# IR photography with Canon xSi



## TStorm (Dec 3, 2008)

I'm interested in IR photography with my Canon xSi. Does anyone know anything about IR photography? What filters do you recommend, is post-processing necessary, etc...
Thanks in advance!


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## prodigy2k7 (Dec 4, 2008)

I dont think you can produce true IR photos with that camera unless you modify it and you cant un-modify it, its IR forever.


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## dxqcanada (Dec 4, 2008)

The CCD found in standard Digital Camera's do not have the capability of capturing the Infrared wavelength.

You can only simulate the appearance of a true IR image by manipulating the captured image after taking it.

... that's one thing I miss about my old film camera.


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## TStorm (Dec 4, 2008)

Bummer... that's pretty much what I expected. My hope was that there was some filter that could shift IR to visible and filter out visible... 

So when people show "IR" photos taken with an xSi or 40D, that's all post-processing, and not truly IR?


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## dxqcanada (Dec 4, 2008)

Correct.

All standard Digital Camera's are configured to capture the visible wavelengths.

Only a CCD modified to capture the IR wavelength will capture a true IR image. That's why there was special film made to be sensitive to those wavelengths.

Kodak HC Infrared (greatest sensitivity range out of all of them).
Konica infrared
I think Ilford made an IR film also.

The Kodak was so sensitive that we had to load the film in the dark.


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## DeadEye (Dec 4, 2008)

dxqcanada said:


> The CCD found in standard Digital Camera's do not have the capability of capturing the Infrared wavelength.
> 
> You can only simulate the appearance of a true IR image by manipulating the captured image after taking it.
> 
> ... that's one thing I miss about my old film camera.




  Not all together correct.  In fact there is a filter in front of the sensor that blocks IR.  The sensor is sensitive to IR.  Remove the IR blocking filter (hot miror) and replace it with a IR pass filter.  Expenseve conversion , Yes .

IR with a rebel ~  mod by Life Pixel
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145870


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## dxqcanada (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks for the info DeadEye ...

Ah, I thought it was the CCD itself .. though it would make sense that the CCD has a wide wavelength sensitivity ... and that they would use a filter in front of it.

Have you heard of any place that offer a service to replace the filter ?


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## DeadEye (Dec 4, 2008)

Life Pixel did my rebel XTI   _  I chose the deep black and white filter

Here is a shot from a few weeks back

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145870


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## prodigy2k7 (Dec 5, 2008)

Canon uses CMOS


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## ann (Dec 5, 2008)

you can also check out Maxmax for cameras that have already been converted.

It depends on which camera one is using if one can take an IR photo, but even then you will need an IR filter on the lens.

for example, i do IR all the time with my D100 using a wratten 89 filter which means long exposures on a tripod as you can't see anything once the filter is on.

on the other hand i have a fuji that has been converted to IR, and it uses a filter on the lens for IR but am able to hand hold and see using the viewfinder. It also has a filter to switch out, if i want to take a normal shot.

all IR images have to be converted after the fact, but they have a much different look than the plug ins


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## TStorm (Dec 5, 2008)

I'm getting mixed impressions... so the verdict is that IR photography isn't possible with a stock Canon xSi? The options are to 1) convert the filter on the CCD, or 2) fake it with post-processing. 
Is that about right?
Thanks for all of the good info!


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## elemental (Dec 6, 2008)

Option 3:

If you want to do true infrared photography and don't want to spend hundreds of dollars (and a digital body) on the conversion, just do it with film. Plenty of perfectly acceptable 35mm SLRs can be had with lenses for around $20 on eBay (mine were $21 and $30 respectively, though only the first was from eBay), and there are a few options for IR film, including Efke IR820 (said to be the closest living relative to HIE), Ilford SFX200, and Rollei Infrared 400. It costs a lot less than doing a true infrared digital setup, but it's a lot less lame than fake Photoshop IR. If you like it enough, then you can go for a digital IR conversion.


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## Dmitri (Dec 6, 2008)

You can buy a filter, Hoya r72, for about 50$ ([ame="http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-58mm-RM-72-Infrared-Filter/dp/B0000AI1HP"]Amazon link[/ame]), or you can toss the photo in Photoshop and add a blank and white adjustment layer set to infrared. It may not be TRUE infrared, but looks pretty darn close.


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## jamesino (Dec 6, 2008)

IR photography is completly possible with an XSi.

However, in front of your CMOS sensor, there is an IR-cutter, a filter that prevents IR light from hitting your sensor. 

To capture IR photographs, you can do one of two things:

1. You can buy an IR filter- a filter that filters out all VISIBLE wavelengths of light and lets in only IR light. However, since you have an IR-cutter in front of your sensor, only a small amount of IR light will reach your sensor and hence, you will need to use a longer shutter speed.

2. You can buy an IR filter and then remove the IR-cutter in front of your sensor either by yourself or by a third-party. This will allow you to capture IR photographs hand-held. However, this effectively removes most functionality of your XSi as a regular, visible-wavelength light camera. While your camera will still be able to capture regular photos, they won't look right due to IR interference.


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