Anybody remove the Infrared filter on their point and shoot?

sueanne wrote:

Excellent.... I wonder why you are getting tha pink look?

The red elements of the Bayer filter presumably let through more IR than the others.

@saaber1

Raw would give you more control over the end color, but unfortunately we don't have CHDK for SX730 yet. There has been some work on it, but nothing usable yet https://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=13573.0

If you documented the removal process, I'd be interested to see it.

reyalp wrote:

sueanne wrote:

Excellent.... I wonder why you are getting tha pink look?

The red elements of the Bayer filter presumably let through more IR than the others.

@saaber1

Raw would give you more control over the end color, but unfortunately we don't have CHDK for SX730 yet. There has been some work on it, but nothing usable yet https://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=13573.0

If you documented the removal process, I'd be interested to see it.

Great info on the chdk and ur right about raw.  I have a sd990 that has chdk on it and thus can shoot raw. Maybe I will remove the IR filter on that one and give it a try.

Re removal process, I didn't document it but can easily write a description without pics.  There is nothing complicated about it.  The only part to pay attention to is moving parts that have a plastic ribbon going to them (f.e. the sensor).  One wants to move those parts gently and not stress the ribbon because the ribbon can break if mistreated.

I have the little IR filter sitting in front of me right now and I was thinking of maybe putting it back just to see if there is any loss of IQ from the original (i.e. to answer the question, "Is it 100% reversible?").  My guess is that the answer is yes but I have not been protecting the IR filter, it's just sitting on the table and may be scratched (I made no attempt to protect it).  Note that the IR filter is not scratched during removal.  It just sits there on a little rubber gasket.  It's not like it has to be removed with tweezers like replacing a focus screen on a dslr for example.  Any scratching of the IR filter would take place from being moved around on the table (because I took no measures to protect it thinking I would never use it again).

saaber1 wrote:

I have the little IR filter sitting in front of me right now and I was thinking of maybe putting it back just to see if there is any loss of IQ from the original (i.e. to answer the question, "Is it 100% reversible?"). My guess is that the answer is yes but I have not been protecting the IR filter, it's just sitting on the table and may be scratched (I made no attempt to protect it). Note that the IR filter is not scratched during removal. It just sits there on a little rubber gasket. It's not like it has to be removed with tweezers like replacing a focus screen on a dslr for example. Any scratching of the IR filter would take place from being moved around on the table (because I took no measures to protect it thinking I would never use it again).

IIRC some users who removed the IR filter in the past reported focus problems that required additional adjustment. One example https://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=12625.0

There also may be significant chromatic aberration in IR, since the lens was designed on the assumption it would be filtered out.

In any case, nice work and thanks for the additional description.

reyalp wrote:

If you documented the removal process, I'd be interested to see it.

FYI 1) flip up the LCD screen and remove 6 or 7 (can't remember) outside screws that hold the back panel in place (one is under the hdmi/usb cover). Remove the 3 screws under the flip up lcd. Pull off back panel gently.

2) Remove some/most of the clear plastic "hot glue" that partially covers the 3 screws that hold down the sensor (sensor is the thing in the middle of the camera with a wide copper colored ribbon going to it). I used a utility knife to break away/scrape away the hot glue. It's better to take off a little more of the hot glue than a little less just because the metal housing of the senor has to clear this glue when you pull it out.

3) remove the three screws holding down the sensor and gently lift sensor up and to the side. Don't bend the ribbon like crazy. It's flexible but like any computer ribbon if you totally fold it back on itself or something crazy like that it will break. I moved it a lot and no issues.

4) Remove the little piece of glass (it's maybe 1/4" by 3.8" or so) that is laying there on top of a rubber gasket behind the lens. That is the IR filter. It just sits there on the rubber gasket and will fall right out. If you disturb the rubber gasket just set it/push it back into place it's no big deal.

5) reinstall sensor with 3 screws and then reinstall the back panel. Done. My understanding is that with other canon POS cameras it's exactly the same process.  Note that the same process would also be used if you had a dirty sensor you wanted to clean yourself (I would recommend using only sensor cleaning swabs and fluid for that).  Cleaning the sensor of course is not necessary when removing the IR filter, I just mention it because the same procedure would be used to access the sensor for cleaning.