# My Infra Red Journey



## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Ive recently bought a Nikon D70 and had it converted to 590nM Infra Red. Heres some of my recent shots...

Souter Lighthouse..

Fog Horn by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr

Saltwell Park..
Hoya R72 Filter added to lens which gives the white foliage effect.

Kamatsu Garden by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr


Primosole Bridge by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr

Gateshead Quayside..

Giulietta IR by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr


The Sage Super Colour IR Pano by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr

There are so many pitfalls involved with IR photography and ive pretty much hit all of them at one point or another and learned alot. Its quite difficult to find the right type of subjects but this is a start. The camera was converted by Protech Repairs in East Sussex who were great. It cost £230 in total ontop of the £140 i spent on a mint D70.

Thanks for looking, any advice or comments welcome 

Phil


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

These shots are really really good. I've started a bit of interest in IR but not converted a camera or anything but this just might make me. Well done


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Blueberry said:


> These shots are really really good. I've started a bit of interest in IR but not converted a camera or anything but this just might make me. Well done


Thanks, i also have a converted Sony P93 compact which is bout 7 years old and 5mp. I bought it off a guy on AV Forums  Its so much less hassle than the DSLR i have to say 
Heres a great thread from AV Forums... i bought mine off the OP called g8ina (David). He converts and sells old compacts for around £50-£70  Get in contact with him if you fancy a cheap route into IR 
http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/1459324-show-us-your-infrared-stuff-here.html

Phil


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## kcass (Aug 24, 2010)

love pic no 2.mate,effects are stunning.


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## buckas (Jun 13, 2008)

#3 for me, great colours


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## evogeof (Oct 30, 2010)

Could you not use lightrooms 4 to get this effect?? Stunning piccys by the way


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

#2 for me, lovely!


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

evogeof said:


> Could you not use lightrooms 4 to get this effect?? Stunning piccys by the way


Thanks everyone  I know there are Lightroom presets and ways of faking IR in PS but im not sure how much effort is involved.


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

Photography should be all about getting it right in camera rather than manipulating images in Photoshop or Lightroom to get the same effects


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## evogeof (Oct 30, 2010)

Blueberry said:


> Photography should be all about getting it right in camera rather than manipulating images in Photoshop or Lightroom to get the same effects


Not manipulating pictures just enhancing the colours better than a camera can :thumb:
I take lots and I mean lots of pictures and I'm still looking for that perfect picture. 
Take this one is photoshopped for instance. Hell yes it's obvious 









You think this next one is photoshopped ??


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

kcass said:


> love pic no 2.mate,effects are stunning.





buckas said:


> #3 for me, great colours





Brazo said:


> #2 for me, lovely!


Thanks  Even if i could do it in photoshop i would always want to advance to having a converted camera... BAre in mind theres still Photoshop work to do with these shots. For example straight out of camera foliage is bright blue with brown skies.

Phil


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

You're really lucky, I sent Protech a brand new D40 (when they were current) and they managed to destroy it, then tried to fob me off with a secondhand camera in its place, which had several thousand actuations on it and dust UNDER the filter.

Took the threat of getting Paypal involved before they would do anything about it.

The whole episode was a nightmare.


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Glaschu said:


> You're really lucky, I sent Protech a brand new D40 (when they were current) and they managed to destroy it, then tried to fob me off with a secondhand camera in its place, which had several thousand actuations on it and dust UNDER the filter.
> 
> Took the threat of getting Paypal involved before they would do anything about it.
> 
> The whole episode was a nightmare.


Really, mine turned out fine. The only thing im not sure about atm is thge focusing. Other companies mention calibrating the camera for a certain lens but they didnt say that and dont mention it on the site.


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

GIZTO29 said:


> Really, mine turned out fine. The only thing im not sure about atm is thge focusing. Other companies mention calibrating the camera for a certain lens but they didnt say that and dont mention it on the site.


They don't mention it because either they don't know how to do it or they don't know it needs done lol.

Actually, I did my first conversion myself, on a D70s using a Life Pixel filter I imported from the states. The only reason I gave Protech the D40 to do was that by the time I was ready to get it done the exchange rate was such that the difference between importing another filter and diy-ing it or getting them to carry out the work was something like £15, so I assumed (wrongly, it transpired) that it was a no-brainer to let the "pros" do it.

If you're bothered about the focussing issue then micro adjusting it is actually pretty easy, all one needs is a tripod, an allen key and some patience......


