Who's done their own IR conversion?

Now that I have a 5D Mk IV, I'm thinking my 50D may be a good candidate for IR conversion.

I've always been rather adept with electronics and small assemblies,
so the DIY approach does not seem daunting to me. LifePixel's illustrated
teardown seems very straightforward to me.

LifePixel and KolariVision are the filter providers perhaps best known,
with pricing the same.

In that, I'd like to ask DIYers about your own experiences:

-Any other DIY options out there besides LifePixel and KolariVision, perhaps less costly but with the quality?

-I'd likely be using only manual lenses, so would I expect to find a big learning curve in focusing?

-Is the 50D a particularly good, or poor, candidate for conversion?

I'm thinking a 720nm filter is what I want because I like the false-color channel reversal,
but should I be looking at something else to more easily obtain the super-dark blue skies
and near-white foliage?

Also, what did you to keep it all clean?
Canned air is good and all, but any precautions to offer?
Very low-tack tape seems a good option to me, if needed.

I have a 720nm filter used on a PowerShot and XTi, but I struggled like hell to process
those images, and multi-second exposures in full sunlight outdoors is a bit of a hassle.
So I really like the idea of an IR-modified camera such as my 50D.

Advice, suggestions, thoughts will be appreciated.

So as someone who has personally modified hundreds of Canon cameras, I can come at this with multiple perspectives.
If you already own the 50D and have no use for it, and are comfortable and capable of working with these electronic devices and components; Why not?
You will be happy the 50D has Live View for sure. It will be necessary unless you absolutely nail the sensor position to keep AF perfectly accurate.
I would strongly suggest being a DIY you simply remove the stock filters and have a full spectrum camera. This will allow you to shoot IR using normal daytime settings but with the caveat you would have to use LiveView to frame/focus.
Or you could also use the camera for 'normal' daytime by using an IR block filter and a CWB for the scene.

If you truly want a calibrated AF system and an IR filter installed on the sensor, I would advise you follow this:
https://www.lifepixel.​com …iy-tutorials/canon-50d-ir
And then pay careful attention to the spring mounted sensor assembly and how each of the three screws are positioned as this determines your 'depth' for AF accuracy (or keeping the image sensor at the AF module's current focal point) and also your tilt correction.
You will need to replace the original filters with an IR Block of the same overall thickness, or adjust the sensor depth to compensate for the differences...
This is why I would advise most DIY to go full spectrum and then use lens mounted filters and LiveView to shoot..

If you have any technical questions or need help figuring something out, shoot me a message and I will do what I can to help.

Good luck!
Brent

Be careful what you touch once you've disassembled the camera body.
The flash capacitor is waiting to bite you through wiring you might not be aware of.

HyperCams wrote in post #18955153
So as someone who has personally modified hundreds of Canon cameras, I can come at this with multiple perspectives.

Thank you for you thoughtful and detailed reply, Brent. It is much appreciated.


With your mention of this

HyperCams wrote in post #18955153
And then pay careful attention to the spring mounted sensor assembly and how each of the three screws are positioned as this determines your 'depth' for AF accuracy (or keeping the image sensor at the AF module's current focal point) and also your tilt correction.

which I do understand, are you referring to the 3 screws which are factory-marked
by what seems a black Sharpie marker, say around the 1, 5, and 9 O'Clock positions, here?
Or are they on the other side of the assembly, not evident in the LifePixel breakdown?

HyperCams wrote in post #18955153
You will need to replace the original filters with an IR Block of the same overall thickness, or adjust the sensor depth to compensate for the differences.

which I also understand fully.
Both Kolari and LP state their replacement filters are a thickness match to original filter stacks.
Is this not true in your experience? If so, what filters are a match, and how to obtain?

..

HyperCams wrote in post #18955153
If you have any technical questions or need help figuring something out, shoot me a message and I will do what I can to help.

Also very much appreciated, but in the interest of anyone else reading along,
I'd prefer to keep correspondence about the topic here in this thread, provided you do not object.

..

iroctd wrote in post #18955772
Be careful what you touch once you've disassembled the camera body.
The flash capacitor is waiting to bite you through wiring you might not be aware of.

Yep, I'm fully aware of that gotcha.
Thanks for mentioning it though, in case others interested are following this.
It's something to be aware of, and avoid or neutralize the danger.

Having completed a couple of IR conversions, I'd say getting pre-cut filters is a very good idea - unless you're already an expert glass tradeperson, during a conversion is probably the worst time to start learning!
In terms of focus accuracy, depends on what you're shooting whether a couple of thou either way on the sensor makes any difference, as f/8 & above will compensate for a multitude of sins.
The worst problem I think I faced was on one of the conversions, where both screws on the filter cover sheared the heads off, forcing me to (carefully) drill out the remaining screw length & retap the hole to take a slightly oversize screw.

Take your time & make sure you have some way to identify each screw you remove - I made up a block of wood with a matrix of 10mm holes that I numbered along with a printout from the parts list that I wrote on to keep track, but whatever works for you.

all the best!

