jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

With my D70 conversion, I have to set the withe balance using green grass.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Here is a hint. If you shoot JPEG, then yes you need to set the white balance with green grass.

If you shoot RAW, then it makes no difference if you set a white balance since you can always set the WB on the image in post processing. Usually this involves doing a temperature offset before the WB, and then comes the Red-Blue channel swapping.

dlwhawaii Loc: Sunny Wailuku, Hawaii

I had Lifepixel convert a Sigma SD10 DSLR and an Olympus 4/3 E-PL1 LiveView several years ago and am very satisfied with the results. I purchased 2 sets of IR/UV combination filters (52mm and 82mm). My lens choices were El Nikkor enlarging lenses, which are excellent lenses for IR/UV. Lenses need adapters to fit Sigma SA and OM 4/3 bodies. All in all a very complete and useful multi-spectral system, UV/Vis/IR.

eagle80 Loc: Kutztown, PA

I had one done at Lifepixel. Very happy with it.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Lifepixel did my conversion. All the companies you mention have good reputations and sometimes offer deals. One thing I found valuable from Lifepixel was it included a half hour zoom session on processing. I went full spectrum and just bought the largest filters I needed and use step up rings. If you expect to do any real UV photography you will probably need specialty lenses since regular lenses block most UV light.
Mirrorless is definitely the way to go and has been stated previously there is no need for all the bells and whistles of modern mirrorless buying a used Lumix GH1 was a no brainer for me since I was already well invested in M4/3 lenses. Since you already have a D500 I’d think a Z50 would be good if you have DX lenses.

Tote1940 Loc: Dallas

Had Fuji Finepix S3 converted by Kolari, does have a live view feature, placed filter on mirror. Basically D40 but it would have been smarter to use Z50

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There are hours of IR processing instruction available on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ir+processing

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

It's all your choice of course, but I chose to convert a Nikon Df for several reasons. First was that it uses ALL of Nikons F mount lenses, including the old pre-ai lenses. Second was it is one of the best low light cameras I have ever used. Third is that it LOOKS like an old film body when people see you using it. Fourth, it has no pop-up flash nor video, which are both pretty worthless for IR. My only complaint is that it is the only full frame Nikon to use the EN-EL 14 batteries from DX bodies, but since I also have another Df I do have batteries for both.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've always liked having the pop-up flash, just in case. I'm sorry that the Z cameras don't have them.

Having to stock different kinds of batteries is definitely annoying - and expensive.

Canisdirus

Most of the newer flashes have rechargeable batteries built into them.

Tote1940 Loc: Dallas

My Z50 does, great fill in but does not work with silent shutter
My ZFc does not, it is prettier and easier to use but no flash and only one user customizable button

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

But what’s the use of having all those lenses available if they can only adjust the focus for one lens. Converting a mirrorless is the way to go. No focus’s adjustment needed.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

That issue applies to zoom lenses. All manual focus primes work just perfectly.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Read this from Lifepixel.com
https://www.lifepixel.com/infrared-photography-primer/ch4-lenses-slr-lenses-custom-calibration-for-ir-converted-cameras

When they do a calibration, it is only for that lens. Another lens may focus IR differently. And this is with Primes.

And if they focus with a zoom lens, they pick the widest angle. At other focal lengths, it is likely not in perfect focus.

The answer is that the best choice is mirrorless. Every lens you have retains perfect focus. Zooms have perfect focus at all focal lengths.

Personally, I have one of each, and I can tell you which camera gets used and which one gets left behind. It's the mirrorless that gets used. Every time. And all the lenses I have for that camera, both prime and zoom, all continue to focus perfectly. And at all focal lengths.

With my non-mirrorless camera, autofocus thinks it is getting it right. But it is very noticeably out of focus. And many AF lenses seem to have manual focus as an afterthought, and don't provide long rotational movement and are actually tricky to manually focus.

This page from LifePixel on camera selection is worth reading too: (Somewhat dated and not updated recently)
https://www.lifepixel.com/camera-considerations

Regarding doing a custom White Balance. Necessary if you shoot JPEGs. For RAW, it doesn't matter, even a tiny amount. I set the camera to "Sunny" and don't change it. I have experimented where I tried all the WB settings the camera had, and with RAW images, it made ZERO difference. In all cases, I ended up with the same result.

I use Rob Shea's Infrared Profile Pack. Can be used with Lightroom or Photoshop, and other editors too.
https://blog.robsheaphotography.com/downloads/

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

Isaac is great for IR conversions.