I want to buy an infrared camera from Life Pixel or Kolarvision. Does anyone recommend one or the other. I have an iPhone 12 max that I can use, but I always have to carry a tripod.
CarolS wrote:
I want to buy an infrared camera from Life Pixel or Kolarvision. Does anyone recommend one or the other. I have an iPhone 12 max that I can use, but I always have to carry a tripod.
I had Life Pixel convert one of my Nikon DF bodies to IR because I really wanted a fast full frame for IR. Fun to experiment and play with, not not terribly practical.
I’ve used both companies companies. They are both good. Just make sure you get a camera that will take a correct white balance for infrared.
47greyfox
Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range
I went with Life Pixel and converted a Canon PowerShot. As my first experience with IR, proceeded cautiously. I didn’t consider Kolar since LP had a special going and had excellent ratings. I got plenty of pre conversion advice and excellent support after the conversion. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again or purchase one of their converted offerings.
I bought a Sony A7R ii that was converted to full spectrum from LifePixel and am pleased with the quality of their conversion work.
Are you sure you want a dedicated IR camera?
A full spectrum conversion allows you to shoot IR, VIS and UV with proper filters.
To get around the hassle of external filters I have purchased clip-in IR pass filters from. STC in Taiwan. Here’s the link:
https://stcoptics.com/en/clip_filter/
Lucian
Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio
I had one converted (a simple Canon point and shoot for size and easy of carry around for fun) and it was for 790nm which gives the best for simply B&W images. Be sure you know what you are going for because another spectrum will mean you still need to do a lot of post work, if you are after true B&W and not magenta or blueish images.
If you have photoshop, you can make practically any regular image look like an infra red image.
No one can tell the difference.
CarolS wrote:
I want to buy an infrared camera from Life Pixel or Kolarvision. Does anyone recommend one or the other. I have an iPhone 12 max that I can use, but I always have to carry a tripod.
I have an Panasonic Lumix G that I had converted years ago by LifePixel after I found it on their recommended list and decided it had the handling features that suited me. I have been very happy with its quality, although the file size is limiting. Shooting IR again (I did film) made me realize that I much preferred straight people pictures. Fortunately the Lumix is small and light so I can throw it in the camera bag with batteries, etc.
IF I were to do it now I would buy one of the cameras they recommend AND have for sale. The enticement/roadblock I find now is the many choices of conversion type. I think that there is a load of good information on their website, plus I was farther helped by their Chat when I got serious..
Boris
47greyfox
Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range
Canisdirus wrote:
If you have photoshop, you can make practically any regular image look like an infra red image.
No one can tell the difference.
When you convert a “normal” image into a IR like image, all instructions I’ve seen require conversion to monochrome as part of the process. Are you aware of another method that doesn’t require that?
CarolS wrote:
I want to buy an infrared camera from Life Pixel or Kolarvision. Does anyone recommend one or the other. I have an iPhone 12 max that I can use, but I always have to carry a tripod.
I have 2 canon cameras converted by Life Pixel and they work great although I've hade them done quiet a time ago.
Lucian
Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio
Canisdirus wrote:
If you have photoshop, you can make practically any regular image look like an infra red image.
No one can tell the difference.
I respectfully disagree. Although you can make a good representation of an IR photo, there is a difference when you compare it to a real IR taken photo to the colour version.
Lucian wrote:
I respectfully disagree. Although you can make a good representation of an IR photo, there is a difference when you compare it to a real IR taken photo to the colour version.
Also, you could use an IR source to take photos in dark with an IR camera. Finally, there must be some materials which absorb IR, like some flowers in UV, which simple B&W conversion would not show, this is definitely true in spectroscopy and photography is essentially broad band 2D spectroscopy. I believe in a book I read they also talked about IR flouresence possibilities.
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