SkedAddled wrote in post #18955838
Thank you for you thoughtful and detailed reply, Brent. It is much appreciated.

With your mention of this which I do understand, are you referring to the 3 screws which are factory-marked
by what seems a black Sharpie marker, say around the 1, 5, and 9 O'Clock positions, here?
Or are they on the other side of the assembly, not evident in the LifePixel breakdown?

Actually, nevermind that question.
With the one of three marked screws' mounting location shown as being above a fairly robust spring
in the following picture from the LifePixel page, it's now easy to spot that the 2 'unmarked' screws
are no more than a secure electrical connection for the very flexible tabs to the main chassis.
It would be a simple enough task to mark those screw positions more precisely, then make a count
of number of turns before they bottom out, and repeat the process upon reassembly.
Something the LifePixel instructions make no mention of.

You got it. The three screws and springs are your adjustment points, and the others will usually just be a grounding clip to the chassis or frame of the body. The "sharpie marks" are actually some kind of staking or adhesive they put on the screw heads to lock in the adjustments done to the system.

SkedAddled wrote in post #18955838
Then there's this:which I also understand fully.
Both Kolari and LP state their replacement filters are a thickness match to original filter stacks.
Is this not true in your experience? If so, what filters are a match, and how to obtain?

LP makes filters that will match, so either buy one from them (I have no idea about Kolari) or buy and cut your own and then (most likely) have to adjust the sensor depth to get perfect AF.
I have bought sheets of glass before and cut them to size. It is not very precise with the crude tools available, and may not even be possible with some kinds of glass or coatings.

SkedAddled wrote in post #18955838
Also very much appreciated, but in the interest of anyone else reading along,
I'd prefer to keep correspondence about the topic here in this thread, provided you do not object.

I am good here as well. I sometimes get people that think I am only trying to sell something given the nature of my "hobby/job". I am not trying to actively sell something, only trying to help and provide information. Not everyone agrees with this and thinks vendors should not have any opinion on subjects they work around, so I just give my two cents and say contact me offline for more help if needed.
If you're good here as the OP, so am I.
Cheers!

joeseph wrote in post #18956064
...

The worst problem I think I faced was on one of the conversions, where both screws on the filter cover sheared the heads off, forcing me to (carefully) drill out the remaining screw length & retap the hole to take a slightly oversize screw.

Whoa.
That musta sucked bad.

joeseph wrote in post #18956064
Take your time & make sure you have some way to identify each screw you remove - I made up a block of wood with a matrix of 10mm holes that I numbered along with a printout from the parts list that I wrote on to keep track, but whatever works for you.

Good advice; that's similar to my plan too.

HyperCams wrote in post #18956192
You got it. The three screws and springs are your adjustment points, and the others will usually just be a grounding clip to the chassis or frame of the body. The "sharpie marks" are actually some kind of staking or adhesive they put on the screw heads to lock in the adjustments done to the system.

Ah, that damned adhesive; I know it well.
Typically it's brittle crap and just breaks away.
I''ll hope it's that, rather than the pseudo-gummy gunk I hate so much.

I appreciate the confirmation on my thinking of the assembly.

HyperCams wrote in post #18956192
LP makes filters that will match, so either buy one from them (I have no idea about Kolari) or buy and cut your own and then (most likely) have to adjust the sensor depth to get perfect AF.
I have bought sheets of glass before and cut them to size. It is not very precise with the crude tools available, and may not even be possible with some kinds of glass or coatings.

Thanks for that, too.
LifePixel is the one I've heard about for the longest time; they're established and proven.
No price difference between them and Kolari Vision.

I'd be interested to know if you also offer a DIY filter stack which matches thickness.
I've no desire to attempt fabricating my own; just a straight-up swap is for me.

I expect I won't be tackling the project for some bit of time, as we're just beginning our
true winter here, but I plan to fully photo-document the process when I do.
I'll come back to this thread with updates as that occurs.

HyperCams wrote in post #18956192
I am good here as well. I sometimes get people that think I am only trying to sell something given the nature of my "hobby/job". I am not trying to actively sell something, only trying to help and provide information. Not everyone agrees with this and thinks vendors should not have any opinion on subjects they work around, so I just give my two cents and say contact me offline for more help if needed.
If you're good here as the OP, so am I.
Cheers!

Yep, I'm good.
In fact, I think this thread has potential to enable DIY enthusiasts to tackle their own conversions.
The LP teardown is very good for getting into it, but subtleties such as your explanation
about the adjustment assembly are simply not even alluded to.
Such details are perhaps found within videos of the subject, but I prefer text with static images.

Thanks for everyone's input so far.
If anyone else reading along has something they'd like to add to the discussion, please ring in.

Thanks. Hopefully i can help shed some light on the finer details.

