D50 for IR

[Ottrott's Human]

I have read that the D70 is the ideal candidate for conversion. What about the D50???

Thanks!

 

[Logan]

I have read that the D70 is the ideal candidate for conversion. What about the D50???

Thanks!

i have heard it does very well, i believe fishsauce uses an IR d50

PS, any luck with the hunt to frame?

 

[Ottrott's Human]

i have heard it does very well, i believe fishsauce uses an IR d50

PS, any luck with the hunt to frame?

Thanks Logan......maybe he'll chime in.

Framing is done......now I just have to get across town to pick it up!!:smile:

 

[Gr8Tr1x]

Not sure that it matters, Stuart... since the AA filter is being removed and repalced by an IR filter. If you're doing it yourself, the d70 is easy to convert...I think the D50 requires soldering ans de-soldering of a PCB.

BTW, I love my converted D70!

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[Ottrott's Human]

Not sure that it matters, Stuart... since the AA filter is being removed and repalced by an IR filter. If you're doing it yourself, the d70 is easy to convert...I think the D50 requires soldering ans de-soldering of a PCB.

BTW, I love my converted D70!

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Joshua,
I know that Bjørn talks quite a bit about how some DSLR cameras are better suited for IR than others. Currently he seems to feel the D70 is the best, but I don't know if he has tried the D50.

Regardless I just bought a used D70 to convert. Started looking for one last night and poof......one pops up in the FS forum.:biggrin:

Did you do the conversion yourself? Is it as straight forward and easy as it looks on LifePixel's website tutorial?

Nice shot by the way.....:smile:

Thanks!

 

[Gr8Tr1x]

Joshua,
I know that Bjørn talks quite a bit about how some DSLR cameras are better suited for IR than others. Currently he seems to feel the D70 is the best, but I don't know if he has tried the D50.

Regardless I just bought a used D70 to convert. Started looking for one last night and poof......one pops up in the FS forum.:biggrin:

Did you do the conversion yourself? Is it as straight forward and easy as it looks on LifePixel's website tutorial?

Nice shot by the way.....:smile:

Thanks!

Does Bjorn mention that he's talking about a non-converted camera? The D70's AA filter is weaker than the D50 and D200...so maybe he is referring to IR photography with a Hoya 72r filter on the lens....I dont know though...

The instructions for the D70 worked well for me...they are straight forward and easy to follow. Just make sure the ribbon cables are seated properly, thats all you have to worry about.

 

[randyr5]

I have read that the D70 is the ideal candidate for conversion. What about the D50???

Thanks!

The D70 is probably the easiest camera to convert - no soldering involved. I converted a D70 with no problems. Once you have done it once or twice, you can have it dis-assembled in about 15 minutes. Just be sure that the ribbon cables are fully seated when you re-assemble. There is one in particular that looks like it is fully seated when it really isn't. I think it's the one that connects to the sensor assembly. And try to keep dust to a minimum.

The D50 requires de-soldering/ re-soldering in 2 spots to do the conversion - pretty minor stuff if you have ever done any soldering. I am about to do a D50. I'm just waiting for the IR filter from LifePixel.

 

[Gr8Tr1x]

The D70 is probably the easiest camera to convert - no soldering involved. I converted a D70 with no problems. Once you have done it once or twice, you can have it dis-assembled in about 15 minutes. Just be sure that the ribbon cables are fully seated when you re-assemble. There is one in particular that looks like it is fully seated when it really isn't. I think it's the one that connects to the sensor assembly. And try to keep dust to a minimum.

The D50 requires de-soldering/ re-soldering in 2 spots to do the conversion - pretty minor stuff if you have ever done any soldering. I am about to do a D50. I'm just waiting for the IR filter from LifePixel.

Thats my experience as well..after dis-assembling it once...doing it a few more times to remove dust was necessary. It became second nature...and that last ribbon cable that goes to the senor needs an extra push to go in. I made a mark with a fine tipped sharpie along the cable before I removed it, so that I would know how far it needed to go back in.

 

[randyr5]

and that last ribbon cable that goes to the senor needs an extra push to go in. I made a mark with a fine tipped sharpie along the cable before I removed it, so that I would know how far it needed to go back in.

Good Idea.

