A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/document...
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A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Toshiba Camileo S10 - Very easy to open, the lens are fixed by two metal hooks, it's sufficient to remove them to get to the filter, take care of the screw in the hole for tripod mounting when disassembling.
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Poweshot A470: I had this camera lying around and saw that there were no instructions on this model for conversion (however I found instructions for the Powershot a460 and a480). I thought to convert this and upload instructions. After opening up the camera I found that there is probably a reason no one has tried to convert this camera! It is not impossible, however, likely more hassle than it is worth to convert. There is a circuit board located above the sensor and just below the screen. This board has several ribbon cables and many more soldered wires making access to the sensor difficult at best. I would suggest just investing in the Canon Powershot A490 (you can get one ~$50 used online, see above) which has a nice video and is fairly easy to convert.
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Toshiba Camileo S10 - Very easy to open, the lens are fixed by two metal hooks, it's sufficient to remove them to get to the filter, take care of the screw in the hole for tripod mounting when disassembling.
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Poweshot a470: I had this camera lying around and saw that there were no instructions on this model for conversion (however I found instructions for the Powershot a460 and a480). I thought to convert this and upload instructions. After opening up the camera I found that there is probably a reason no one has tried to convert this camera! It is not impossible, however, likely more hassle than it is worth to convert. There is a circuit board located above the sensor and just below the screen. This board has several ribbon cables and many more soldered wires making access to the sensor difficult at best.
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Toshiba Camileo S10 - Very easy to open, the lens are fixed by two metal hooks, it's sufficient to remove them to get to the filter, take care of the screw in the hole for tripod mounting when disassembling.
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Toshiba Camileo S10 - Very easy to open, the lens is fixed by two metal hooks, it is sufficient to remove them to get to the filter, take care of the screw in the hole for tripod mounting when disassembling.
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Toshiba Camileo S10 - Very easy to open, the lens is fixed by two metal hooks, it is sufficient to remove them to get to the filter, take care of the screw in the hole for tripod mounting when disassembling.
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon A4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters. (Step by step tutorial on converting Some additional notes below as well )
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. After the back shell is removed, the LCD assembly (LCD plus plate) must be detached and removed completely to expose the sensor plate. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. To detach the LCD assembly, four screws must be removed and one ribbon cable connector (at upper right under the button pad ribbon cable) must be disconnected.This ribbon cable connector has a clamp and is not too hard to open and close. After the IR filter has been removed (and replaced) the LCD assembly can be replaced, the ribbon cable connector reconnected, and one of the four screws replaced, and then the camera can be powered on to check focus. At this point, adjusting focus with the three sensor plate screws requires removing one screw, opening the ribbon cable connector, and removing the LCD assembly.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 11 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A1200 above.
Canon A1400. Similar to the A1200. Very easy to convert. It's easy to power up the camera to check focus without reassembling very much.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straightforward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The 10th hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the ninth hardest of the 11 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 11 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts (part of the rubber gasket), so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 10 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Webcams
Logitech C270 - This camera no longer has a removable IF filter, it has a coated IF filter. Therefore you cannot change the filter.
SYBA CAM63014 (shows removal, but not filter placement, but that's an easy next step)
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The ninth hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the eighth hardest of the 10 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The seventh hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 10 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The ninth hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the eighth hardest of the 10 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The seventh hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
I [carlozousa] tried this on a powershot sx120, but to my avail, it doesn't turn on after the re-assembley. Disassembled and reassembley a second time and still nothing. Ran out of ideas.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 10 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket. The sensor plate rests on four rubber posts arising from this gasket, and the posts are compressed when the plate is screwed down (in other models springs do this), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. Sometimes a washer is used as a spacer under the sensor on one or two of the three sensor screws. Watch for these and replace them.The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because fine adjustments of the sensor plate screws can improve focus, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The ninth hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the eighth hardest of the 10 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The seventh hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs or rubber posts, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those final screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly. A few models allow the camera to be powered on before it is completely reassembled to check for focus (take it outside and capture a landscape shot to check of distant focus near the frame edges).
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. At least three factors can contribute to this:
The filter material (film, plastic, or gel) is inferior to glass as an optical element.
Infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. After conversion, the edges of photos often display chromatic aberration in which colored "ghosts" of objects are visible near the frame edges.
When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider.
All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This might be the easiest to convert of the 10 Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the LCD (which is held by a piece of tape). Behind the LCD there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. The general construction of this camera is very similar to that of the S95. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw and a slim metal band allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, and to protect them I propped the LCD vertically with tape while working:
.