For anyone who is attempting this kind of work on the Rebel series, this man has a ton of in depth insight and instructions and even goes into detail on the spring mounted sensor assemblies.
http://dslrmodificatio​ns.com/rebelmod450d1.h​tml

Sorry though i do not cut filters any more for IR. I usually only do full spectrum conversions any more since i like to change it up on a regular basis depending on my mood. Lol

Thanks again, Brent.

I'm not convinced full-spectrum is right for me;
I like the false-color effects, and ability to shoot normally is very attractive.
I'm also not sure how full-spectrum would be of my interest,
as I hated the long-exposure trials from way back when.
I'd also need to relearn about using filters and post-processing, would I not?

SkedAddled wrote in post #18956862
I like the false-color effects, and ability to shoot normally is very attractive.

I'd also need to relearn about using filters and post-processing, would I not?

wouldn't you need to be learning post-processing anyway? very rare that I'll shoot something & really like it without processing of some description.

while I remember, if you do end up with an IR modified camera, always use a custom white balance - it'll make the processing so much easier!
I usually do the lush-grass-in-bright-sunshine as the sample.

SkedAddled wrote in post #18956862
Thanks again, Brent.

I'm not convinced full-spectrum is right for me;
I like the false-color effects, and ability to shoot normally is very attractive.
I'm also not sure how full-spectrum would be of my interest,
as I hated the long-exposure trials from way back when.
I'd also need to relearn about using filters and post-processing, would I not?

With Full Spectrum you would be using the exact same exposures as if it were an IR modified camera; but instead of an IR pass filter on the sensor, you would have one on the end of your lens. So identical in terms of exposure, just different in terms of operation. With the IR pass on the lens, unless in the brightest of sunlight, you would not be able to use the viewfinder for framing and focusing, you would be stuck using the LiveView preview. It works very well, but is not ideal or why most people buy DSLRs to begin with. With the 50D and its limitations in LV, it may be a problem for you. But, if it saves you a couple hundred $, it is something I could probably learn to live with.

Also with Full Spectrum, you have the ability to still shoot normal daytime photos by using an IR (blocking) filter on your lens, and setting a CWB for your scene. The colors arent 100% exact to a stock camera, but unless using it for precise professional work, it will be usable in nearly all situations and most people could never even notice a difference.


As Joe mentioned, the post-processing will be done either way, unless you shoot with a CWB and use the images SOOC. Which, I have to say, I actually do most of the time. If you check out my flickr in my signature below, you will see hundreds of images using a CWB and zero processing. Albums for HyperCams, Mono Conversions (6D/60D/T3i,etc). These are all taken as test images after conversions, so they are more for evaluating the potential of the camera system than for 'pretty pictures'. I provide the Raws for customers that ask for them. Most times these SOOC Jpegs are all that is needed.
(please note, most of the images are for Mono Conversions, which is not applicable here, but all Mono get a full spectrum conversion, so I felt it fits this thread).

A replacement sensor seems cheap enough if you do mess anything up.

https://www.ebay.com …a795a0:g:04MAAO​SwTFRc9tyL

joeseph wrote in post #18956943
wouldn't you need to be learning post-processing anyway? very rare that I'll shoot something & really like it without processing of some description.

while I remember, if you do end up with an IR modified camera, always use a custom white balance - it'll make the processing so much easier!
I usually do the lush-grass-in-bright-sunshine as the sample.

I've done the same with WB in my limited experience.

The processing has mostly been a frustration for me, but with a dedicated IR camera,
I think I'm more likely to dig into it with greater frequency and therefore become more adept with it.

HyperCams wrote in post #18958515
With Full Spectrum you would be using the exact same exposures as if it were an IR modified camera; but instead of an IR pass filter on the sensor, you would have one on the end of your lens. So identical in terms of exposure, just different in terms of operation. With the IR pass on the lens, unless in the brightest of sunlight, you would not be able to use the viewfinder for framing and focusing, you would be stuck using the LiveView preview. It works very well, but is not ideal or why most people buy DSLRs to begin with. With the 50D and its limitations in LV, it may be a problem for you. But, if it saves you a couple hundred $, it is something I could probably learn to live with.

Also with Full Spectrum, you have the ability to still shoot normal daytime photos by using an IR (blocking) filter on your lens, and setting a CWB for your scene. The colors arent 100% exact to a stock camera, but unless using it for precise professional work, it will be usable in nearly all situations and most people could never even notice a difference.

Again, the information is appreciated, Brent.

However, the ability to use the camera in a normal fashion is what most attracts me to the conversion.
The S3iS does a good job of displaying expected exposure outcome, but something about needing
a tripod or other solid support during high-noon summer sunlight for exposures bothers me a bit.
In short, I'd like the 50D to grab the IR spectrum just as it grabs an exposure right now, and I don't
anticipate it getting much use now that I have a 5D4. It's also not worth much now, but still a very
high-quality camera, so I may as well go for it.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18958544
A replacement sensor seems cheap enough if you do mess anything up.

https://www.ebay.com …a795a0:g:04MAAO​SwTFRc9tyL

I intend to take my time to be very careful, so hopefully it won't come to that.