Hello!

[argus]

Hello forum!

 

I suppose I've been a lurker in both electronic and optical form, since I've been reading forums, and also accumulating UV/IR pass filters and lenses for years, yet I'm only just now brave enough to ask about getting a camera converted! Hopefully I will find reassuring advice on this site, and be able to help others as well.

[colinbm]

Hi Argus & welcome to UVP.

I don't know what lenses you have or what system you prefer, but a m43 camera is usually easiest (cheapest) to convert & are flexible in the choices of lenses that can fit to them via adapters.

I have converted a Panasonic G3 last year http://www.ultraviol...__hl__sparticle

It is a long thread, with lots of info shared.

You may prefer a different system, but the basics are all very similar.

Cheers

Col

[nfoto]

Welcome to our small corner of the world :D

 

Agree with Colin that a mirrorless system might be the easiest starting point for a camera modification. If the camera itself only carries a clear-glass window inside, one can often arrange filters to go inside the lens adapters themselves. This approach makes a much wider range of lenses available for testing and use, as one is no longer restricted by filter size and the corresponding costs for large filters. As the adapters are cheap, you can use the same body and lens for any visible-light work, just combined with a separate lens adapter and filter.

 

I run this solution on my Panasonic GH-2 cameras. They serve well for rapid collection of UV signatures in the field and for UV video. The ultimate solution, however, is having a UV bandpass filter inside a DSLR because this allows unimpeded viewing even under less conducive light conditions. However, you then do need an extra camera for visible-light photography.

 

Thus, here as elsewhere in life, options need to be carefully considered and balanced against each other.

[Andrea B.]

Hello Argus and Welcome to UVP. I hope you enjoy the site and get a good start with your UV photography.

 

As for which camera to convert, first let me mention what we do not recommend. It is a short list, so is easier to provide.

• Fuji cameras having X-Trans sensors: We simply have no information about how well an X-Trans sensor converts.
  
• Nikon D700/D3/D4/D5: These unfortunate Nikons have an IR shutter monitor which contaminates UV photos.
  
• Sigmal Merrill or Quattro: The 3-layer sensor stack is not as useful for UV work as a simple 1-layer CCD or CMOS sensor.
  

All other camera brands have done well for conversions: Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic. (Help, what did I leave out?? :D ) Members here converted ourselves many cameras from these manufacturers and all have worked out well.

 

So your choice of what camera to convert depends mostly on your needs and on your budget. We will be happy to help you any way we can with that choice.

[argus]

So many responses - thank you for the welome!

 

I think I'll go post a question about having an E-M5 converted in the approrpiate subforum.