Some IR photos from a converted Ds2 (20x images)

frank · 03-26-2010, 08:52 PM

Got a used *ist Ds2 camera here from the forum (w/ a damaged LCD screen) a while ago, I sent it to my friend for repair, then he converted it to an IR dedicated camera by replacing the IR hot mirror w/ a 680nm IR filter. Got it back a couple of weeks ago, only got chance to test it out this Wed.

Here are some of the photos I took in a park not to far from my place:

They are pretty cool, aren't they?

RawheaD · 03-26-2010, 09:38 PM

Very nice stuff. Your friend is the guy that has the listing on Ebay, right? I've been contemplating getting a Pentax modded from him for a while. Maybe the next chance I get to buy a body for cheap.

Have you by any chance tried the DA12-24 with this?

One reason why I'd love to get the mod is that the DA 12-24 generates a very noticeable hotspot when shooting IR with a R72 filter & long exposure. I've heard that modded sensors tend to do away with hotspots (with some lenses?), and obviously I'd LOVE to use the 12-24 for IR. That plus I like 680nm better than 720nm :-)

Any chance he'll give our forum member a discount? :-D

FattyMcJ · 03-26-2010, 10:19 PM

I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it.

TOUGEFC · 03-26-2010, 10:32 PM

Sweet pics mate, makes me wanna get back out and shoot some more infrared

RioRico · 03-26-2010, 10:56 PM

Originally posted by FattyMcJ

I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it.

The main feature of daylight IR is that foliage of any color reflects much more IR than do other surfaces, hence all the white leaves. You see so much blue in these shots because of all the sky and water. Were more non-foliage objects in view, the color balance would be a bit different. You can see some reds in the trash can and tiles. Scenes with structures and people would IMHO be more satisfying.

Also, this was taken with a 680nm filter, which passes a fair amount of visible light. (For comparison, a red R25A filter blocks to 650nm, and 720nm filters are popular.) A deeper filter, like 780nm (the weakest I use) passes much less visible light. Deeper yet (I use 900, 930, 950, 1000mm) pass no visible light and the effects are much more striking. Images taken with these deeper filters are often rendered only as monochrome, or false colors are introduced in PP.

Color rendering of IR is IMHO a bit retarded in digital photography because of the software that renders images from RAW data -- it's just not intended for IR. (I don't know if full-spectrum 'forensic' cameras from Fuji and Sigma overcome this.) Color IR film is more satisfying; the spectrum is shifted, so you get false-color renderings that more graphically illustrate the spectral slices.

To "get it", all I can do is recommend that you look around for galleries of IR shots.

RawheaD · 03-28-2010, 01:38 AM

Originally posted by FattyMcJ

I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it.

That's like saying "I don't get Piacasso". If you don't think the images this technique creates, then you should just move along, it's not for you.

I'm not being rude or making fun of you. There is no *need* to *get it*. You either think these kinds of images are interesting/beautiful, or you don't. I do so that's why I do it.

kent · 03-28-2010, 01:54 AM

Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop?

fractal · 03-28-2010, 02:13 AM

Very cool shots

I've often wondered how people look in IR..

roliver · 03-28-2010, 03:50 AM

Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera!

RioRico · 03-28-2010, 04:20 AM

Originally posted by roliver

Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera!

If ye but have the money and the will, ye may buy a modded cam. Or a 'forensic' cam from Fuji or Sigma, and insert filters as ye please. Or a modded P&S on eBay. Ye must still f*ck around with ye white balance, but results may be awesome. Or get a Sony NightShot cam, but be prepared to do a bit it PP'ing. IR is fun. Spectrum-slicing is fun. I slice spectra on many days. It's better than working.

frank · 03-28-2010, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by RawheaD

Very nice stuff. Your friend is the guy that has the listing on Ebay, right? I've been contemplating getting a Pentax modded from him for a while. Maybe the next chance I get to buy a body for cheap.

Have you by any chance tried the DA12-24 with this?

One reason why I'd love to get the mod is that the DA 12-24 generates a very noticeable hotspot when shooting IR with a R72 filter & long exposure. I've heard that modded sensors tend to do away with hotspots (with some lenses?), and obviously I'd LOVE to use the 12-24 for IR. That plus I like 680nm better than 720nm :-)

Any chance he'll give our forum member a discount? :-D

Thanks. Yes, that's the guy: lialunche, a buddy friend of mine back in hometown (Beijing)

Yes, I've tested DA12-24, but it's not a good lens for IR. I can see hot spots in most photos w/ this one

I prefer 680nm filter over the 720nm one too.

If you need help converting your dSLR, please let me know. I'm sure my friend will be able to work something out for you

Originally posted by FattyMcJ

I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it.

It's just preference I guess. Like someone prefer b&w photos, some one like to see actual color ones. There are a lot IR lovers out there too

Originally posted by TOUGEFC

Sweet pics mate, makes me wanna get back out and shoot some more infrared

Thanks

Originally posted by kent

Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop?

