Jump to content
UltravioletPhotography

Wide range IR CCD “budget” options?


ylluminate

Recommended Posts

I’ve been wanting to get started in UV and IR video capture for a project combining the visual spectrum with IR. I was, rightfully, directed to start in the IR field first since it’s a bit easier of a starting point. I stumbled across an interesting video where a fellow took a $50 action camera, removed the lens and hacked it (melted a large enough hole) so as to attach a c-mount adapter for more flexibility. Seemed like a great idea.

 

It got me thinking about options. While the action cam idea was great, it’s not as flexible as I’d need since it will require a HDMI capture board to get realtime input. From what I’m seeing at this point, it would take either a pretty costly multi-input capture board or some MacGyver’ing of multiple single capture cards via a bitcoin mining riser card (doable, but a lot of work and extra energy consumption).

 

It dawned on me that an even cleaner option could be possible: Find a USB capable cam or webcam that has a sufficiently sophisticated CCD that will extend a good distance up into the IR portion of the spectrum.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations of what to look for as far as a webcam or some such USB capable camera? I’d like to go as deeply into IR as is feasible without initially get into >$200-500+ cameras (if possible), especially since this first round for this buildout is going to also require a lot of software engineering too. I’m looking to integrate 2 IR cameras + 2 visual spectrum cameras (all the same kind, just the IR would be hacked) so as to generate stereo images within a VR/AR (Augmented Reality) output headset.

 

I suspect I may also need to buy some lenses to only capture IR as well for the IR hacked cams - so I’ll probably need to affix an adapter to accept such lenses.

 

Any thoughts or ideas would be fantastic!

Link to comment

If your think about web cameras. Ldp has a section of affordable converted ones.

Take a look here:

https://maxmax.com/maincamerapage/uvcameras/usb2-small

 

The monochrome one may work for everything, its B&W of course, but may have the most affordable full spectrum video capabilities. It may be in the monochrome page if not listed on the page I linked.

 

I have not used these. So no idea how well ot will work. May be best to email Dan for some ideas.

Link to comment

If your think about web cameras. Ldp has a section of affordable converted ones.

Take a look here:

https://maxmax.com/m...eras/usb2-small

 

The monochrome one may work for everything, its B&W of course, but may have the most affordable full spectrum video capabilities. It may be in the monochrome page if not listed on the page I linked.

 

I have not used these. So no idea how well ot will work. May be best to email Dan for some ideas.

 

Very interesting and good to know about those. Unfortunately these appear to not do 1920 x 1080 @ 30 fps (perhaps not even 1080 video at all)... Hmm.

 

UPDATE: I got an interesting, if not a little strange, email from the company regarding these details:

 

This camera is available as UV-Only, UV-VIS-IR and IR-Only. Upper limit is about 1100nm. 1080P @ 30 FPS is standard.

 

https://www.maxmax.c...eras/usb2-small

 

It seems to be a little different from the stats on the page(s)...

 

 

UPDATE 2: Apparently I was overlooking the spec while being fixated just on the first portion of it. These do have: "1920X1080 FHD MJPEG@30fps"

Link to comment

I have been trying to sort out a monochrome camera to gain higher uv sensitivity. So I spent some time researching this.

Looks like LDP, sells a bunch of interesting options. This one I linked to, the mini USB one does seem to do 1080 at 30fps. The lens is actually removable, with an M12 mount. So you can buy and improve UV sensitivity with a quartz lens.

 

The monochrome uv-vis-ir option at $85 seems very interesting. But I am not sure what gains I would see. The sensor is an OV2710, so not BSI. But the dynamic range and the signal to noise seem ok for it. You can google the data sheet. For video, this may actually be a good setup.

 

There are also Android apps that will run this camera. So it can be portable, running off a phone or tablet with an OTG cable.

Link to comment
The big thing in my use case is that I need to isolate out portions of the spectrum very distinctly. For example, I need to make sure that IR is in one input set; visual is in another input set; and UV is in another input set. The reason for this is to be able to combine them in unique and powerful ways programmatically. If I end up taking in multiple areas of the spectrum at the same time it will be hard to isolate them without getting extremely creative on the software side - and frankly it may be impossible without any metadata to differentiate it. This is why I'm looking at dedicated cameras for each section of the spectrum to go as far in as possible.
Link to comment
WiSi-Testpilot

May be a Raspberry Pi is a good base for your project. For this devices also infrared camera modules are available. That should be UV open too. Finally you have to combine three devices (with different optical filter) programmatically.

Google for example Raspberry Pi no ir filter.

Best regards,

Wilhelm

Link to comment

Spectrum isolation is not hard. Thats what I would say all users here do and its the filters that effect this the most.

 

For IR go with something about 820nm or 850nm to avoid all visible and uv.

 

For visible it will depend on you definition of visible. If yours is loose at 380nm to 710nm than a cheap BW 486 filter will do that. If you want 400nm to 700nm or within than the more expensive Baader IR/uv cut filter will give you that range. If you can handle a stack than look at wratten 2A or 2E to cut out the UV and BG39 or S8612 to cut out the IR. Alternative to the wratten's are GG420 or GG455 filters.

 

For UV its trickier as a lot of filters have some IR leak. But a 2mm U340 stack with 2mm S8612 would give you UV with no visible or IR leak.

Link to comment

If you want to do a proof-of-concept before you invest a significant amount of money, I would suggest a Sony DCR-HC52 camcorder. Less than $100 USD should get you a used machine. The resolution is low, the technology is archaic, but the lens is decent - Zeiss Vario-Tessar -- and flipping a switch moves the IR/cut filter out of the way so that it has full-spectrum capabilities. Screw a 30mm R72 filter over the lens and you have IR, or screw on a UV-bandpass filter for UV.

 

Just a thought.

Link to comment
  • 1 year later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...