Infra Red Conversion

Does anyone know where I could get either a K10D or Samsung GX20 converted for infra red use? I played around with infra red film in the past and I have also tried using my K5 with an infra red filter, with limited success but I'd really like to get one of my older camera bodies converted for permanent IR use.

A guy called Richard Gadd converted my k20 a few years ago

Not sure if he's still about (or indeed still doing the conversion) ?

I really should use it more

It's a fascinating topic..i'd like to learn more about IR photography and conversions...could be a good subject for an article maybe? Thanks Bjorn for your link...very useful.

Given the increasing interest in this subject I can't understand why established Pentax service centres aren't offering IR conversions or even why Pentax isn't selling the cameras new already converted with normal 2 year warranty etc.

If fact there are two very good articles written by Richard Gadd on the subject here:
Part 1 link
Part 2 link

Hi
Anybody tried infrared filters

Bjorn, many thanks again...i'll have a read of these later.

karlo

Try ACS (Advanced Camera Services) in Norfolk... They've just done a 720 nm conversion of a K30 for me... Very happy with it...

Best

Hi
How much did they charge you if you don't mind me asking

Hi Bill have you any examples of false colour at 720nm?

Hi Neil

Cost £250 + vat (£300 all up - the same for any model) for the conversion, so not exactly cheap... I'd been looking and waiting 6 months for something already converted to pop up on ebay (just missed a K7 which went for £250) and nothing did (US K01s aside - not the ideal model given the screen and bright sunlight)... So decided to get it done myself... Didn't want to chop up my old K5 so bought an ex demo K30 from SRS... Took 4 weeks for the conversion (shld be 2 but they don't do many Pentaxes and had to wait for the filters to be shipped)... Very helpful otherwise though, and (admittedly limited testing thus far) seem to have done a gd job so very happy... Will post some shots to the forum over the next few weeks...

Best

Hi Alan

Don't have any false colour examples yet... I use Lightroom, which (as I understand it) doesn't support channel swapping (although there's a guy who claims to have some profiles that are downloadable that do it - will try it and see)... I use Photoshop literally about once a year for exposure combining, so only have Elements 9 (no channel swapping there either)... There do seem to be a couple of plug ins that do it for that though, so will be having a look at that when I have some time off over Xmas... Will post results here when I have them...

Best

Great stuff Bill. I've been thinking about getting a conversion done for quite some time. Like you I've seen the K01's in the States and also K-x's in Aus.

I bought a converted Canon compact to give it a try. However, it only takes half a dozen shots on a set of AAs. So don't use it much. Here's a couple of attempts, with the same shot I think

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54050400@N05/9233379648/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54050400@N05/9233924244/in/photostream/

Had my 200d done by ACS a couple of years ago. Very professional conversion.

link

That first shot looks fantastic Alan - a proper 'Winter Wonderland' !