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UltravioletPhotography

LifePixel may have botched my camera conversion


Andy Perrin

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I wanted to check here if there is perhaps some form of user error taking place, although I already emailed LifePixel about this. Simply put, the camera no longer focuses to infinity with any lens I own. It's near-sighted. I have seen this behavior the one time I tried converting a camera myself, the Nikon Coolpix 995, when I did not put in a replacement for the IR filter. I wonder if something similar happened - maybe a piece of glass that was not thick enough or the wrong type was used? Anyway, I'm tremendously disappointed. When I got my first camera from eeasa on eBay, everyone made such a big deal about those untrustworthy eBay sellers, but except for some dust, eeasa's conversion worked just fine. Paying LifePixel $350+ resulted in a non-working camera.

 

ETA: LifePixel emailed back, saying,

This is very strange as we are no stranger to the potential for a Sony mirrorless to have this problem as we have seen it a few times years ago but it should have essentially been overcorrected so that infinity can potentially occur early.

They gave me a shipping label to send it back, at least. Don't they TEST these cameras before they send them out the door?

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I've actually had the problem in converting my own camera, as I said. It's not a myth that if you don't replace the filter with something of the same optical path length it will not behave the same way. But optical path length is not the same as physical thickness, which is all they are saying in that video.

 

It's kind of beside the point though, which is that they couldn't have tested it very thoroughly. (Mind you, I didn't notice the problem until I tried to go all the way to infinity - if you focus inside a room you can't see it. You have to be outdoors or focusing out the window.)

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What kind of lens did you try the camera with? Some lenses require a massive focus shift in IR and the helicoid might not allow sufficient displacement.
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I tried it in visible light with a Hoya UV/IR cut filter. I used a Sony Zeiss FE 55mm/1.8 lens which is native on the Sony A7s. It is the sharpest lens I own.

 

I also tried with the Super Takumar 50mm/1.4 (the thorium glass one) also in visible light with same result.

 

If I take the Sony Zeiss lens and try it with a UV stack then it WILL focus at infinity (presumably due to UV focal shift).

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It would not be the first time any of us has sent a converted camera back for whatever reasons... and that would be true of either LifePixel and MaxMax, both have returns, both places will fix any problems for free.

Send it back, they will definitely make it work good. That is not true of some places, and I am thinking of one place in New Mexico, if I am not mistaken...

What made you choose LifePixel rather than MaxMax, given that you live on the east coast? The price? Just saying, it would be faster shipping on the east coast, would probably shave a week off turnaround time.

Not sure if those places ship back next day or not.

Not sure there is a difference between LP and Max. So far I have had all mine done at LifePixel.

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It was an arbitrary choice between the two and I had a better impression of LifePixel overall. When I converted my CoolPix 995, I got the info off their site, and I appreciated the transparency (no pun intended). Also, I got kind of a skeevy vibe from MaxMax in places. They explicitly marketed some filters for seeing through clothing, complete with demos. I didn’t really like to support them when there was a ready alternative. (Also, I didn’t think to check where either company was located.)
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From what I have heard, it seems like those are the two most reputable companies for conversions.

You will just have to send it back, it happens.

Has anyone else ever had to send a converted camera back for some reason? Suddenly it gets quiet?... ;)

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Well I am in the process of deciding whom to send my Em1 to. I am leaning on sending to Kolari vision, but MaxMax and Life pixel are still in the running.

 

Funny that you got an odd feeling for MaxMax. I get an odd feeling for Life pixel, based on their bragging to have converted cameras for movie industry. Also saying their a world leader in camera conversion. Just reads as marketing BS to me.

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Yeah, I am just very disappointed.

 

Dabateman, not sure why those would bother you? Every company advertises, and all advertising is bragging about your company.

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maxmax is good for me... i have had over 9 conversions over the past 10 years. you might have called Dan there and talked to him... he repurposes cameras for a variety of industrial folks and US government agencies.

 

four conversions in the past 18 months by the way.... including a very difficult monochrome sensor conversion

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I have spoken to Dan at MaxMax. He is very nice.

I also just noticed that almost everyone at a conversion place is named Dan. I wonder if that is a requirement.

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Daniel Morrison, Monochrome Imaging Services

 

Dan Llewellyn LDP LLC

 

Dan Wampler at Life Pixel

 

 

Interesting. Or maybe I am just seeing things.

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by the way... i never ask for corrections since i don't want shims or anything else.. if they try with sensor thickness it may be too thin in which case it will change the transmission characteristics (e.g. an RG830 bleeding some red for a .8mm thickness)

 

so i always use liveview... always... and i never trust autofocus for a conversion.