Thanks Kent. Glad you like them too. If you want to see some colors in your IR photos, better use some 680nm IR filters. The R72 filter is kinda like a 720nm filter which filters out most visible light, that's why you can't see much color in your photos. Just like RioRico explained above, a 680nm filter would let a bit visible light to pass through, so the IR results would still have some colors.

Some IR photographers like pure b&w ones, some prefer to see a bit colors in the IR photos, and I'm one of the latter ones

Originally posted by fractal

Very cool shots

I've often wondered how people look in IR..

Thanks. They kinda like ghost in IR

Originally posted by roliver

Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera!

Thanks.

Yes, you can take IR photos w/o modding the camera. Just use an IR filter. It's not as easy as w/ a modified camera, but still doable

Votesh · 03-28-2010, 09:11 PM

I was planning on selling my K10D until I saw this post. Now I'm thinking about spending some money getting it converted to infrared. Thanks a lot

Great shots.

frank · 03-28-2010, 11:46 PM

Originally posted by Votesh

I was planning on selling my K10D until I saw this post. Now I'm thinking about spending some money getting it converted to infrared. Thanks a lot

Great shots.

Thanks Ryan. I'm sure you'd love it if you get it converted

Internetpilot · 03-29-2010, 05:47 PM

Beautiful! But I have to avoid threads like these in the future or I'll never be happy shooting IR with my K-X and a Hoya R72 IR filter again! I guess I need to look at it from the perspective of you have given me something to stride toward (even if it can never be achieved) with my non-converted camera.

Seriously, thanks for sharing. I love IR!

Internetpilot · 03-29-2010, 06:03 PM

Originally posted by kent

Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop?

Kent,

I use a R72 with my K-X. Please don't think I'm comparing this shot to anything the OP posted -- this was just a test picture that later became a Facebook "joke" when I told everyone that Florida got so cold it all turned to ice (the pic is of my back yard and was taken through a window). Anyway, it still shows what you can do with the R72.

What I do is custom set the white balance with the R72 on the lens. This will turn everything far more white/pink/orange than red. I then use a PaintShop plugin that swaps the red and blue channel. This turns the sky from an orange-ish color to blue. And then I tweak the hue, saturation, and lightness settings to taste. Sometimes I like them to turn out a little more white/blue and sometimes I like them more pink/orange.

I was quite surprised how well the K-X does with the R72. My last two cameras (Panasonic FZ50 and Olympus E-500 DSLR) were not anywhere near as sensitive.

03-26-2010, 08:52 PM	#1
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202	Some IR photos from a converted Ds2 (20x images) Got a used *ist Ds2 camera here from the forum (w/ a damaged LCD screen) a while ago, I sent it to my friend for repair, then he converted it to an IR dedicated camera by replacing the IR hot mirror w/ a 680nm IR filter. Got it back a couple of weeks ago, only got chance to test it out this Wed. Here are some of the photos I took in a park not to far from my place: They are pretty cool, aren't they?

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03-26-2010, 09:38 PM	#2
RawheaD Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: MA, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 831	Very nice stuff. Your friend is the guy that has the listing on Ebay, right? I've been contemplating getting a Pentax modded from him for a while. Maybe the next chance I get to buy a body for cheap. Have you by any chance tried the DA12-24 with this? One reason why I'd love to get the mod is that the DA 12-24 generates a very noticeable hotspot when shooting IR with a R72 filter & long exposure. I've heard that modded sensors tend to do away with hotspots (with some lenses?), and obviously I'd LOVE to use the 12-24 for IR. That plus I like 680nm better than 720nm :-) Any chance he'll give our forum member a discount? :-D

03-26-2010, 10:19 PM	#3
FattyMcJ Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 84	I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it.

03-26-2010, 10:32 PM	#4
TOUGEFC Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,561	Sweet pics mate, makes me wanna get back out and shoot some more infrared

03-26-2010, 10:56 PM	#5
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by FattyMcJ I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it. The main feature of daylight IR is that foliage of any color reflects much more IR than do other surfaces, hence all the white leaves. You see so much blue in these shots because of all the sky and water. Were more non-foliage objects in view, the color balance would be a bit different. You can see some reds in the trash can and tiles. Scenes with structures and people would IMHO be more satisfying. Also, this was taken with a 680nm filter, which passes a fair amount of visible light. (For comparison, a red R25A filter blocks to 650nm, and 720nm filters are popular.) A deeper filter, like 780nm (the weakest I use) passes much less visible light. Deeper yet (I use 900, 930, 950, 1000mm) pass no visible light and the effects are much more striking. Images taken with these deeper filters are often rendered only as monochrome, or false colors are introduced in PP. Color rendering of IR is IMHO a bit retarded in digital photography because of the software that renders images from RAW data -- it's just not intended for IR. (I don't know if full-spectrum 'forensic' cameras from Fuji and Sigma overcome this.) Color IR film is more satisfying; the spectrum is shifted, so you get false-color renderings that more graphically illustrate the spectral slices. To "get it", all I can do is recommend that you look around for galleries of IR shots.

03-28-2010, 01:38 AM	#6
RawheaD Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: MA, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 831	Originally posted by FattyMcJ I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it. That's like saying "I don't get Piacasso". If you don't think the images this technique creates, then you should just move along, it's not for you. I'm not being rude or making fun of you. There is no need to get it. You either think these kinds of images are interesting/beautiful, or you don't. I do so that's why I do it.

