Why doesn't my Canon EOS 1000D record IR light after removing the IR-cut filter?
Asked 4/8/2020
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I modified a Canon EOS 1000D to try infrared imaging. Following a Rebel/450D conversion guide, I removed the IR-cut (hot mirror) filter, but I did not install replacement clear glass. Instead, I left the camera's low-pass filter 1 in place.
When I test the camera in a dark room lit by strong IR LED arrays, it does not seem to capture the IR illumination at all. An old webcam with its IR filter removed does see the same IR light, so I expected similar results from the DSLR.
Could the remaining low-pass filter still be blocking infrared, or is there another reason this camera is not responding to IR after the modification?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
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... I left the "low pass filter 1" in place...
Try removing both the low-pass filter and hot mirror. Some Canon cameras do not appear to be as sensitive to IR as other cameras. There is likely an element on the sensor stack, other than the IR Cut Filter, that blocks a significant amount of IR. Based on a diagram in the modification guide you reference, a potential culprit is the low-pass filter.
See also:
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
6y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—the remaining filter stack is the likely issue. On some Canon DSLRs, removing only the IR-cut/hot mirror is not enough for strong IR sensitivity. Another element in front of the sensor, such as the low-pass filter, can still block a significant amount of infrared.
Since you left low-pass filter 1 in place, that is the most likely reason the camera is not seeing your IR LED illumination. The missing clear replacement glass is mainly for maintaining the optical path and focus calibration; by itself it would not usually explain a total lack of IR response.
In short: a webcam and a DSLR do not necessarily behave the same after a partial conversion. To improve IR response, the remaining low-pass filter (and any other IR-blocking element in the sensor stack) may also need to be removed or replaced with IR-passing/clear optical glass, depending on the conversion method.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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