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GF1 IR

Don Libby

Well-known member
That is more like it, especially the B&W, and more what I was looking for :thumbs:. But even with the R72 the grass below the bench still seems a bit green on false color, but the trees in the background are the more normal light cyan and pink, which is good ;). I get my filters on Wednesday, so hopefully will have some feedback later that day.
Jack - Did you get any better luck with the new filter(s)?

Don
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Jack - Did you get any better luck with the new filter(s)?

Don
Yes, I did get to experiment some late yesterday and the results were mixed.

On the upside, with both the 093 and OR72 I can set an in-camera WB that is actually neutral on greens or whatever I point it at. I get a true monochrome, high-contrast result with the 093. I get closer to a normal IR result with the OR72, where sunlit greens render as whitish-cyan to tinged with pink.

On the downside, the OR72 shots still have a significant amount of green present. They also show a BUNCH of color noise in the shadows that gets so accentuated on the R<>B channel swap, they are virtually unusable for false-color. The 093 monochrome is quite nice, but it costs 5-stops when placed over the GF1 zoom... FWIW, the OR72 filter costs 2 stops.

My current thinking is:

1) Vivek is correct in that the 4/3rds lenses trim low-frequency IR effectively, so only shorter wave IR is getting through, and then only partially. This is why the 093 loses so much exposure.

2) I believe that for whatever reason, the GF1 sensor is somehow having the G channel excited by that short-wave IR that does get through, which renders Green instead of dominating Red. That would likely explain why my in-camera WB with just the 665 conversion cannot get neutral and renders as almost 100% green as well.

UNFORTUNATELY, what I wanted was a smaller IR camera solution with both AUTOFOCUS and a mid ZOOM capability, and I cannot get it with the GF1. Bottom line is I think it's going to be a great conversion for somebody willing to mount older 3rd party glass and go full manual focus. At least the GF1 has the built-in manual focus magnification that works superbly well. But because I cannot get my small, AF zoom IR camera, I suspect I will be selling this body at a significant loss...
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
But because I cannot get my small, AF zoom IR camera, I suspect I will be selling this body at a significant loss...
That just sucks! :thumbdown:

Have you communicated your findings with Precision? Maybe they would take it....

Just bad news all around as I know what you were after.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
That just sucks! :thumbdown:

Have you communicated your findings with Precision? Maybe they would take it....

Just bad news all around as I know what you were after.
Don,

First off, Precision has been SUPER to deal with! No way I fault them for this. In fact, they are so good to deal with I won't hesitate to send off a Canon to convert -- the only question is do I do a 5D1 or spring for a 5D2 :D (Note this is the Precision Camera Repair in Enfield, CT: http://www.precisioncamera.com/infrared-conversion-services.html, and not Precision Camera in Austin, TX that can come up on Google.)

There was a bit of risk and I knew that going in. My GF1 was the first one they converted, and while we all assumed the sensor was the same as the G1, it appears it isn't -- or at least the logic tied to the sensor is different. Anyway, the conversion is still valid and works perfectly with non-4/3rds lenses, and even the kit lens will AF properly, albeit not quite hitting infinity at the wide end. In fact false-color works with the kit lens, just not in the contemporary fashion we are used to seeing. It has more green for sure, but with a change in the RAW WB to make the base file more red -- like set WB to 3500/-50 in the raw converter. I can then go to CS where I do the R<>B channel swap, an auto-levels, and get a false-color effect or add a B&W adjustment layer and use their Green Filter default and get high-contrast, dark sky white clouds B&W.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Totally agree with you comments/sentiments of Precision Camera. They are the people I sent the 1DsII to for the conversion and they are simply top gun. They answered all my questions and concerns pre-conversion as well as my stupid mistakes post-conversion. I very highly recommend doing conversions with them. :thumbs:

My thoughts were more directed towards them being informed as to the findings of the GF1 so they might be able to help future customers. I feel from my dealings with them that they would appreciate the feedback.

Looks like we're both ground-breakers as my 1DsII was their first conversion as well. :)

The 5D series sounds like a good idea other than the weather sealing and for that I'd go for either 1Ds or 1DsII. Just my 2¢ worth.

Don
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Update: I spoke to Precision and they want to spend some more time with it. It was their first GF1 conversion and as suspected, they simply assumed it would be the same as a G1 conversion -- and obviously it isn't. They have a few ideas and are going to explore them. Bottom line is they can return the camera to normal visible light easily, so the worst case scenario is the GF1 is not a good candidate for IR conversion. On the plus side, if they can figure out how to make it work with the kit lens, it may become an very popular conversion --- personally, I'm hoping they can solve it!

Stay tuned,
 

martyman

New member
Jack,

Just weighing in here to get my feet wet on the GetDpi forum:
I appreciate all the documentation of your experience in converting your GF1 to IR w. Precision Camera. Your detailed reports help immensely as I am now considering the 715nm for my own Panasonic G1 based on your writing.

Now, to start subscribing to my favorite threads!

Marty
 
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