IR Camera Conversion and hotspots

[Trevor Cunningham-2]

Weighing a few options here for a DSLR IR conversion:

1. Upgrade from my D200 to a D300, and send the former to one of those  
"doctors" that will remove the IR filter from the sensor.

2. Purchase a used D70 (or, maybe, it's a D70s) that has a busted  
flash for about $150 and send that in. Less money, but smaller images.

What would you do? The second option is most attractive financially,  
and allows me to spend cash on glass. I only have a few days here in  
Raleigh to decide.

One more thing, I read somewhere, maybe it was in a PF post, about  
Nikon glass being prone to "hotspots" with IR photography in DSLRs.  
The guy at Peace Camera said he'd never heard of it. I know for a fact  
I've had the problem myself. Would removing the IR filter do anything  
about this? This is my motivation to neuter the D200.

[ADavidhazy-2]

Trevor,

You'd think I know the answer to your question since I have been doing
IR on a shoestring for a number of years but unfortunately I can't
recommend something - it seems to me that ultimately it depends on
funds and how big of an image file you are looking for. I'd say that
if you are doing IR you could sacrifice on sensor / file size. But
then I have usually been cheap!

As for the hotspots ... I've not seen them in a Nikon but have in a
Canon Digital Rebel. See here:

http://people.rit.edu/andpph/ppic-work/pages/ir-wing-artifact-UFO-4108.htm

or here:

http://tinyurl.com/mnltwb

Is this a lens induced problem? I think it very well may be but I don't
think this is associated with every lens. It depends on design I'd say.
Since at the time the photograph is made the mirror is up and there is
nothing between lens and sensor it has to be lens dependent IMO and
therefore which camera body you use should be irrelevant.

andy




trevor@... wrote:

> Weighing a few options here for a DSLR IR conversion:
>
> 1. Upgrade from my D200 to a D300, and send the former to one of those  
> "doctors" that will remove the IR filter from the sensor.
>
> 2. Purchase a used D70 (or, maybe, it's a D70s) that has a busted  flash
> for about $150 and send that in. Less money, but smaller images.
>
> What would you do? The second option is most attractive financially,  
> and allows me to spend cash on glass. I only have a few days here in  
> Raleigh to decide.
>
> One more thing, I read somewhere, maybe it was in a PF post, about  
> Nikon glass being prone to "hotspots" with IR photography in DSLRs.  The
> guy at Peace Camera said he'd never heard of it. I know for a fact  I've
> had the problem myself. Would removing the IR filter do anything  about
> this? This is my motivation to neuter the D200.
>

[Roger Eichhorn]

Dust spots?

Roger

On 19 Jun 2009, at 11:16 AM, ADavidhazy wrote:

> Trevor,
>
> You'd think I know the answer to your question since I have been doing
> IR on a shoestring for a number of years but unfortunately I can't
> recommend something - it seems to me that ultimately it depends on
> funds and how big of an image file you are looking for. I'd say that
> if you are doing IR you could sacrifice on sensor / file size. But
> then I have usually been cheap!
>
> As for the hotspots ... I've not seen them in a Nikon but have in a
> Canon Digital Rebel. See here:
>
> http://people.rit.edu/andpph/ppic-work/pages/ir-wing-artifact-UFO-4108.htm
>
> or here:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/mnltwb
>
> Is this a lens induced problem? I think it very well may be but I  
> don't
> think this is associated with every lens. It depends on design I'd  
> say.
> Since at the time the photograph is made the mirror is up and there is
> nothing between lens and sensor it has to be lens dependent IMO and
> therefore which camera body you use should be irrelevant.
>
> andy
>
>
>
>
> trevor@... wrote:
>
>> Weighing a few options here for a DSLR IR conversion:
>> 1. Upgrade from my D200 to a D300, and send the former to one of  
>> those  "doctors" that will remove the IR filter from the sensor.
>> 2. Purchase a used D70 (or, maybe, it's a D70s) that has a busted  
>> flash for about $150 and send that in. Less money, but smaller  
>> images.
>> What would you do? The second option is most attractive  
>> financially,  and allows me to spend cash on glass. I only have a  
>> few days here in  Raleigh to decide.
>> One more thing, I read somewhere, maybe it was in a PF post, about  
>> Nikon glass being prone to "hotspots" with IR photography in  
>> DSLRs.  The guy at Peace Camera said he'd never heard of it. I know  
>> for a fact  I've had the problem myself. Would removing the IR  
>> filter do anything  about this? This is my motivation to neuter the  
>> D200.
>

[wpettit]

Trevor, KEH Camera here in Atlanta can do a IR filter removal.  Their web site is KEH.com.

Bill

-----Original Message-----

>From: trevor@...
>Sent: Jun 19, 2009 1:42 PM
>To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@...>
>Subject: IR Camera Conversion and hotspots
>
>Weighing a few options here for a DSLR IR conversion:
>
>1. Upgrade from my D200 to a D300, and send the former to one of those  
>"doctors" that will remove the IR filter from the sensor.
>
>2. Purchase a used D70 (or, maybe, it's a D70s) that has a busted  
>flash for about $150 and send that in. Less money, but smaller images.
>
>What would you do? The second option is most attractive financially,  
>and allows me to spend cash on glass. I only have a few days here in  
>Raleigh to decide.
>
>One more thing, I read somewhere, maybe it was in a PF post, about  
>Nikon glass being prone to "hotspots" with IR photography in DSLRs.  
>The guy at Peace Camera said he'd never heard of it. I know for a fact  
>I've had the problem myself. Would removing the IR filter do anything  
>about this? This is my motivation to neuter the D200.
>