Converting Powershot to IR

EOBeav

Not going anywhere
May 4, 2011
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I have a Powershot G9XmkII, and was considering converting to IR (720nm). I understand the need to shoot RAW, convert the WB, exchange red/blue channels, etc... and I also understand that a Powershot isn't going to produce the same quality of images as a DSLR with L glass. I thought this might be a fun, reasonably affordable way to be able to shoot IR images without the need for (and hassle) of an IR filter. Any thoughts on this subject? Anybody with experience doing this? Thanks in advance for your helpful comments and suggestions.
 
There must be companies in the US that offer the service to turn your G7 into an IR camera.
I know a few of them in Australia that do this, but it's not cheap. Especially in a point and squirt where everything has to be disassembled to get to the sensor etc.
Do a search on Google.
 
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PCM-madison

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Dec 9, 2013
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I used Lifepixel to convert my EOS M to IR and have been very happy with it. One important issue with an IR conversion is that some lenses give an IR-specific optical artifact often called a "hotspot." If you convert a camera with changeable lenses, you just avoid lenses that have IR hotspots. With a point-and-shoot camera, you would want reliable data that the fixed lens did not have this IR optical artifact.
 
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EOBeav

Not going anywhere
May 4, 2011
434
20
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about.me
Thank you for the replies. Yes, I was specifically looking at Lifepixel, but I think there are a few others. It looks like I need to do a little more research to find out if my compact has that IR artifact. That would be a huge consideration. I'll report back here when I get more information.

There must be companies in the US that offer the service to turn your G7 into an IR camera.
I know a few of them in Australia that do this, but it's not cheap. Especially in a point and squirt where everything has to be disassembled to get to the sensor etc.
Do a search on Google.
I used Lifepixel to convert my EOS M to IR and have been very happy with it. One important issue with an IR conversion is that some lenses give an IR-specific optical artifact often called a "hotspot." If you convert a camera with changeable lenses, you just avoid lenses that have IR hotspots. With a point-and-shoot camera, you would want reliable data that the fixed lens did not have this IR optical artifact.
 
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