ialvarez50

Hello everyone, I am very interested in having one of my cameras converted to IR photography only. I found this company online Kolari Vision, but I never heard of them before. Any of you have dealt with this company? Are they any good?
Please if you know them and have either a good story or a horror story about this company, let me know. I want to use their service but I need to know more about them before I send my EOS 1 Mark II to them. I use this camera as the second body after heaving the shutter replaced.

Thank you.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I used Life Pixel.
https://www.lifepixel.com/introduction
and was very pleased with them. Great service before and after

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I have friends who have used www.spencerscamera.com also.

Math78 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

I used Kolari to convert an old Canon PowerShot point-and-shoot camera to IR. No problems. I had the camera back in about a week.

jeweler53

following

Ufauxreal

I used Kolari to convert a Panasonic G3 several years ago. They did an excellent job and turn around was very quick. They also have a lot of useful information on their website, including an article on which lenses work best for IR and which to avoid.

Mdean92 Loc: Clarksville IN

Kolari Vision converted my Nikon D80 with filter 720nm. It does a great job for IR. I'm thinking about having them convert either my Nikon D750 or my D810. Will sell my Nikon D80. I have tried Life Pixel in the past but prefer Kolari Vision. Of the three sights I’ve looked at for me I prefer Kolari Vision.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Kolarivision is fine I have used them twice to convert cameras.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

I've had three cameras full spectrum modified by LifePixel with good results and after service.

I use Kolari Vision Color Correcting Hot Mirror filters on my full spectrum cameras to 'return' them to unmodded color balance with good success, i.e.: good quality filter. As for camera mods by KolariVision, I know of only one person that's had a camera modded by them; no problems.

bwa

kenregen

Great company to deal with. they converted my Nikon D3400 to infrared and love it.
Would recommend highly.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I have not dealt with them but they and Life Pixel are known to be great at IR, UV, Full Spectrum, and other conversions or modifications. I had my Pentax K-100D (6MP APS-C CCD Sensor) converted for IR use elsewhere as few places will work with Pentax cameras. Not really sure why. Perhaps their lack of experience with cameras other than Nikon, Canon, or Sony. Actually to me anyway, I mainly use only one lens for IR, a 35mm so I'd be just as happy with a pre-converted Canon or Fuji Camera. Only one Pentax that does get converted it the K-01 MILC.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

I'd recommend a full spectrum conversion and the use of IR Pass filters. Gives you far more options than a single IR conversion.

bwa

Mr. Fuzzy

Who did your conversion to the Pentax k100d? I have the same camera.

ButchS Loc: Spokane, WA

I have used both Kolari Vision and Life Pixel. I have had 2 cameras converted by Kolari, and 3 cameras converted by Life Pixel. I have been happy with both. However, I have been using Life Pixel for my most recent conversions. I have received a more personal service from Life Pixel. But to be fair to Kolari, they have been faster at filling orders. I think that Life Pixel are a smaller company and may get a bit overwhelmed when the order volume is high. I have to admit a bias toward Life Pixel because they are located in my home state of Washington.

Whether you use Life Pixel or not, I suggest that you visit their website and look at their camera conversion list for your camera brand. They have footnotes and comments for each model indicating issues related to infrared conversion for that camera. For example, some Nikon cameras have an infrared sensor to monitor shutter accuracy. And in some of the cameras that sensor can be an issue.

I got started in IR photography during the film era. I used Kodak HIE (High Speed Infrared) black and white film. HIE’s IR sensitivity was in the 900nm range. So, my first conversion was a Nikon D200 with a 800nm filter. I chose this filter because I was trying replicate the results of HIE, and this was the longest wavelength filter that Kolari offered at the time. I just recently had Life Pixel convert a Nikon D7000 to 830nm. At these wavelengths these cameras are strictly black and white. But I have also had some cameras converted to color infrared using 590 nm filters. I still enjoy working in black-and-white. But I have to admit that I have had some fun playing with color IR.

One last related topic. You will need to post process virtually every image you try to make in IR. For black-and-white, you will need to play with the brightness and contrast. Color IR requires much more manipulation. You will need an image manipulation program that allows you to work with the color channels. This means something like Photoshop or GIMP. You can also use Photoshop Elements if you add a third-party product called Elements+. Elements+ adds some features to Elements, including the channel mixer.

Good luck.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

It may have been Spencer? I actually have forgotten. I think the K-100D is a good choice as it actually is so old it has a CCD and not CMOS sensor and from my reading a CCD has more IR sensitivity to begin with. Yes, Kolari Vision will convert a Pentax K-100D for $350 to $500 depending on quality of filter. Life Pixel just seems to be anti-Pentax for some reason (on the phone). I had not heard of Kolari Vision when I had mine done.

I had a photo instructor who does professional IR shots of especially British Castles in IR. She has Canon cameras converted by Life Pixel. Not sure what current model(s) she has. I believe she was shooting a 5DmkII for regular color work when I was taking her classes. I don't remember what Canon the IR was when I was standing next to her shoot the same building in the desert. We were the only two using IR.