IR (first pics)


I completed my D70 infrared (IR) conversion last night. Here are the first images:

If you want to learn more about this conversion or IR photography in general, check out the vendor website where I got the parts for the job: http://www.lifepixel.com

Basically it involves taking the camera apart and replacing the glass filter that protects the sensor (and blocks IR light) with one that blocks visible light but lets IR light pass. So in a very real sense, the images are created with invisible light. This has always been a hard process in the past because a 'black' IR filter had to be screwed on the front of the lens for use with IR film or digital capture, meaning the photographer could not see through the viewfinder to compose the shot after the filter was in place. With this conversion, I can see through the viewfinder and shoot handheld. In my opinion this is as revolutionary for IR photography as digital is for photography in general.

Now the samples, these are all taken with ISO 1600.

When they first come out of the camera using a 'normal' white balance setting, they have a very strong magenta color cast, like this:



The easy option is to just convert to black and white, like these (note that Tara's sweatshirt is black):



But with some work, color can be restored:



That last image, by the way, is a picture of a D70 sensor board with the glass filter removed. More on that in my next post.

Posted: Fri - February 10, 2006 at 08:09 AM          

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