baer wrote:
My only digital camera is a D500 and I want to keep that as is. I want to get a Nikon digital (not a pocket camera) with somewhere between 20 to 24 MP) to convert to take IR and/or UV pictures.
Questions: (1) Which DX digital body would you recommend and (2) would you get one that's already converted by the conversion service or a separate body, (3) which service would you recommend (I only know of Lifepixel, Kolari and Spencer camera), and (4) would I need filters for each separate lens if I go for full spectrum conversion?
Thank you very much in advance for any advice,
Sincerely,
Baer
My only digital camera is a D500 and I want to kee... (
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Let me start by saying that I have two cameras that are converted to IR and both are full spectrum. And a 3rd camera is also full spectrum, but it has also had the CFA (Color Filter Array) removed so it is strictly monochrome.
Some points to consider:
1. Mirrorless cameras ought to be the only type of camera to consider. Focus will be off if using a DSLR. Now they do advertise that they can calibrate one lens to work properly with IR, but just that one lens will be correct. And if you decide upon full spectrum, then it will only focus accurately with one specific IR filter. Using live view on a DSLR can help, but it is not nearly as good as a mirrorless' ability to focus on the sensor.
2. Advanced camera features are not important to IR imaging. Never do I need high speed bursting.
3. Some lenses are absolutely superb for IR shooting. And some are absolute duds with hot spots. For example, I have an older Olympus EM5ii converted to IR. And the lens I most like to use for IR is the lowly Olympus 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens. Not a hint of any hotspots. And focus is perfect. On the other hand, I do have the Olympus 40mm f2.8 Pro lens, and it has hot spots, so I don't use it for IR imaging. I should try out the Olympus 12-100mm f4 also for IR, which I own, but haven't gotten around to trying since I am so satisfied with the 14-42mm. Also one that works well is the Olympus 17mm f1.8 which has no hot spots, and also the Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6 with no hot spots.
4. Fast lenses aren't much of a need for IR imaging. IR imaging is best done in full sunlight, and a fast lens is just not needed.
The other IR camera I have is an older Sony A55. This is a SLT type camera, and the focus is done on light reflected off the SLT mirror, and with IR, focus is ALWAYS off. I have to use manual focus with this camera to get sharp images.I do have a number of Sony A-Mount and Minolta lenses have no hot spot problems, but I just don't use this camera much since I have to manually focus.
Also, the camera I had converted to IR + monochrome is a Sony A6300. And with this camera, I have had success with the Sony 10-18mm f4, Samyang 18mm f2.8, Sony 35mm f1.8 and Sony 50mm f1.8, all with no hot spots.
I also have many older legacy lenses and many of them do quite well with IR, but they do require manual focusing. I don't use them for this very often since I do like AF to work when doing IR. Two in particular that I have liked using is the Minolta Rokkor 28mm f2.5, and also the Vivitar 55mm f2.8 (made by Komine). Very sharp and no hot spots.
I tend to think that many of the newer lenses with special coatings tend to be the biggest hot spot problems and many of the older lenses aren't so much bothered. But this is not guaranteed to be true all the time.
As for my choice, I like the full spectrum option since I can change what filter to use, which even includes using a UV-IR cut filter which returns the back to visible light only.
Since you also state that you are interested in UV imaging too, this adds more restrictions to your choice. All camera sensors are sensitive to UV, but the sensor cover needs to be quartz to allow the passage of UV light. And what lenses you can use is more limited too. I have not gone the UV route and have no experience here.
Also, Nikon has not been in the mirrorless market for very many years, and there are not older mirrorless Nikon models to choose from. The Olympus EM5ii came out in 2015 and there just are not any newer camera features that I miss by using this camera. And this camera can be found used at reasonable prices.
Adding a B&W image taken by the EM5ii camera using JPEG (which I almost never shoot in, usually use RAW and process) and the Olympus 40-150mm lens at 74mm and f5.6. I have not processed and if expanded, you can see some noise I didn't bother with.
The 2nd image shows that I can get by with using no filter at all and to process the RAW in Lightroom into a B&W image where I told it to process with a green filter. This now has a mixture of visible light and IR light. So many ways to work with IR.