So, you bought a new camera!
Or, your mom just gave you her crappy old point-and-shoot!
Or, you've been waiting to try an IR conversion for a long time and want to know how to do it!
Then this step-by-step tutorial is for you...
WATCH and learn the basic process to convert my Canon digital ELPH into a high-power IR shootin' machine.
PRE-REQUISITES
- This is super easy: find/remove IR filter, replace with visible light filter
- 42% chance you'll break camera irreparably, make sure you don't care about it
- Mild mechanical aptitude required. If you've ever built a computer or fixed a small appliance, you're fine. If you haven't, send your camera to me (I'll provide un-guaranteed work for a fee).
- NEVER FORCE ANYTHING! See bullet point #2.
TOOLS
- Tiny Phillips screw-driver (if you don't know what Phillips means, send your camera to me)
- Tweezers
- Canned-air (blow dust out of camera at every step)
STEP 1:
Clean your space. Those screws are easy to lose. I use a magnet to hold the screws
STEP 2:
Remove housing screws. If the housing won't come off, double check screws (especially under labels/decals etc.)
STEP 3:
Carefully remove housing. There are probably tabs holding things in place, use tweezers to release.
STEP 4:
Remove LCD screen.
- screw
- power connector (tweezers to gently pull out of socket)
- tabs (gently pry w/ tweezers)
- fold LCD out of the way (it's still connected by the "data" wire to the camera electronics)
STEP 5:
Remove sensor screws. keep these separate from housing screws, they're probably different
STEP 6:
Access IR/UV cutoff filter. Remove with tweezers
STEP 7:
Re-assemble camera - make sure you don't have left-over parts
STEP 8:
Epoxy mount retaining ring
- If you have a slow epoxy, extend the lens then remove the battery so it stays extended. If it retracts before the epoxy sets, it'll ruin your alignment efforts.
- I ordered my parts from Thorlabs.com. If your lens is less than 1" across the longest dimension, the easiest part is #SM1M05. For a shorter barrel, you can order #SM1T1 and 2x of #SM1RR.
- The cheapest lens is from EdmundOptics.com, part #NT43-948. This is a good plastic longpass filter which cuts out visible light and transmits light with wavelength longer than ~720nm. They have glass filters too, but those are more expensive.
- Also good to note, a ND (neutral density) filter USUALLY is designed to cut light intensity only in the visible spectrum, so you can use that as a poor man's IR-pass filter.
STEP 9:
Attach filter to lens barrel
STEP 10:
REJOICE! and take a few photos.
Let me know how it works out for you!