The CMOS sensor plate is large compared to CCD cameras, and has hard glue not only on the three screws but in two other places. The internal IR block filter is held in place under a rubber gasket and is easily replaced with polyester or gelatin. There are no springs under the sensor plate. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The ninth hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the eighth hardest of the 10 PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The seventh hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the 10 Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 A lightweight (135 g) camera with features typical for small PowerShots. The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS [edit: There is no Powershot with this model name] - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. Weight is 195 g. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Body is aluminum and weight is 198 g. Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the nine Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the seventh hardest of the nine PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight (145 g) camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS (There is no Powershot with this model name)- The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The eighth hardest of the nine Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A2300. A very lightweight (125 g) camera with typical features for small, recent PowerShots (16 MP, 28–140 mm f/2.8 lens, NB-11L battery, 1/2.3" CCD sensor). Opening the camera to replace the IR block filter suffers from the same problems as the Canon A4000 (and apparently the A2400). Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable.There is a metal plate between the LCD and the sensor which must be removed. In order to access one of the screws, one ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). Six external and nine internal screws must be removed to access the three screws holding the sensor plate. There are no springs under the sensor plate. It took me four hours, and is probably the seventh hardest of the nine PowerShot models I have tried to convert. After replacing the filter and most of the internal screws, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus (for distant subjects as in aerial work). The three sensor screws can be accessed for adjustment by lifting the LCD and without removing any screws, so focus can be checked repeatedly until it is acceptable, and then the camera can be reassembled.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 28-224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2300 and A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with the A2400 because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS (There is no Powershot with this model name)- The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically with tape while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The sixth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with it because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS (There is no Powershot with this model name)- The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S95. A high-end model with f/2, 28 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CCD sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, and aluminum body. A very easy conversion to do. Seven identical screws remove the rear shell, and removing just one internal screw allows the LCD to be lifted up exposing the sensor. It's tricky to learn how to release the metal tabs holding the LCD in place. The LCD is attached by two ribbon cables, so I propped it vertically while working:
The sensor plate is held away from the lens with three springs (which can fall out), so mark the screws before unscrewing and count the turns so you know how to return them to the same position. The IR block filter measured 10.2 x 8.4 mm. After the sensor plate and the one screw holding the LCD in place has been replaced, the camera can be powered on to take photos to check focus. This is important because I had to adjust the sensor screws several times to get good focus again, and only one screw must be removed to access the sensor screws between tests.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2, 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The sixth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with it because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert.
Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS (There is no Powershot with this model name)- The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The sixth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert. The third time I opened one up, I almost finished in one hour. The A2400 is similar but others have had a hard time with it because additional ribbon cables came unplugged accidentally (see below).
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Difficult cameras to convert
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert.
Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate. This camera is constructed just like the A4000 which was listed above under "acceptable."
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and has prevented the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them and counting the turns during removal can help return them to the proper position. Camera models that are easy to disassemble can be opened repeatedly to make adjustments to those screws, and some cameras allow access to those screws without doing the complete disassembly.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important. If you critically examine the resolution of a photo from a converted camera, be sure to compare it with photos from that camera before it was converted. The inexpensive cameras that are commonly converted often exhibit surprisingly soft focus around the edges when the subject is far away. This effect should not be blamed on the conversion.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
Spots
If a speck of dust adheres to the sensor while it is exposed, a spot will appear on photos. This spot is often inconspicuous unless a clear surface or sky is the background. To check for spots after a conversion, take several photos of the sky and look for a blurry spot. To avoid spots, use canned air to remove dust before exposing the sensor and just before replacing it. Check the surface of the sensor for specks just before replacing it.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS (There is no Powershot with this model name)- The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots on this list have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The sixth hardest of the seven Powershots I have tried to convert. Four for four success rate.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert.
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Canon
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershots I have tried to convert.
Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and stopped the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them can help return them to the proper position.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1200: This is the easiest to convert of the seven Powershot models I have tried. So easy I opened it up 10 different times to adjust the focus just right.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810: ([Here's an instructable specific to the A810] (http://www.instructables.com/id/Infrared-Camera-Mod/)): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S100. A high-end model with f/2 24 mm (equiv) lens, 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, GPS, and DIGIC 5 processor (most Powershots have none of these features). Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a real challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel or Wratten 87 polyester filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The sixth hardest of the seven Powershots I have tried to convert.
Canon A4000. A very nice lightweight camera with 16 MP, 224mm (equiv) zoom, DIGIC 4 processor, and an NB-11L battery pack. Both the front and back of the case must be removed and the top button assembly must be loosened, so the camera gets mostly disassembled. One ribbon cable (to the flash) must be disconnected (it has a latch and is easy to reconnect). There are 17 screws of four different sizes to remove and some of them were extremely tight. The LCD is stuck on with a hidden adhesive pad, so you have to blindly pry it up from the end opposite its ribbon cable. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm. The fifth hardest of the seven Powershot models I have tried to convert.
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Canon
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay), but after three adjustments (one hour each) the focus was still unacceptable. It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place unless you glue it first. The hardest of the seven Powershots I have tried to convert.
Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and stopped the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them can help return them to the proper position.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm.
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810 (Here's an instructable specific to the A810): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S100. Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Canon
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay). It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and stopped the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them can help return them to the proper position.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
A page listing cameras which can be converted for near-infrared, and requests for photos/documentation of cameras to be converted.