03-28-2010, 01:54 AM	#7
kent Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lithuania Photos: Gallery Posts: 344	Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop?

03-28-2010, 02:13 AM	#8
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	Very cool shots I've often wondered how people look in IR..

03-28-2010, 03:50 AM	#9
roliver Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Southampton Posts: 42	Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera!

03-28-2010, 04:20 AM	#10
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by roliver Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera! If ye but have the money and the will, ye may buy a modded cam. Or a 'forensic' cam from Fuji or Sigma, and insert filters as ye please. Or a modded P&S on eBay. Ye must still f*ck around with ye white balance, but results may be awesome. Or get a Sony NightShot cam, but be prepared to do a bit it PP'ing. IR is fun. Spectrum-slicing is fun. I slice spectra on many days. It's better than working.

03-28-2010, 07:52 PM	#11
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202 Original Poster	Originally posted by RawheaD Very nice stuff. Your friend is the guy that has the listing on Ebay, right? I've been contemplating getting a Pentax modded from him for a while. Maybe the next chance I get to buy a body for cheap. Have you by any chance tried the DA12-24 with this? One reason why I'd love to get the mod is that the DA 12-24 generates a very noticeable hotspot when shooting IR with a R72 filter & long exposure. I've heard that modded sensors tend to do away with hotspots (with some lenses?), and obviously I'd LOVE to use the 12-24 for IR. That plus I like 680nm better than 720nm :-) Any chance he'll give our forum member a discount? :-D Thanks. Yes, that's the guy: lialunche, a buddy friend of mine back in hometown (Beijing) Yes, I've tested DA12-24, but it's not a good lens for IR. I can see hot spots in most photos w/ this one I prefer 680nm filter over the 720nm one too. If you need help converting your dSLR, please let me know. I'm sure my friend will be able to work something out for you Originally posted by FattyMcJ I don't get the gimmick behind IR photos. Sure, it's a neat white/blue look...but why? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't get it. It's just preference I guess. Like someone prefer b&w photos, some one like to see actual color ones. There are a lot IR lovers out there too Originally posted by TOUGEFC Sweet pics mate, makes me wanna get back out and shoot some more infrared Thanks Originally posted by kent Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop? Thanks Kent. Glad you like them too. If you want to see some colors in your IR photos, better use some 680nm IR filters. The R72 filter is kinda like a 720nm filter which filters out most visible light, that's why you can't see much color in your photos. Just like RioRico explained above, a 680nm filter would let a bit visible light to pass through, so the IR results would still have some colors. Some IR photographers like pure b&w ones, some prefer to see a bit colors in the IR photos, and I'm one of the latter ones Originally posted by fractal Very cool shots I've often wondered how people look in IR.. Thanks. They kinda like ghost in IR Originally posted by roliver Awesome pictures, just wish this kind of thing could be achieved without modding the camera! Thanks. Yes, you can take IR photos w/o modding the camera. Just use an IR filter. It's not as easy as w/ a modified camera, but still doable

03-28-2010, 09:11 PM	#12
Votesh Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 817	I was planning on selling my K10D until I saw this post. Now I'm thinking about spending some money getting it converted to infrared. Thanks a lot Great shots.

03-28-2010, 11:46 PM	#13
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202 Original Poster	Originally posted by Votesh I was planning on selling my K10D until I saw this post. Now I'm thinking about spending some money getting it converted to infrared. Thanks a lot Great shots. Thanks Ryan. I'm sure you'd love it if you get it converted

03-29-2010, 05:47 PM	#14
Internetpilot Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NE Florida Posts: 130	Beautiful! But I have to avoid threads like these in the future or I'll never be happy shooting IR with my K-X and a Hoya R72 IR filter again! I guess I need to look at it from the perspective of you have given me something to stride toward (even if it can never be achieved) with my non-converted camera. Seriously, thanks for sharing. I love IR!

03-29-2010, 06:03 PM	#15
Internetpilot Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NE Florida Posts: 130	Originally posted by kent Awesome pictures! I want to get the same effect. I have an R72 filter but all i get is a red picture. It's ok if converted to BW which makes grass look snow white, however I want color pictures like yours, with blue sky and so on. Is it possible to make these colors by photoshop? Kent, I use a R72 with my K-X. Please don't think I'm comparing this shot to anything the OP posted -- this was just a test picture that later became a Facebook "joke" when I told everyone that Florida got so cold it all turned to ice (the pic is of my back yard and was taken through a window). Anyway, it still shows what you can do with the R72. What I do is custom set the white balance with the R72 on the lens. This will turn everything far more white/pink/orange than red. I then use a PaintShop plugin that swaps the red and blue channel. This turns the sky from an orange-ish color to blue. And then I tweak the hue, saturation, and lightness settings to taste. Sometimes I like them to turn out a little more white/blue and sometimes I like them more pink/orange. I was quite surprised how well the K-X does with the R72. My last two cameras (Panasonic FZ50 and Olympus E-500 DSLR) were not anywhere near as sensitive.