D7000 Packaged Up And Ready To Send Out...

BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
...for IR Conversion!!

I debated long and hard over whether to do this. Having heard some minor horror stories regarding being able to set White Balance with Nikon bodies I've been hesitant. But after reading this article on a D7100 IR conversion I traded emails with both the author and the folks at Kolari Vision and decided that I would take the leap. I figure the guy is in NJ, so I can always pay him a visit if he screws something up. LOL Seriously, though, they were very responsive to a bunch of questions and will be doing a 720nm conversion and calibrating it to the 18-105mm lens that I'll be using most of the time with it.

I'll keep you all posted. They claim one week turn-around, so hopefully I'll be shooting by next weekend.

It also means that you may see a D90 and a Nikon grip for the D7000 for sale soon. PM me if you're interested. :)
 
RockyNH_RIP

RockyNH_RIP

Senior Member
BackdoorHippie said:
...for IR Conversion!!

I debated long and hard over whether to do this. Having heard some minor horror stories regarding being able to set White Balance with Nikon bodies I've been hesitant. But after reading this article on a D7100 IR conversion I traded emails with both the author and the folks at Kolari Vision and decided that I would take the leap. I figure the guy is in NJ, so I can always pay him a visit if he screws something up. LOL Seriously, though, they were very responsive to a bunch of questions and will be doing a 720nm conversion and calibrating it to the 18-105mm lens that I'll be using most of the time with it.

I'll keep you all posted. They claim one week turn-around, so hopefully I'll be shooting by next weekend.

It also means that you may see a D90 and a Nikon grip for the D7000 for sale soon. PM me if you're interested. :)
Click to expand...

Looks like you are gonna be having fun!! :) and we are gonna see some strange foto's

Hope its smooth and quick on the turnaround..

Pat in NH
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Why, indeed?

Here's the Reader's Digest version of my reasoning...
  • I do a lot of outdoor and landscape photography, and Infrared Photography thrives in those environments
  • I thought about doing it with the D90 but I get 33% more MP's with the D7000 with slightly better noise, and I've got WAY more shutter clicks on the D7000, so the D90 might be an easier sell.
  • I am more than set with a D600 and a D800, so my options for the D7000 are to let it sit around until I need to use it (bad weather, dusty environment, ???) or sell it. I thought hard about the latter option and actually offered it to a couple people, but decided to hold onto it because...
  • My brother is very big into IR photography and it gives me another opportunity/reason to just go out and shoot with him

Plus, the more I study and understand IR photography, the more interested I get in it. At first, when I looked at IR images I didn't see anything intriguing about them. But the more I looked the more I could see how I wouldn't just enjoy it, but how it would play well with the things I like to shoot. It's "only" $250 for the conversion, which includes calibration to my lens of choice, and I figure that given the plethora of D7000's that are out there now, and its relative drop in price with the introduction of the D7100, I may actually get more if I decide to turn around an IR converted body, done well, than I would just trying to unload it - but that's a major afterthought.
 
W

WhiteLight

Senior Member
Thanks.. Can the same not be achieved with a IR filter?
Am just concerned about the risk (if any)..
and if you'd want to revert back sometime..
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
The "same"? No. My understanding is that most/all DSLR cameras filter out some/most IR light already. So, when adding an IR filter to block out the rest of the normal light the amount of IR light that gets through is so minimal that it requires much longer exposure times, and you're still going to be missing some of the IR light you want. You can achieve similar effects, but nothing like you can once the IR filtering from the camera is removed. If it was the same I expect there wouldn't be companies like LifePixel and Kolari Vision doing the business they're doing.

I'd imagine that you could always convert back, at a cost, but that's not a consideration for me. This camera will definitely see more use converted than it would if I kept it otherwise, and that's ultimately what it's there for - to be used.
 
S

snaphappy

Senior Member
Very interesting and I'm with Eurotrash I can't wait for strange pictures :cool: The images I've seen are really interesting and you'll probably have lots of fun with it
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Got return shipping information Wednesday night and it should be here today. I've got family in from all over the US the weekend, so I may not get a chance to really play with it - or if I do I probably won't have the time to play (and learn) all the post-processing stuff until next week. But either way, I'm looking forward to it.

Great turn around, btw. They got it on Friday afternoon, so <5 days, including a weekend.
 
RockyNH_RIP

RockyNH_RIP

Senior Member
BackdoorHippie said:
Got return shipping information Wednesday night and it should be here today. I've got family in from all over the US the weekend, so I may not get a chance to really play with it - or if I do I probably won't have the time to play (and learn) all the post-processing stuff until next week. But either way, I'm looking forward to it.

Great turn around, btw. They got it on Friday afternoon, so <5 days, including a weekend.
Click to expand...

That is a good turn-a-round! I will likely never do anything like this but am looking forward to see what you come up with. It will be a learning experience for all of us through you.

Have fun with the Family Weekend!

Pat in NH
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Posted this elsewhere, but just so you all know, the conversion worked superbly. I'm gonna be having some fun.

Here is IR shot #1:

9103519276_8bda9a68bb_o.jpg
 
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