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Glaschu said:


> They don't mention it because either they don't know how to do it or they don't know it needs done lol.
> 
> Actually, I did my first conversion myself, on a D70s using a Life Pixel filter I imported from the states. The only reason I gave Protech the D40 to do was that by the time I was ready to get it done the exchange rate was such that the difference between importing another filter and diy-ing it or getting them to carry out the work was something like £15, so I assumed (wrongly, it transpired) that it was a no-brainer to let the "pros" do it.
> 
> If you're bothered about the focussing issue then micro adjusting it is actually pretty easy, all one needs is a tripod, an allen key and some patience......


Lol and grimace :/ Sometimes it seems fine while others im sure its out :/ I was thinking it may be my Sigma 10-20 being soft at the edges but im not sure... As i say if you look at my IR shots on FLickr its hitty missy.

Phil


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

GIZTO29 said:


> Lol and grimace :/ Sometimes it seems fine while others im sure its out :/ I was thinking it may be my Sigma 10-20 being soft at the edges but im not sure... As i say if you look at my IR shots on FLickr its hitty missy.
> 
> Phil


The trouble with calibrating the body is with something like a D70 it's an all-or-nothing process, hence why the good conversion companies ask for the lens to be sent in along with the camera so they can set them up together.

Sometimes you can be lucky though, I bought a 35mm f/1.8 to go with the converted D40 and it was spot-on with the 40x they sent back in its place. I don't think I had it long enough to try it with the 10-20, but normally if one of those is soft it'll just be down one side, iirc it's usually the left.


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Glaschu said:


> The trouble with calibrating the body is with something like a D70 it's an all-or-nothing process, hence why the good conversion companies ask for the lens to be sent in along with the camera so they can set them up together.
> 
> Sometimes you can be lucky though, I bought a 35mm f/1.8 to go with the converted D40 and it was spot-on with the 40x they sent back in its place. I don't think I had it long enough to try it with the 10-20, but normally if one of those is soft it'll just be down one side, iirc it's usually the left.


On Life Pixel etc they have a list of good and bad lenses and nearly all Sigmas are in the bad list :/ The 10-20 is hitty missy so ive been perservering 

Phil


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

GIZTO29 said:


> On Life Pixel etc they have a list of good and bad lenses and nearly all Sigmas are in the bad list :/ The 10-20 is hitty missy so ive been perservering
> 
> Phil


If you're planning to keep just the one lens on it all the time it would be worth doing the adjustment, just keep a note of exactly what you've done in case you want to reset it and you should be ok.


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Glaschu said:


> If you're planning to keep just the one lens on it all the time it would be worth doing the adjustment, just keep a note of exactly what you've done in case you want to reset it and you should be ok.


TBH, thats what put me off ACS etc as i didnt want to use one lens and they recommended the 18-70, a lens i had only just sold a few month prior :/

Phil


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

I might get my wee GF-1 done, as it doesn't appear to be worth much now...


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Am sure you know this Phil, am sure I've even seen you mention it but for those who don't Infra red light will 'focus' differently to the normal spectrum which is why on older lenses you will see a red mark on the lens for IR focusing, could you add such a mark?


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Debated a few times about getting an slr converted.


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

james_death said:


> Debated a few times about getting an slr converted.


There's a converted D70 (not mine :lol for sale over on..... actually not any more there isn't :lol:


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Brazo said:


> Am sure you know this Phil, am sure I've even seen you mention it but for those who don't Infra red light will 'focus' differently to the normal spectrum which is why on older lenses you will see a red mark on the lens for IR focusing, could you add such a mark?


As you say Brazo, older lenses used to have an IR red dot on but i dont even think it was reliable. From my findings its not always an issue and sometimes im not even sure if its my Sigma 10-20... Im buying an 18-200 very soon so we'll see. 
In the last few days ive acquired a camera ive been after for ages, a Sony F717 released in 2003 which is highly sought after in IR Photography. It has a Nightshot Night vision mode which when you add an IR filter and ND8 to the lens you can shoot IR straight out of camera at normal shutter speeds with live view etc. Its excellent! Heres my first test shot with an 850nM & ND8 filter...

East Cramlington Nature Reserve IR by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr

Phil


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

A super colour shot from my Nikon D70. Still trying to get to grips with the processing :/

Knights Templar by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr

Phil


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## Glaschu (Sep 16, 2012)

GIZTO29 said:


> A super colour shot from my Nikon D70. Still trying to get to grips with the processing :/
> 
> Knights Templar by Phil Whittaker (gizto29), on Flickr
> 
> Phil


I was going to say it looks very HDRy, until I read your write-up :lol:


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