[François Totof]

I would like modified my new Pentax K1 for infrared photo with a 720nm filter. Where in Canada i can find a repair shop who do the job? (Lifepixel and Kolari are so chicken for do the job…).

thank's

[blackcloudbrew]

There are options in the USA but I don't know the landscape in Canada.

[MJKoski]

What do you mean? KolariVision will convert K-1 like any other FF camera. I asked about K-1 MK2 conversion a year ago and there were no issues with any kind of conversion they provide. I chose to go with ACS in the UK due to zero effort with the customs.

Pentax DSLR Full Spectrum Conversion Service - Kolari Vision

The option is still there. Even though I did not use Kolari's services for my K-1's full-spectrum conversion, I would now choose KolariVision without second thought as their AR-coating seems to be unique and the only real solution to combat IR-hotspots.

[travelswsage]

KolariVision and LifePixel will not convert the Pentax k-1 or k-1ii to 720nm. They will only do a full spectrum conversion. I think you may be able to send your camera to Isaac Szabo - Isaac Szabo --he might to the 720 conversion but I'm not sure. Good luck -- you might want to consider a full spectrum conversion and then use a 720 filter.

[Bob 256]

travelswage is right. Full spectrum is a much more versatile conversion which still allows the camera to be used as a regular camera with a lens mounted UV/IR reject filter. It also allows other filters to be used for varied IR effects.

One thing you might consider though is that the K-1 isn't the best camera to convert because you'll lose use of the viewfinder (completely for 720nm conversion and for IR if full spectrum). All shots will need to be made using Liveview in order to compose the image. A better choice is to obtain a used K-01 and have it converted to full-spectrum. It doesn't have a viewfinder and works great for the conversion (I had one converted by Isaac some two years back).

Isaac made this suggestion to me and I really appreciated it since converting a K-1 is really a waste unless you must have full-frame IR capability. Once converted (to full spectrum), a K-1 would need a UV/IR reject filter for every lens you use with it (sizewise) and that's a pain. I use my converted K-01 with a zoom lens and it works well for most all IR work. It also takes my other Pentax lenses and all I need is an IR filter for each (which is less cost than the reject filter). Just a suggestion.

Isaac Szabo

[MJKoski]

Right. It seems no K-1 option for IR-conversion service (they did not mention this when I asked a year ago). Oh well, just send it to full-spectrum conversion instead and pick the AR-coating option to make more lenses usefull. K-1 is too "good" to waste for single limited IR-conversion.

K-1 works fine with liveview in IR which also makes focusing easy.

It is worth mentioning that K-1 also works somewhat okay without any modification. It lets some IR light to pass and as it handles long exposures very well, one can use it for near-IR with just lens filters:



Imake taken with K-1 MK2 (unmodified) and chinese 850nm filter (let's some color through).



Image taken with K-1 MK2 (unmodified) and Heliopan 780nm coated filter.

[cpk]

The others are right. Unless there is a very specific need to have full-frame IR, it seems to me a waste of the capabilities of the K-1. When I got my K-5 II as a companion to my K-5, Kolari converted my K-7 to IR at 665 nm. Since most IR photos are taken outside, high ISO capability isn't really necessary; and an APS-C sensor should be sufficient. I no longer use the viewfinder and have a Hoodman hood "permanently" attached to the back of the camera.

Some samples from my K-7:
Barns in the County, Series 3 - Charles Kinghorn

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Last edited by cpk; 05-08-2020 at 10:35 AM.

[baro-nite]

One thing you might consider though is that the K-1 isn't the best camera to convert because you'll lose use of the viewfinder (completely for 720nm conversion and for IR if full spectrum).

To shoot IR on a full-spectrum camera, yes, because you have to put the filter on the lens. For a dedicated IR conversion, with filter on the sensor, the viewfinder is still usable, with caveats -- Isaac can adjust the camera for a particular lens, so that the viewfinder works for focusing, but that may or may not (more likely not) be correct for other lenses. I actually enjoy composing in the viewfinder on my (Isaac Szabo converted) K-5, even though the image in the viewfinder is out of focus -- this actually helps me see the image as a whole. I'm a viewfinder guy; that's why I stick with SLRs, and one reason I opted for a dedicated IR conversion instead of full-spectrum.

That said, I tend to agree that a dedicated IR conversion on a K-1 seems mighty specialized. But if one is a dedicated IR photographer, why not.

[travelswsage]

Nice shots MJKoski and cpk! Charles -- really enjoyed your barn series -- some really fantastic shots there. Were you using a 590 for the yellow tree effect?

[cpk]

Nice shots MJKoski and cpk! Charles -- really enjoyed your barn series -- some really fantastic shots there. Were you using a 590 for the yellow tree effect?

Thank you for your comments. My K-7 was converted for 665 nm. I do some initial processing in DxO PhotoLab (possibly Optics Pro at the time these photos were taken); but that processing really has nothing to do with the infrared post-processing. First a channel swap in Photoshop, followed, if necessary, by further processing in the Nik software. Mark Hilliard has a number of YouTube videos on the subject.

You Tube

You Tube

[travelswsage]

Thanks much for the video -- very helpful and I have been strugging with the processing!