OpticsEngineer
Veteran Member
I've been thinking of having my A77II converted to IR. Has anyone here done that? Are there any unexpected behaviors I should be aware of? I am planning to use the HDMI output a lot.
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IR conversion
- Thread starter OpticsEngineer
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SQLGuy
Forum Pro
An SLT will work better than an SLR... especially than the A700 or A900, which don't have LiveView.
A mirrorless is even better.
The SAL1855 "kit" zoom is actually a pretty good lens for IR. I used the SAM2 version on my 750nm NEX-7 because it was much better than the E mount kit zoom for IR.
With an SLR or SLT you will need a lot of MFA to correct for the difference in focusing of infrared light vs. visible light. It should be in the range, though... just probably near the negative limit of adjustment. Worst case, use LiveView and manual focus.
Conversion removes the hot mirror over the sensor and replaces it with something else. If it's replaced with plain glass, you get a full spectrum camera which can be used for IR, UV, special bands, or regular visible light photography, depending on the filter you put on the lens. If it's replaced with a low pass filter (my A7R has 720nm) then it will be usable only for some types of low frequency or IR photography. Lens mounted filters can be expensive, and, for some wide angle lenses, pretty impractical, so I find a single-purpose IR camera easier... however, there are also some snap-in over the sensor filters available for some cameras, which make it easier to compromise for flexibility. Not sure if these are available for the A77II.
You can always put a lower cutoff filter on a higher cutoff conversion - i.e. I could use 850nm or 950nm filters on my A7R and they would work fine.
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A7R2 with SEL2470Z and a number of adapted lenses (Canon FD, Minolta AF, Canon EF, Leica, Nikon...); A7R converted to IR.
A mirrorless is even better.
The SAL1855 "kit" zoom is actually a pretty good lens for IR. I used the SAM2 version on my 750nm NEX-7 because it was much better than the E mount kit zoom for IR.
With an SLR or SLT you will need a lot of MFA to correct for the difference in focusing of infrared light vs. visible light. It should be in the range, though... just probably near the negative limit of adjustment. Worst case, use LiveView and manual focus.
Conversion removes the hot mirror over the sensor and replaces it with something else. If it's replaced with plain glass, you get a full spectrum camera which can be used for IR, UV, special bands, or regular visible light photography, depending on the filter you put on the lens. If it's replaced with a low pass filter (my A7R has 720nm) then it will be usable only for some types of low frequency or IR photography. Lens mounted filters can be expensive, and, for some wide angle lenses, pretty impractical, so I find a single-purpose IR camera easier... however, there are also some snap-in over the sensor filters available for some cameras, which make it easier to compromise for flexibility. Not sure if these are available for the A77II.
You can always put a lower cutoff filter on a higher cutoff conversion - i.e. I could use 850nm or 950nm filters on my A7R and they would work fine.
--
A7R2 with SEL2470Z and a number of adapted lenses (Canon FD, Minolta AF, Canon EF, Leica, Nikon...); A7R converted to IR.
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mick787
Forum Enthusiast
I had thought of having my a77 converted here in the UK, but the company were reluctant to do it, giving the reason that if something went wrong, they may not be able to get any parts. Given the support from Sony to A mount users these days, then this could well be an issue, yes I know yours is an a77ii.
I would suggest having a look around to see if there is one on a well known auction site for sale that has already been converted.
I settled on a secondhand, very low shutter count, A6000 to have converted to full spectrum. There is a web site which lists lenses, try searching the 'Lens Hotspot Database'. I'm not sure if I am allowed to name the company behind it. It may be that the lenses you hope to use may not have the best reviews.
I would suggest having a look around to see if there is one on a well known auction site for sale that has already been converted.
I settled on a secondhand, very low shutter count, A6000 to have converted to full spectrum. There is a web site which lists lenses, try searching the 'Lens Hotspot Database'. I'm not sure if I am allowed to name the company behind it. It may be that the lenses you hope to use may not have the best reviews.
OpticsEngineer
Veteran Member
... when I thought of how many cherished photos I took of my kids growing up with the A77II, I couldn't bear the thought of damaging it. So I ordered an A99 that is full spectrum converted. I will let everyone know how it is when it gets here.
SQLGuy
Forum Pro
So, you're going to use on-lens filters, or are there snap-in ones that will fit the A99?
BTW, the Minolta 28/2.8 is a good IR lens, and the Minolta 24-105 is decent for an IR zoom.
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A7R2 with SEL2470Z and a number of adapted lenses (Canon FD, Minolta AF, Canon EF, Leica, Nikon...); A7R converted to IR.
Last edited:
Every Minolta lens I have (about 13) and every Minolta Rokkor I have (3) are good for IR.
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