[b]Pentax IstDL2[/b]

Jessops currently have the IstDL2 & 18-55 for £349.99.

I have just bought one to use for digital infrared. I have noted recent Forum postings on digital infrared with Pentax digital SLRs.

I have for a number of years been using a Nikon Coolpix 800 & 950 for digital infrared. Although I have used these 2mp cameras with some success in Society competitions, I have been looking for a higher mp alternative for infrared.

My first impressions with the IstDL2 are very good and I am pleased with the infrared performance. This is the first Pentax digital camera that I have bought. I have many Pentax film cameras which I personally prefer over any film camera from the copier company.

When moderate cost digital SLRs came out, I did not wait for the IstD and dived in with a C 300D. After investing in some good lenses for it, I recently decided to upgrade to the C 5D.

I shall now use the C5D for colour prints, the MZ5n for slides and the IstDL2 for infrared. I will also compare the IstDLS performance to those of the copier company products.

I hope you are as delighted with your new pentax as we have been with our *istDS cameras.

I agree the IR performance is pretty good.

I hate to say this, but if you're a C**** user and you want a camera specifically for IR photography, C**** make special "Astro" versions of some of their DSLRs which have a different filter over the sensor without the usual IR cut-off. These sell for about the same price as the normal versions, but are only available from specialist retailers. I think there are Astro versions of the 350D and the 20D, designated 350DA and 20DA respectively.

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/eos20da/index.html

I would, of course, never dream of buying one myself.

Steve

Canon are generally very IR-unfriendly cameras. They use quite severe IR filtering, and even used IR film counters in some film models.

The real solution is to have the IR filter removed and a piece of plain glass inserted to replace it. Then the CCD itself is very IR sensitive. I understand some early Nikon cameras are quite good for this purpose.

Which is exactly what the copier company have done with their Astro models.