DSLR IR Conversion Services

I'm thinking about having my old Canon 20D converted to IR, and wondered what experience folks here have had with IR conversions.

In searching the forums I've found plenty of references to LifePixel, but not by a lot of different people.  One of EJ's newsletters a while back mentioned his experiences with LifePixel and MaxMax, and also linked to a list of lenses on KolariVision, but didn't comment on KolariVision's conversion service.  Google found (in addition to these 3) Isaac Szabo (whose prices are a lot lower than the others).

Does anyone have experience with IR conversions by KolariVision (in particular their filter AR coating for reducing hot spots), or Isaac Szabo?

Here are links for the 4 services referred to above (no endorsement or recommendation, since I haven't used any of them):
LifePixel
MaxMax
KolariVision
IsaacSzabo

I have only had cameras converted by LifePixel and MaxMax and can recommend them both. If you are in a real hurry, as I was on my a6000 conversion, Maxmax offers a faster service than Lifepixel fastest service, they also have more filter options available but either do a high quality job.

I had a Nikon d7000 converted by Kolari Vision and they were easy to deal with and prompt with the conversion. I discussed with them the type of conversion I wanted and it took approximately 3 weeks, with the shipping to/from, to have it completed. I am very satisfied with the conversion. After using the camera for sometime I contacted them to have it converted differently so a little color would come through and that conversion was done in the same time line and cheaper than first conversion. Give them a call to discuss your options. I had a good experience with Kolari and will send future conversions their way.

calvin1calvin wrote:I had a Nikon d7000 converted by Kolari Vision and they were easy to deal with and prompt with the conversion.  I discussed with them the type of conversion I wanted and it took approximately 3 weeks, with the shipping to/from, to have it completed.  I am very satisfied with the conversion.  After using the camera for sometime I contacted them to have it converted differently so a little color would come through and that conversion was done in the same time line and cheaper than first conversion.  Give them a call to discuss your options.  I had a good experience with Kolari and will send future conversions their way.

What wavelength did you end up with?  I have a 720nm dedicated to B&W and a 665nm that I can task either to B&W or color.  I find 820nm just a bit too contrasty - I can always add contrast to the 720 but taking contrast away is a much more difficult task.

I had an old Canon 5D converted to IR years ago by Lifepixel not long after I got a brand new 5D MKII. It has been working fine for years, but have to admit it doesn't see much use these days. (Note to self, charge up the old 5D batteries.)

Regardless who does the conversion, keep in mind some perfectly good lenses will produce an odd bright spot in the center of the frame. Not sure what causes this, lens coatings might play a role but that's just my guess. At any rate, the cost of a lens won't help to predict its IR applicability. Lens lists for IR use are on the net, so do a Google search to check.

Tom Robbins wrote:Regardless who does the conversion, keep in mind some perfectly good lenses will produce an odd bright spot in the center of the frame. Not sure what causes this, lens coatings might play a role but that's just my guess. At any rate, the cost of a lens won't help to predict its IR applicability. Lens lists for IR use are on the net, so do a Google search to check.

Hot spots in lenses can largely be overcome utilizing lens cast correction.  Capture One has this built in since most technical cameras require them and there is a downloadable lightroom plug-in that can do it too.

I cover how to do this this in my Summer Newsletter and also in the Irix 11mm lens review I just posted here on NSN in the Equipment forum.  Here are direct links:
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quack%20Summer%202017.pdf - see page 4
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Irix%2011mm%20Review.pdf - see page 5

Thanks everybody!  All very helpful info.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Tom Robbins wrote:Regardless who does the conversion, keep in mind some perfectly good lenses will produce an odd bright spot in the center of the frame. Not sure what causes this, lens coatings might play a role but that's just my guess. At any rate, the cost of a lens won't help to predict its IR applicability. Lens lists for IR use are on the net, so do a Google search to check.

Hot spots in lenses can largely be overcome utilizing lens cast correction.  Capture One has this built in since most technical cameras require them and there is a downloadable lightroom plug-in that can do it too.

I cover how to do this this in my Summer Newsletter and also in the Irix 11mm lens review I just posted here on NSN in the Equipment forum.  Here are direct links:
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Quack%20Summer%202017.pdf - see page 4
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/Irix%2011mm%20Review.pdf - see page 5

Great info, E.J. Thanks!