 

[FishSauce]

I have a D50 IR converted and I don't have any issues at all. The reason that I choose D50 because it performs better in high ISO ( in case I need to bump up the speed )

I have read that the D70 is the ideal candidate for conversion. What about the D50???

Thanks!

 

[Beezle]

The D70 or D50 are excellent. And I would guess good candidates because they are relatively cheap.

But the truth is the actual "best" camera for it is the D200. You just have to be willing to spend a lot of money. :biggrin:

I've had both the D70 and D200 at the same time. You just get more good stuff with the D200 and slightly better high ISO. I would imagine the D50 is better than the D70, but without the resolution of the D200.

I doubt anyone has converted a D2X yet. I may someday.

D200 example:

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[keirin]

The D70 or D50 are excellent. And I would guess good candidates because they are relatively cheap.

But the truth is the actual "best" camera for it is the D200. You just have to be willing to spend a lot of money. :biggrin:

I've had both the D70 and D200 at the same time. You just get more good stuff with the D200 and slightly better high ISO. I would imagine the D50 is better than the D70, but without the resolution of the D200.

I doubt anyone has converted a D2X yet. I may someday.

D200 example:

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Yikes! - that's brilliant.

************************

To the OP - I had a converted D50 and liked it a lot. I subsequently sold it to another Cafe member when I converted a D200. I like the D200 better for both the more ready access to exposure controls it provides without having to scroll through an lcd menu and also for its resolution advantage over the D50. I couldn't really fault the image quality that the D50 was capable of rendering however. As Ed notes above, the extra features in the D200 came at a significant price penalty though.

 

[cwilt]

Stuart,

I'm about the switch my D70 to IR as well. Just waiting on the filter. I purchased both IR and clear filters. For some reason I have a feeling that once I get to playing with IR that the desire to try UV will not be far behind.

 

[greyflash]

Beautiful image Beezle.

Stuart, good luck with the conversion. I think you will like IR, it give a whole different perspective to photography.

 

[Ottrott's Human]

Thanks everyone for the input. Bjørn may, in fact, be talking about the D70 being best in terms of using filters. Not sure. Regardless I found a reasonable deal on a D70 here in the FS section and it's en route and will soon be my newly converted IR camera. Should be interesting.

Thanks again for all the input.

 

[Gr8Tr1x]

Are you going to do it yourself?

 

[cwilt]

Received my IR filter today and now have a dead D70. Its was half dead anyway, and no fault but my own. Shutter was just about gone and I was trying to get a little more life out of it. Just a warning to watch those cables.

My IR plans will have to wait until funds allow me to purchase another body.

 

[Gr8Tr1x]

Received my IR filter today and now have a dead D70. Its was half dead anyway, and no fault but my own. Shutter was just about gone and I was trying to get a little more life out of it. Just a warning to watch those cables.

My IR plans will have to wait until funds allow me to purchase another body.

Bummer, what a crushing blow. Well, the good news is that the D70's are only getting cheaper.

 

[Beezle]

Received my IR filter today and now have a dead D70. Its was half dead anyway, and no fault but my own. Shutter was just about gone and I was trying to get a little more life out of it. Just a warning to watch those cables.

My IR plans will have to wait until funds allow me to purchase another body.

I found that cable at the bottom left (as you face the rear of the camera) that connects the upper/outer board to the lower stuff is the one to keep trying with.

It took me a few tries to see how far that cable needs to be inserted into that connector.

If you simply put it together and it isn't working, I would keep trying. I even managed to pull the bar off of one connector, but I took a break then came back and got it back where it belongs. As long as things aren't destroyed it can be fixed.

 

[randyr5]

I found that cable at the bottom left (as you face the rear of the camera) that connects the upper/outer board to the lower stuff is the one to keep trying with.

It took me a few tries to see how far that cable needs to be inserted into that connector.

If you simply put it together and it isn't working, I would keep trying. I even managed to pull the bar off of one connector, but I took a break then came back and got it back where it belongs. As long as things aren't destroyed it can be fixed.

Yes, that one cable needs to be inserted a little farther than the others and it's kind of a tight fit. Marking them with a Sharpie before you remove them, as Joshua suggested, is a good idea. That way you know how far to re-insert them.