IR Photography

Working in IR with a converted full frame Canon EOS 5D iii 720 nm

IR Conversion

Dedicated infra-red converted camera.

To convert a digital camera to Infra Red involves removing the UV/IR Cut Filter that covers the sensor, then a 720 nm IR Pass filter is added where the UV/IR Cut Filter was removed.

Note: This filter is permanent and the camera will only be able to “see” the IR light that the filter passes.

Why do a fixed conversion?

When you use IR lens filters (ie Hoya R72) you loose light you end up being unable to compose and focus images using the viewfinder. In addition using infra-red filters in front of the lens meant the need for very long this can be as much as 16 stops of lost light, to regain shutter speed you need increase the ISO to compensate. Also IR has a different focus some lenses show an IR focus scale, a fixed conversion the focus is recalibrated to the IR spectrum.

I have a dedicated Canon EOS 5Diii with a permanent 720 nm conversion and will only take IR images.

IR Nature Photography

Filming nature with an Infra-red (IR) cameras can be used for in the dark ‘night vision’ shots, lit with special infra-red lighting ‘dark light‘ you can film in total darkness without disturbing your subject.

IR Video

Since the 5Diii has video modes you can also film in IR.

In camera

When you first take an IR photograph your camera display with show a red/pink image however if you shoot in a monochrome profile you will see a converted image in black and white which allows you to preview what your image looks like (if you only shoot JPEG this will make them B/W) I shoot in RAW retaining the IR data.

IR Files

The white balance adjustment is limited to get a flexible white balance in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop without creating a specific profile using the Adobe DGN color profile editor (now discontinued) there are websites that sell camera specific profiles.