SD-14 Converted to IR (not just taking filter out)..!!

[tc95]

OK all here is project number one that I have been playing with...this is why I have not had too many posts lately.....!!!

I took an SD-14 apart and had the glass filter over the foven sensor replaced with an IR-Blocking filter rated around 720nm....the UV/IR filter in the lens mount area has also been removed...I found that these two pieces of glass contained UV/IR blocking properties...and hence decided to undertake this quest to see if the SD14 could produce true false IR images like Nikon/Canon/Sony cameras.....

1st I took the camera apart:


2nd I took the Sensor Housing and sent it off to have the glass removed from infront of the foven sensor....and the IR-720nm glass installed...I found out that sensor needs to have a piece of quarts crystal glass in order for the foven sensor to produce the images right...this piece of glass has no UV/IR properties...just acts as a buffer between the sensor and IR-Filter.....

Foven Sensor - Quartz Glass - 720nm IR-Glass on the Sensor Housing...

Picture of the Sensor Housing before the 720nm IR-Glass is installed..


Here is the issues that I have right now...it works great the AF works flawless you can look out of the viewfinder and hand-hold the camera to take IR pictures which I will post test shots below....I can not get the camera to WB to green grass which gives it that weird/cool false color look....right now I get killer B&W images....seems to be the foven sensor with the IR-Glass installed does not get enough light to let a proper custom WB to take hold....I will play with this more this weekend and report back to you....I have a few idea's like using a green sheet with a light shining thru it to produce the desired affect....but don't have the green paper right now to test this theory... also....the camera does not preform well at all over ISO-400...the noise is just too much at anything over 400....and even at 400...it gets bad....again will play with this to see how it works out.....I have been using an 18-200mm OS lens...no hot spots yet....f-stop at 8 or higher ISO between 50-200 and shutter speed 1/100 right now...

The pictures will be in the next post....and I will update this thread as I have more info....

Thanks for looking and hope you enjoy my little experiment....

Tony C.

 

[tc95]

IR-Test Shots....

OK here are the test shots so far....I did the test shots and then converted the shots to B&W...I tried to do a channel swap...but not enough info due to not being able to do a custom WB to green grass...but I am working on a fix for this...over the weekend...

1st shot....WB-Floresent using an SA Mount 18-200mm @ 200mm....


Converted to B&W




2nd shot...WB-Floresent using the Nikon-F conversion w/Zeiss 1.4/85


Converted to B&W


3rd shot....WB-Flash using the Nikon-F conversion w/Zeiss 1.4/85


Converted to B&W


Sorry the Test-IR shots are so small I did not have time to do a proper step-down so I used flickr...

Hope my experiment answers some questions for folks...if you have any questions or want me to try something out with the conversion then let me know...

Couple quick-answers:
1. No you can use the camera in normal light...it is a permeant conversion....you could probably convert it back..but I would tell you it is cheaper to get a second camera...
2. Did I do the actual conversion....NO...I tried on a broken SD14 given to me by (Sigma)....found out that the glass in-front of the sensor is glued on....I tried myself to take off w/o success....but found a third party that can do the conversion.....

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....Clarence there is very helpful.....may take a little time for them to do it...but they are very honest and upfront....
3. Why did I do this...just because....I fell in love with IR using my Nikon D100's and decided to undertake this adventure....
4. Would I do anything different....YES...probably go with the 630nm filter to allow for more light to get to the sensor....
5. Is it harder to use...NO..you just need to know your camera's ISO to f-stop capabilities...and really it is just playing with the camera....to learn this..

Please let me know if you have any other question or would like me to try something....and like I said earlier I will update the thread as I get more info from playing with the camera.....

Thank you for looking....

Tony C.

 

[Steaphany]

Tony,

For clarification your IR-SD14 has a 720nm filter permanently installed within the camera body itself ?

I'll have to try converting my collection of SD14 IR to B&W, that really brought out a lot of detail and yielded a better look.