 

by the way i use a hoodman loupe attached to the cam

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I have spoken to Dan at MaxMax. He is very nice.

 

my experience as well.. and he is very technical and willing to discuss at the technical level.

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Yes, I have had conversions need a return trip or other adjustments. I've seen the dust problem. Although these days trapped dust under the sensor would be very very very rare from LifePixel, MaxMax or Kolari. I vaguely recall an FFD problem from 8 years ago or so. And one time we found a loose screw in one of Birna's conversions !!! Then there is my infamous plastic replacement filter from a Bad Conversion Shop.

 

There is some art required for correctly adjusting the sensor plane at a flange focal distance so that infinity focus can be attained when working in UV or IR. The same setting may not work for both wavebands. The same setting may not work for all lenses because it might require a lens to focus beyond infinity, and some lenses don't have that capability unless they too are adjusted. Anyway the converter picks a compromise such that when combined with the refractive qualities of the new sensor cover, lens glass and external filter, it all combines to give an infinity focus for most lenses and external filters.

 

Give Life Pixel a chance to adjust the camera and try again.

And in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, Don't Panic. :D B) :lol:

 

OT.....I'm about to leave to go to New Mexico and was thinking of taking along Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to begin re-reading on the plane......

 


I also just noticed that almost everyone at a conversion place is named Dan. I wonder if that is a requirement.

I know, right? Too funny.

 

.

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Daniel Morrison, Monochrome Imaging Services

 

Dan Llewellyn LDP LLC

 

Dan Wampler at Life Pixel

 

 

Interesting. Or maybe I am just seeing things.

I am chatting with Daniel Malkin at LP customer service. I think it is required to be a Dan.

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Yes, I have had conversions need a return trip or other adjustments. I've seen the dust problem. Although these days trapped dust under the sensor would be very very very rare from LifePixel, MaxMax or Kolari. I vaguely recall an FFD problem from 8 years ago or so. And one time we found a loose screw in one of Birna's conversions !!! Then there is my infamous plastic replacement filter from a Bad Conversion Shop.

 

There is some art required for correctly adjusting the sensor plane at a flange focal distance so that infinity focus can be attained when working in UV or IR. The same setting may not work for both wavebands. The same setting may not work for all lenses because it might require a lens to focus beyond infinity, and some lenses don't have that capability unless they too are adjusted. Anyway the converter picks a compromise such that when combined with the refractive qualities of the new sensor cover, lens glass and external filter, it all combines to give an infinity focus for most lenses and external filters.

 

Give Life Pixel a chance to adjust the camera and try again.

And in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, Don't Panic. :D B) :lol:

 

OT.....I'm about to leave to go to New Mexico and was thinking of taking along Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to begin re-reading on the plane......

 


I also just noticed that almost everyone at a conversion place is named Dan. I wonder if that is a requirement.

I know, right? Too funny.

 

.

Wait, PLASTIC FILTER???!!!!

Andrea, I gotta hear about this.

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eye4invisible

Never heard of MaxMax. I chose Kolari Vision for my full spectrum conversion based on 2 factors:

  • They're on the east coast (New Jersey) and so am I (Ontario) and Lifepixel are out west.
  • They accept shipments via UPS, whereas Lifepixel does not (or, at least, did not when I sent it for conversion 3 years ago).

And I never dealt with anyone by the name Dan at Kolari Vision - I spoke with Ilija. Guess they broke the mould there.

 

100% happy with my conversion, from a quality and turn-around time stand-point.

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Andy B.,

 

You said " They're on the east coast (New Jersey) and so am I (Ontario)..."

I know Upper Canadians don't recognize the Maritime's existence, but aren't the combined landmasses of Quebec and New Brunswick rather an extensive beach, even for Ontario? :rolleyes:

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eye4invisible

Life Pixel uses UPS for everything now.

There was some FAQ where LP said they would not accept shipments via UPS (too much hassle with customs, I think) but KV had no such quibble. Don't know about the return leg, but KV only shipped USPS back to me 3 years ago. Not a problem for NJ to ON.

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eye4invisible

You said " They're on the east coast (New Jersey) and so am I (Ontario)..."

I know Upper Canadians don't recognize the Maritime's existence, but aren't the combined landmasses of Quebec and New Brunswick rather an extensive beach, even for Ontario? :rolleyes:

Haha, yes, I mean east "coast" generically, not beach-wise :)

 

Ontario and east of it being "east"; everything else I consider "west" (even though Manitoba is east of centre).

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