability to penetrate the surface. Even B@W could detect invisible elements below the surface of the earth. I wonder if Total Spectrum does this sort of thing.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

I recommend you visit the website of the 2nd co. I mentioned. "Total Spectrum" as they call it, captures UV, visible, and near-IR light. They say it's used in Forensic Science and Astronomy. The "beauty," in my opinion, is that one "should" be able to apply external optical filters to screen out certain parts of the spectrum. However, they report that when external IR filters are applied, the toll exacted on the live viewing display is such that it becomes difficult to see the scene of what one is composing.

With reference to your color IR film "plight," with respect I don't believe that's at all a problem for an IR camera, so long as similar wavelengths of light are detected by the sensor.

I noted that if I was to get my Sony a6000 camera converted, that co. cannot convert it to Total Spectrum, probably because the sensor isn't of that type in the first place.

ssymeono Loc: St. Louis, Missouri

I have read your reference today and learned a great deal on this subject. I am beginning to understand the benefits and limitations of Digital Camera-IR photography. Some 30 years ago, I photographed the remains of color on ancient Greek statues and was able to capture some of the original: what looks to us dark red today turned out to be mostly golden yellow but also either blue or green. I have been hoping to duplicate this process using modern equivalents. Total Spectrum -with or without filters- looks very promising.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

They have a breakout section that gives you the filter ratings of each level. Starts at 850nm down to 590nm. Find it in the our services drop down under your camera selection.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

For lots of info look at life pixel.com site and kolarivision.com. If you do total spectrum you need filters on the camera for various nm and visible light.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

A most sincere thank you, sueyeisert! Thanks to you, I perused the kolari site and viewed their selection of internal filters, what they know about conversions of some camera models, potential problem with Sony's SLT models, and interesting trivia re: dangers of green LASERS.

I already have read about UV Photography and its applicable virtues, including flowers, semen on garments (actually, I learned about that on the TV show Law & Order: SVU,) Astronomy, and Dermatology. Of those, only the last one might be of interest. With this in mind, I'm leaning away from a Total/Full Spectrum conversion but I WOULD LIKE TO SOLICIT FROM THE HOGS WHAT THEY KNOW (not think, as in zero experience working with "converted" cameras,) ABOUT CAMERA CONVERSIONS THAT RESULT RECORDING PORTIONS OF BOTH THE INFRARED AND VISIBLE LIGHT SPECTRUM.

I'm thinking that it may be possible to have the Best of Both Worlds, i.e. at reasonable cost, use selective external optical filters to block portions of the combined Visible/near-IR Spectrum.

The other question I pose is: because the focal point for sources emitting near-IR light only is different for those emitting only visible light, is there a means for optimizing focusing for such converted Vis/IR cameras? Specifically, by calibrating multiple lenses? And/or should one use only certain cameras by virtue of their auto-focusing systems? The Sony SLT point above is a sign of this potential problem.

lev29 ✌🏼 :hunf:

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Glad I could help. What you need to consider is 1.If the camera will do an in camera white balance. Not all Nikons and Canons will take one. Much easier if your camera will do it. Ask at Lifepixel and Kolarivision. 2. Lens choice. VERY IMPORTANT-Some lenses have hot spots in IR.Not all lenses are good for IR(infrared). Kolari has a list of lenses which are good and bad for infrared.