Don't be surprised if you can't get anything in the Green channel. It's been my experience that the sensitivity to IR is so strong that the green usually ends up pretty much wiped out.

 

[tc95]

Steaphany,

Yes the SD-14 has a filter that was mounted permanently inside the camera over the sensor....a 720nm IR-Glass.....I have done several conversions on Nikon D100's and a Sony a200 with the same glass inside...on the sony and nikon this let you hand carry the camera without the tripod....I tested the SD14 w/o the UV/IR filter at the mount but the pictures produced did not turn out like my Sony or Nikon camera's...so it lead me to tear apart an SD14 and I found a second filter glued on in-front of the the foven sensor...after having Rick Decker contact sigma for me..they confirmed that this glass also had UV/IR blocking properties...so I started trying how to take this filter off and replace it with a 720nm glass filter....and the pictures you see above are my first attempts with the camera back...

Still trying to get the look just right....on my D100 and a200 I can do a custom WB to green grass....really it is a WB to green...which yealds pictures strait out to of the camera like these...





With a standard Auto-WB the D100 and a200 produce images just like the SD14 does right now...so if I can figure out how to make a Custom WB stick...I think the images will look awesome...that is my project for the weekend...

You can do a green WB with the SD14...I did it doing a Custom WB to a 60 watt light bulb...it produces images like this....



Not really clean..but you can pull the greens out of the sensor...

Again...Still don't know all the quirks of this conversion but I will keep everyone up-to-date as I figure it out......

Thanks again for looking...

Tony C.

 

[tc95]

Ok....here is an update...

I figured out how to custom WB the camera successfully....I have to use an f2.8 or faster lens...wide open....in sunlight.....I did a custom WB to green grass and got some great photos....however I have another issue...the AF and MF is off on the camera...I have converted the camera back to an SA mount to see how the AF handles and have found out that the focus is just off...with the help of Rick....he gave me a link to help adjustments on the focusing...

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I hope this helps someone else out with focusing issues with there SD14 camera....

I will post more pictures once I have made the proper adjustments...

Tony C.

 

[tc95]

The adjustment described in the post above works like a charm....if anyone wants to fine-tune their SD14...it is great...here are a couple of things that I found while doing it...

1) Make sure you know that the mirror will lock-up for 28 to 30 sec so you have that long each time for the adjustment...
2) The bolts are not on center...I would recommend a few trial runs to make sure you know where to stick the tool when you use it...also the tool will slide down half-way....scared me at first thought I might have punctured something...
3) I would turn the bolt hear a click or the noise they make when tightening then test and repeat this process...until you get your desired results....
4) Each time you tighten take test shots so you know what progress you are making....
5) Most importantly...make sure you are not in a dusty area....so your sensor stays clean...

On another note...the SD14 mirror lock-up sensor cleaning can be found in your manual....but as a side note turn the camera on...set the left dial to A/B and depress the Function and AF area button (far right button) the instructions are on page 109 of the manual...

Again...as I get more info I will post it...

Tony C.

 

[tc95]

New Shots....Now I still have to play with the focus adjustment...but I am almost there....

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As always thanks for looking...

Tony C.

 

[tc95]

Opps it did not let me edit...so here are the attachments...

 

[Steaphany]

Very nice work

 

[Bustoner]

Hi Tony,

I like to ask you if you still have the Sd14 in pieces ...in case you sell it I'm interested ...curios to study it...

In any case please, can you send me some photos about?

 

[tc95]

Bustoner...I don't have the camera...that I took apart...it was actually given to me by another user of the forum to open-up...but I still have the large pictures of the inside...and the camera is fairly easy to maneuver around inside...let me know what you are thinking about...I might be able to help you...if you are looking for parts...I do have a contact for that...just PM me...

Tony C.

 

[Bustoner]

I've replyed here Tony, because about the focusing screen

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