Excellent
Cameras which are easy to convert and work well:
Mobius ActionCam The Mobius is very easy to open, and it's very easy to expose the IR block filter. But the filter is glued on and must be broken into shards to remove. This camera works well with a red filter, and a custom white balance
Canon
Canons usually convert easily and are a favorite:
Canon A590. An old model (2008) with lots of features appropriate for aerial photography (shutter priority, manual focus, filter mounting bracket, 8 MP, 2 AA, $30 on ebay). Four ribbon cables must be unplugged (one of them is a challenge to connect again), and 17 screws must be removed to reach the sensor. So it is not the easiest conversion to do, but the photos are pretty sharp with no filter replacing the removed IR cut filter or with a Wratten 25A gel filter installed. The sensor is held in place by springs, so mark the three final screws before unscrewing them so you can screw them back in the same number of rotations. The IR cut filter is 8 x 9 x 0.36 mm.
Canon A480 - Almost the same as the A490, but watch out for the springs!
Canon A2200 The buttons on the back of the camera have an internal button pad with a ribbon cable. Note how that ribbon cable is threaded around things before you move those things. It's easy to reassemble things wrong so that the ribbon cable is torn.
Canon A1300. Virtually the same procedure as with the A2200 above.
Canon A800 It was really straight forward like the other cameras.
Canon A810 (Here's an instructable specific to the A810): The IR block filter removal went smoothly and was successful even though I had never opened up a camera before. Its 16 megapixels is more than you really need.
Canon A2500. Straight forward like the other cameras. Only you need to flip the lcd (which is hold by a piece of tape). Behind the lcd there are 4 screw you need to loose. The rest is simple.
Canon S4000 IS - The camera is very tightly built but not hard to open and convert, and works well with Rosco #74 filters.
Canon S100. Fairly easy access to filter assembly- you only need to remove the back housing and LCD to gain access. Sensor board is a bit of pain to remove from the camera though, as Canon uses a hard glue on each screw that needs to be carefully picked away. The internal IR filter is held in place with rubber and easily removed.
list cameras here [edit]
Generic brand mini-cameras
These typically have 720p or 1080p sensors and sometimes come with waterproof cases.
several examples here have been very easy conversions, but have not worked well for infrablue photos, due to the blue channel leaking infrared light. We're currently looking for cameras with better characteristics.
Cameras which can be converted although it may not be ideal (please state why!)
Olympus FE-4020 - Very easy to convert to infrablue. A major plus: no ribbon cables had to be removed like in the Canons. However infrablue photos don't work because there is no option to create a custom white balance.
Smartphones
Extra difficult, but could be very exciting to have a smartphone that can do this!
http://www.eigenimaging.com/DIY/NexusDYI - for a Galaxy Nexus (Android) phone
Canon
Canon Powershot SX120 IS: This camera has full manual controls and a 360 mm (eqiv.) zoom lens. The goal was to take infrablue Gigapans. One ribbon cable must be unplugged, but it's pretty easy. Twenty-five screws must be accessed from the outside or back, as usual, but two deep internal screws must be accessed from the front, so the entire camera must be disassembled (31 screws total). The IR block filter is under a plate which is attached to the front of the sensor with two screws. While removing the filter, it touched the sensor. The reassembled camera worked fine, but there was a blotch where the sensor is damaged (see image). So I bought a new sensor ($13 ebay). It would be hard to install a film or polyester filter instead of the IR block filter -- it would not stay in place. Guide to most of the screws to get to the IR block filter in a Canon SX120. Note damage to sensor (photo taken by reassembled camera).
Canon PowerShot A2400: conversion tutorial here - very difficult one due to the ribbon cables coming unclamped repeatedly; some have reported only a 66% success rate.
list cameras here [edit]
Requests
Cameras which have not yet been converted -- if you've done it, please move it up!
Samsung NV24HD I have one of these (several years old) that I plan on trying to convert when my kit comes! It has a very sharp lens and decent sensor so hoping it all goes well! If anyone else has tried a conversion with this camera please post about it!
Videos
This video, listed above, shows the removal of a filter on a Canon A495, but then shows a film negative filter taped to the front. For Infragram conversions, we recommend you put the Infragram filter inside the camera -- exactly where the IR-block filter used to be.
Focus
Some people report blurry photos after installing a new filter. Some of these people have been able to fix this by adjusting the screws which hold the sensor down. It's possible that the rubber gasket under the sensor has been shifted and stopped the sensor from properly screwing in. In some cameras the sensor is held a particular distance from the lens by springs, so the screws must be turned in exactly the same amount as they were at the factory. Marking the screw positions before unscrewing them can help return them to the proper position.
After conversion to NIR, a camera will generally produce slightly blurrier photos. This is usually due to the filter material (film, plastic, or gel) which is inferior to glass as an optical element. In addition, infrared light is refracted by the lens less than visible light, which cameras are designed to focus. When a new filter replaces the IR block filter, that filter usually transmits less light, so exposures have to be longer, ISO has to be higher, or the aperture has to be wider. All three of these things can make photos less sharp, and finding a compromise among them is important.
Read more about this and peoples' solutions here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/plots-infrared/blurry/plots-infrared/cqX3zqfzes8/LPGeGuCMwuQJ and here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/grassrootsmapping/wjQd2Twq_pY, and here:http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/11-07-2013/focus-on-filters#comments.
