FS: Infrared converted K20D
Posted 08/02/2012 - 20:25
Link
Since it is one of my conversions then get in touch if you need any advice or support!
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
2523 posts
14 years
Here,
there,
everywhere
The camera was converted by Karmamechanic, and I have had it about four months. Some of you will have seen some of the images taken with this camera, and I will post a few here. The camera has an 830mm filter in it, which essentially gives mono images, with the trademark glow on plants that you get from IR. The best IR effects occur in bright light, so the golden hour for IR is around midday! However, it also takes very good mono shots in any light, and I often use it as I did my older film bodies, one colour and one mono. Exposure is generally about 2 stops slower than an unconverted camera, depending on the angle of the light and the lens. Handheld photographs can easily be taken on a cloudy day. Exposure needs to be manual, and after a short time I found I could guess the exposure with a very high rate of accuracy, adjusting by reference to the histogram if necessary.
IR focusing is different to using visible light, so the view through the viewfinder is not normally in focus; I say “normally”, as I have the K20D set up so that wearing my glasses everything looks in focus when it achieves IR focus. I have done this by playing with the dioptre adjustment. This can be done for anyone's eyes, with or without glasses.
Autofocus can be used when the lens is set up with the camera using debug mode. At the moment I have it set up for my smc-A 50mm f1.4 and the Sigma Super-Wide II using focus confirmation, with infinity coinciding with the IR focusing marks on the lens. I have been mainly using manual focus lenses, because I have lots of them. The camera works best with primes, but can be used with the kit lens, and works brilliantly with the Sigma 10-20mm.The camera is permanently in debug mode so it can quickly be adjusted for different lenses. Longer zooms require different adjustments at each end of the focal range. The older manual primes, which are pretty cheap, work very well in IR. IR also cuts through atmospheric haze very well, which is why I got interested in it in the first place. I have taken photographs from the aircraft where I could hardly see the ground and ended up with usable images.
I will send detailed instructions on using debug mode to the potential buyer, and also provide any after-sales advice that the buyer requests. Since staring IR photography, I have been using the K20D more than my K5. IR is not for everyone, but I love it! It adds another dimension to photography.
Shutter count is 27161. The camera has a rear screen protector fitted, and is in good condition, the only marks on it being some black paint worn from the guides on top of the flash shoe. It comes with box, strap, manual, leads, charger and a spare battery.
I am looking for £475 plus postage, payment by bank transfer to my UK account. Postage will be from the UK. ACS charge £250 to convert an *ist DL, Spencers in the USA charge $1250 for a new K20D with the same filter, so I think this is a very good price, and I not making any profit at all from it.
Please feel free to PM me with any questions. Here's a link to some of my IR photography, the vast majortity doe with the K20D (I had a converted *ist DL briefly) Perhaps a better idea of what this camera can do on the ground will be seen on Karmamechanic's Flickr stream link. His camera is fitted with the same filter.
Jon.
My Website
PPG
flickr
G+
Facebook