UK’s Infra-red Conversion Specialists
For the past decade we have been leading the way for infra-red camera conversion in the UK.
At ACS we have constantly been developing and refining our infra-red camera conversions for digital cameras. With each new model produced by the manufacturers, we can use our hard-won experience to produce the best conversion available for that model.
As with all the modification work we do, we have behind us decades of experience as a camera repair and service centre.
Infra-red has never been easier!
It has never been easier to produce infra-red images than it is now with a dedicated infra-red converted camera. Previously, infra-red photography involved the use of specialist film, with infra-red filters used on the front of the lens. This had a number of serious limitations. Because we are unable see through IR filters it was impossible to both compose and focus images using the viewfinder. In addition using infra-red filters in front of the lens meant the need for very long exposures, which necessitated the use of a tripod, and meant blurred images where any movement occurred in the image. Now all this has changed!
Works like any other camera
Using a dedicated infra-red converted digital camera is no more difficult than taking an image with an ordinary camera in visible light. With our conversions the infra-red filter is installed on the sensor itself, and we recalibrate the camera body to work perfectly with infra-red light. You can use the viewfinder to compose shots, and you can manually focus with the viewfinder if you use manual lenses. You can even use the auto-focus system of the camera, just as you normally would! You also no longer need to use the tripod or long exposures to capture images. No more guessing the focus using the ‘infra-red’ marks on the lens. With our dedicated infra-red converted cameras you can shoot handheld and capture crisp images of movement which were previously impossible.
What you can expect..
Six months warranty on parts and labour.
Estimates free of charge
Next day tracked courier service with delivery time windows available.
Need a Camera Repair?
HIGHEST GRADE PARTS – BUILT TO LAST
- Premium quality materials
- We accept nothing less than perfection
Our infra-red camera conversions use the highest grade of Hoya or Schott glass that we can source. The filters we use are individually precision cut and polished in the UK to the highest degree. On top of that, we have an extremely strict reject policy to ensure the we have cleanest results possible. All the work involved in fitting filters, and working on camera sensors is carried out in a clean air environment, and the techniques we have developed mean that our conversions are free from dust and inclusions. If it isn’t up to spec, we do it again.
OUR INFRA-RED CAMERA CONVERSION PROCESS
The cost of the conversion includes a full strip-down service on each camera. The price includes all the labour necessary to carry out repairs if any faults are identified. If any major repair is needed we would provide you with an estimate before we begin the conversion.
We recalibrate the focus on all the cameras we convert to be accurate for infra-red light. In many cases we can set up the focus to be tighter than the original manufacturers specification. When you receive your converted camera it should work with the full range of lenses just as well as it always did. There is no need to make allowances for IR markings on lenses, or to shift the focus at all with a properly converted camera. You will not need to use a larger depth of field to cover up a poorly calibrated focus with our conversions. If you intend to use one specific lens with your converted camera, we can set the focus up to this lens, or set the AF fine tune to get the best possible focus accuracy.
We set the custom white balance on every conversion we do. The primary function of white balance with converted cameras is to counter-act the colour of the filter material itself. Once the white balance has been set properly you can enjoy the wonderful infra-red world in all its subtle tones.
We give 6 months guarantee for parts and labour on your whole camera when we perform an infra-red camera conversion. This guarantee stays with the camera.
For a list of the various infrared filter choices please click here.
APPLICATIONS FOR INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY
Forensics
Infra-red can be used to image many things which are not visible to the naked eye, or to a conventional camera. Infra-red has the ability to penetrate the top layer of skin for instance, and can be used to document latent injuries, or tattoos which might not be visible or clear otherwise. Infra-red will also penetrate thin layers of paint and can identify damage, or previous repairs to cars, walls and buildings.
Medical
Blood vessels, bruising and other phenomena which are just below the skin’s surface can be imaged using infra-red converted cameras.
Astronomy
Near infra-red photography (NIR) using converted SLR cameras which can image in the range 700nm to 1200nm can be used to improve imaging of distant objects as the Doppler Effect will lengthen wavelengths where objects move away from us.
Botanical/Agricultural
Infra-red converted cameras are now widely used to investigate the health of plants, and are used in experiments to measure plant health. Plants with more chlorophyll (vital in the photosynthesis process where plants derive their energy from light) will reflect more infra-red, and can be easily identified using infra-red converted cameras. By looking at fields or forests, we can see how infra-red response, and therefore plant health is distributed across an area. This allows locations where plants are less healthy to be identified, studied and diagnosed. In large scale agriculture this means locally targeted fertilisers can be used, saving money and reducing pollution.
Archaeology
Due to the fact that plants strongly reflect infra-red when healthy, we can use infra-red converted cameras to identify archaeological sites from the air. Aerial photography has long been useful for this, but infra-red can show subtle changes in the health of plants due to the underlying soil depth or other factors, and highlight anomalies which would not be visible with conventional aerial photography.
Conservation of Art and Antiquities.
Our infra-red conversions are in use with many of the world’s foremost institutions in the conservation of paintings and art. As infra-red light is able to penetrate the top layers of paint, it can be used to document under-painting, and identify fakes, or study how an artist went about painting the earlier stages of the image. We can provide bespoke imaging packages for conservators and institutions. Get in touch here. Let us guide you through, or if you know what you need, ask us for a quotation.
Nature Photography/Filming.
Our infra-red cameras are widely used by various BBC departments, including BBC Nature, Springwatch, science documentaries, and all manner of other media institutions for filming in the dark. If you’ve seen nice crisp black and white ‘night vision’ shots, instead of the old fuzzy green image intensifier shots, then these are likely to be from infra-red converted digital SLR cameras. With appropriate infra-red lighting you can film in total darkness without disturbing your subject.
Covert Surveillance
Many military, intelligence, and police agencies use our infra-red converted cameras to gather intelligence. Infra-red converted cameras are used in situations where conventional visible light cameras will not work. Just as for nature filming and photography, we can produce “invisible” infra-red LED lighting or specialist flash systems, which when used with infra-red converted cameras can film or photograph in total darkness without disturbing the subject. Interestingly, many dark glasses will also become clear in the infra-red spectrum.