Anyone here use there Sigma for infra red? One of my main reasons for buying an sd14 was it's infra red capabilities.However I could'nt quite bring myself to remove the filter. More than happy with the 'normal' images I'm getting I decided to look at other cameras....the sd14 does not have live view,which really helps with ir preview. the smaller 'point and shoot' Sigmas do however,and I'm told that the foveon sensor is ideal for ir...So,anyone have a converted Sigma? Any model, would be very interested in hearing from you. Thanks,Martin.
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Infra red anyone?
- Thread starter martin14
- Start date
tc95
Well-Known Member
Martin - I went down this road about 2+ years ago...a lot of things you have to overcome...
1 - just taking the filter off in the mount housing does not gain you IR - there is a piece of glass infront of the sensor that has UV/IR properties...
You can see here - http://www.sigmauserforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435
2 - the peice of glass infront of the filter has two issues with it...
- it is glued on with industrial glue
- it has micro lenses in it...so after a lot of work IR conversion just is not there...
I had a company tell me that they were doing a conversion for me...cost me $450.00 after playing with it and actually sending it back two times...the AF system would not work properly...(out of focus) and the pictures were too pixelated or snowy....I took the camera apart to check it out...to find out the company just put an IR 720nm filter in front of the glass glued to the sensor...so one the focusing plain was way off (out of focus fixed) and two the uv/ir glass still there prevented clean images...
I found a second person to remove the glass filter as an experiment...did a great job of it...sent it back to me...I put the IR 720 filter back in...the images were not good at all...the IR looked great...but w/o the micro-lenses not going to happen...I looked for a company to do the micro-lens IR filter... $$$$ was way too much so I opted to go with a sony a100/a200 - a100 - 680nm and a200 720nm....
I have since moved from 35mm format to medium with my IR work...and have converted a H3D II - 31 to IR and love it...I still have the two Sony cameras...if your interested...I'll sell them lower than what I paid for them...Let me know...
I found that my SD cameras are good regular light...and I use other systems for IR...that may change over time...but even with the SD1 there are micro lenses infront of the sensor...to help with resolving power.....
Hope this helps you out.... Tony C. :z04_cowboy:
PS - My IR and other images can be seen here - http://www.flickr.com/tc95
1 - just taking the filter off in the mount housing does not gain you IR - there is a piece of glass infront of the sensor that has UV/IR properties...
You can see here - http://www.sigmauserforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435
2 - the peice of glass infront of the filter has two issues with it...
- it is glued on with industrial glue
- it has micro lenses in it...so after a lot of work IR conversion just is not there...
I had a company tell me that they were doing a conversion for me...cost me $450.00 after playing with it and actually sending it back two times...the AF system would not work properly...(out of focus) and the pictures were too pixelated or snowy....I took the camera apart to check it out...to find out the company just put an IR 720nm filter in front of the glass glued to the sensor...so one the focusing plain was way off (out of focus fixed) and two the uv/ir glass still there prevented clean images...
I found a second person to remove the glass filter as an experiment...did a great job of it...sent it back to me...I put the IR 720 filter back in...the images were not good at all...the IR looked great...but w/o the micro-lenses not going to happen...I looked for a company to do the micro-lens IR filter... $$$$ was way too much so I opted to go with a sony a100/a200 - a100 - 680nm and a200 720nm....
I have since moved from 35mm format to medium with my IR work...and have converted a H3D II - 31 to IR and love it...I still have the two Sony cameras...if your interested...I'll sell them lower than what I paid for them...Let me know...
I found that my SD cameras are good regular light...and I use other systems for IR...that may change over time...but even with the SD1 there are micro lenses infront of the sensor...to help with resolving power.....
Hope this helps you out.... Tony C. :z04_cowboy:
PS - My IR and other images can be seen here - http://www.flickr.com/tc95
Thank You,
That does help..a lot. Glad now I did'nt delve into the innards of my sd 14. Knew nothing about the glass in front of the sensor until now. Appreciate the info. I'll keep my sd14 as it is,very pleased with it. So will be thinking about a separate camera for ir....could you give me a bit more info on the two Sony cameras? Thanks
Martin.
That does help..a lot. Glad now I did'nt delve into the innards of my sd 14. Knew nothing about the glass in front of the sensor until now. Appreciate the info. I'll keep my sd14 as it is,very pleased with it. So will be thinking about a separate camera for ir....could you give me a bit more info on the two Sony cameras? Thanks
Martin.
Dave Kai Piper
New Member
I have a converted Canon 5d also, so it is great to see the difference.