This is The Digital Story Podcast #953, June 25, 2024. Today's theme is "How to Buy an Infrared Camera." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue


Infrared photography is exciting and is an excellent way to get the creative juices flowing. But finding the right camera for you might appear daunting at first. There are so many options! Fear not. After today's TDS Photography Podcast, you will know exactly what to look for. I hope you enjoy the show.





Digital Photography Podcast 953






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How to Buy an Infrared Camera






This week we have class presentations for our Infrared Photography Workshop. More than 20 participants will share their favorite IR images. We will see everything from some of the most stunning B&W that you can imagine, to other-worldly colors and compositions. And the cameras used to create this art are as varied as the photographers themselves.


Choosing the right camera for infrared photography can seem overwhelming at first. Can you use your existing camera? Should you get one converted? And if you do get a converted camera, which options should you select?


Basic Understanding of Infrared Photography


Let's start with a basic understanding of what infrared photography is. Here's what our friends at Kolari Vision say.



"Infrared photography is a look into the invisible world. The human eye can see wavelengths from about 400nm-700nm (from purple to red). Infrared light exists in the wavelengths beyond 700nm.


An infrared photography camera is specially designed to capture images in the infrared spectrum, revealing unique and often ethereal details that are invisible to the naked eye.


IR photography can be done with either infrared film or a digital camera and typically involves near-infrared light, typically in the 590nm-850nm range. This is different than thermal infrared, which images far into the infrared spectrum.


Infrared photography produces some very distinct effects, which make it aesthetically pleasing. The most striking difference is the "Wood Effect," where leaves reflect infrared light, giving them a bright white hue in IR photos. This effect is named after photographer Robert W. Wood, who is considered the father of infrared photography.


This effect is utilized in landscape photography to produce surreal color landscapes or high-contrast black and white photographs."


Which Cameras Work Best?


Photographers can begin experimenting with infrared photography with their existing cameras and a 720nm filter. Some cameras perform better than others, but all visible light cameras will struggle with very long exposures and high ISO settings because the 720 filter is very dense. An unconverted digital camera can only shoot IR in 720nm or 850nm.


But, you can get a taste of IR, and that often leads to wanted to get a converted camera that is far easier to use. What is a converted camera and where can you get one?



We recommend Kolari Vision for converted IR cameras. They can work on one you already have, or you can buy a camera that's already been converted. But what does that mean?



"With an infrared conversion, the camera's internal hot mirror is removed and replaced with a filter that only lets infrared light through. This allows for handheld infrared shots with normal exposure times and low ISO. A converted digital camera is the only way to take good digital infrared portraits, as the subject no longer has to stay perfectly still for a long exposure."



With a full-spectrum conversion, the camera's internal hot mirror is removed and replaced with a clear glass filter. This makes the camera sensitive to UV, visible, and IR light. This is an excellent option for someone who doesn't want a camera devoted to only IR. Using various external filters, the camera can take pictures in regular, infrared, or UV light.



I highly recommend a full-spectru