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11-16-2012, 09:35 AM - 4 Likes   #1
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Infrared conversion

Since a number of Pentax users have complained about attempting to get IR camera conversions done by a company in Utah, I should report on an excellent experience I just had with a company in Massachusetts: Digital Silver Imaging.

I sent DSI my old K10D about a month ago for IR conversion. The camera was returned to me in less than two weeks, with the camera cleaned and the conversion done. The result was excellent. Since I shoot mostly very wide (10-17mm zoom and 15mm prime) DSI asked me to send them the camera with the fisheye zoom attached so that they could calibrate it for wide lenses. This they did.

They charged me $260, but till the end of November they're having a sale and will convert DSLRs and hybrids for $199.

(I'm not affiliated with the company but really like what they did!) Here's a sample: there are a couple more in my gallery.

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11-16-2012, 05:58 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by alexcox Quote
Since a number of Pentax users have complained about attempting to get IR camera conversions done by a company in Utah, I should report on an excellent experience I just had with a company in Massachusetts: Digital Silver Imaging.

I sent DSI my old K10D about a month ago for IR conversion. The camera was returned to me in less than two weeks, with the camera cleaned and the conversion done. The result was excellent. Since I shoot mostly very wide (10-17mm zoom and 15mm prime) DSI asked me to send them the camera with the fisheye zoom attached so that they could calibrate it for wide lenses. This they did.

They charged me $260, but till the end of November they're having a sale and will convert DSLRs and hybrids for $199.

(I'm not affiliated with the company but really like what they did!) Here's a sample: there are a couple more in my gallery.
Good to hear about a company willing to do a Pentax conversion with a reasonable turn-around time, and cost.
Nice K-9 photo BTW.
11-17-2012, 11:13 AM   #3
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alexcox -- Which wavelength IR filter did you end up selecting?

I'm getting ready to make the jump up from a K10D to either a K-5 classic or latest K-5 II. I've always admired the "look" of both B&W and color infrared photos... An IR conversion might be a fun past time for my K10D after retirement.

I'll second the thumbs up on your photo; very nice indeed.
11-18-2012, 09:15 AM   #4
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infrared conversion

I went for the 720nm infrared filter, which is apparently the most popular one.

If I convert another body I'll probably try the 830nm filter, which lets in only infrared light and produces only black and white images.

11-18-2012, 10:28 AM   #5
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Great thing, enjoy it.
11-24-2012, 06:28 PM   #6
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Good to know and thanks for posting your experience and the excellent sample image. I've long considered converting my K10D when I upgrade, and having just bought a K-5 (yesterday) I'll have to give some thought to jumping on this sale price for IR conversion.

Does the focus adjustment mean you can focus normally in the VF? Does that work for all distances?
11-25-2012, 09:22 AM   #7
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I've been relying on autofocus which seems spot-on. In low light my manual focus seems a little off.

11-25-2012, 10:23 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by alexcox Quote
DSI asked me to send them the camera with the fisheye zoom attached so that they could calibrate it for wide lenses.
What does that mean? Is it like an autofocus calibration or something else? I have an IR converted K10D and it seems like with certain wide angle lens the corners pretty soft (at least with crop frame lens). I looked online and I can find some accounts of this (people think that since the lens is designed for visible light the IR performance is poor) but the number of hits in my searches are not as many as I had expected. Could there be some calibration I need to get done?

What do you corners look like? Thanks in advance!
11-25-2012, 11:36 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by alexcox Quote
I've been relying on autofocus which seems spot-on. In low light my manual focus seems a little off.
Thanks -- sounds like they calibrate the AF, otherwise I can't imagine that it would still work correctly. I wonder if they also re-shim the focusing screen for MF; I'll have to check if I go ahead with this. But that's easy to do at home.
11-26-2012, 08:22 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by oxidized Quote
What do you corners look like?
The corners look fine. For more technical info, you might want to contact DSI and ask them about their process.
01-05-2013, 12:26 AM   #11
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Hate to be a party pooper, but I just got back my k7 and da16-45 with very bad results. The rubber grip on the side that has the AF/MF dial was not glued back on. And worse still, the da16-45 zoom now clicks and it won't autofocus. And during the whole process, they never emailed me that they received the camera or that they had shipped it back to me. Sent an email looking for an ETA - no response. Finally got someone in marketing via email who knew how to press the "reply" button but even after contacting the techs, they still didn't respond. I had to send another email to her and finally someone responded saying that my camera was arriving to me that day! Nice to let me know so I don't leave $700 sitting on my doorstep for several hours... Just a bad experience so far. We'll see if they try to make this right... to be continued.
02-17-2013, 09:01 PM   #12
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Digital Silver Imaging has had my camera and lens in for repair for another month and they still have not sent me any correspondence as to the status of the repair. Not even an email saying that they've received the items. I've just sent them an email asking for an update... I'll post more here when/if I hear from them.
04-01-2013, 06:28 PM   #13
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Any update? I'm thinking of having my old *istD converted.
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