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Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Cinstance
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Just converted my M5 to full spectrum on a rainy day (so many of them this summer in the northeast), so I figured that I could do a little DIY aerochrome experiment based on the information I gathered from the internet.

I used a Meike VND drop-in filter, removed the glass and installed a 2mm thick GRB3 (50mm in diameter) heat absorbing glass from tangsinuo on Ebay. I glued a cut sheet of Lee 729 scuba blue on the GRB3. To avoid the Newton rings, I used some thin tape on the edge to separate the two. After a little dress up it looks pretty decent:

Edited on Aug 12, 2023 at 11:31 AM · View previous versions

Aug 12, 2023 at 11:11 AM

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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Finished it last night, and here is the first picture I got in the morning. There was heavy fog and there were some usual visitors to my lawn. This is straight out of camera with zero post processing, white-balanced using a piece of white paper:

Canon EOS M5 EF-S10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens 18mm f/5.6 1/200s 1600 ISO 0.0 EV

Edited on Aug 12, 2023 at 11:25 AM · View previous versions

Aug 12, 2023 at 11:17 AM

Cinstance
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Finally a sunny day! Two more pictures under the sun light, both straight out of the camera. The first is with the DIY filter alone, and the second has a B+W 061green filter on the front of the lens to alleviate some of the (orange) red. I like the 2nd one better.

Canon EOS M5 EF-S10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens 17mm f/8.0 1/80s 100 ISO -0.7 EV

Canon EOS M5 EF-S10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens 16mm f/8.0 1/40s 100 ISO -0.7 EV

Aug 12, 2023 at 11:22 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Cinstance wrote:
Just converted my M5 to full spectrum ...

That's pretty awesome.

So, can we get more details on the conversion to full spectrum?

Aug 12, 2023 at 11:34 AM

Robin Smith
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

I confess I don’t understand the appeal of this.

Aug 12, 2023 at 11:57 AM

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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

To begin with, I found this very detailed M5 tear down article on the internet:
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Canon+EOS+M5+Teardown/133466

What is missing from the ifixit tear down is how to opening the sensor assembly. LifePixel has an instruction on converting a EOS M3, where the very last section on opening the sensor assembly can be applied to the M5 too (not recommending converting a M3 though since its AF pixes creates faint lines across the photos):
https://www.lifepixel.com/tutorials/infrared-diy-tutorials/life-pixel-canon-m3-diy-digital-infrared-conversion-tutorial

This gave me great confidence to open the camera and convert it to full spectrum myself. It turned out to be quite easy, and just make sure to separate the screws and make some notes. Be extra careful while plugging on and off the ribbon cables since they are really fragile.

I bought a full spectrum filter glass from High Point Scientific. They say it fits both M3 and M5, but unfortunately it is noticeably bigger than the original IR block glass and is not an exact fit without modification. My suggestion is just removing the IR blocking glass, and keeping the dust cleaning glass. Then one can use a JJC EF to EFM drop-in filter adapter to compensate for focus difference caused by the loss of the IR blocking filter. The nice thing about this adapter is that it has the same thickness as the non-dropin adapter, so once a filter is installed, the camera can focus to infinity even without the IR blocking glass.

Edited on Aug 13, 2023 at 08:38 AM · View previous versions

Aug 12, 2023 at 12:10 PM

Cinstance
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Robin Smith wrote:
I confess I don’t understand the appeal of this.

I believe many people don't. I guess I am just too bored sometimes and want to try something very different

. It keeps me busy and relaxed.

Aug 12, 2023 at 12:28 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Robin Smith wrote:
I confess I don’t understand the appeal of this.

Cinstance wrote:
I believe many people don't. I guess I am just too bored sometimes and want to try something very different

. It keeps me busy and relaxed.

Keeps camera repair shops happy, too.

Aug 12, 2023 at 12:57 PM

Cinstance
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

jcolwell wrote:
Keeps camera repair shops happy, too.

Or become a camera repair man yourself

Aug 12, 2023 at 09:30 PM

sirimiri
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Seen. Grocked. Thank you.

Aug 13, 2023 at 01:47 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

TANSTAAFL.

Aug 13, 2023 at 05:24 AM

SNJOps
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Wonderful work, your images have given me some ideas for my own work.

I have some Aerochrome presets from RNI Films which do quite a good job but I want to try a full spectrum converted camera as well.

Cinstance wrote:
Finally a sunny day! Two more pictures under the sun light, both straight out of the camera. The first is with the DIY filter alone, and the second has a B+W 061green filter on the front of the lens to alleviate some of the (orange) red. I like the 2nd one better.

Aug 13, 2023 at 07:38 AM

Cinstance
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

sirimiri wrote:
Seen. Grocked. Thank you.

Thanks! Learned a new word today

Aug 13, 2023 at 08:29 AM

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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

jcolwell wrote:
TANSTAAFL.

For those who wonder what does it mean:

TANSTAAFL, There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Aug 13, 2023 at 08:31 AM

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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

After reading how the original Kodak AeroChrome film works, I think it is possible to computationally generate the same mechanism without using actual AeroChrome filters with a full spectrum camera.

The algorithm behind the AeroChrome film is to replace the blue channel by the green channel, the green channel by the red channel, and the red channel by Infrared channel. So to reproduce this digitally, I created two pictures with my full spectrum camera, one with only UV cut (equivalently R+IR, G+IR, B+IR),and another with both UV and IR cut (R, G, B).

Here are the pictures:

Visible + IR

Canon EOS M5 EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens 18mm f/8.0 1/125s 100 ISO 0.0 EV

Visible only

Canon EOS M5 EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens 18mm f/8.0 1/125s 100 ISO 0.0 EV

Edited on Aug 17, 2023 at 11:34 AM · View previous versions

Aug 17, 2023 at 11:32 AM

Cinstance
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

So to get the IR only channel, I just subtract visible from visible + IR:

IR only

Aug 17, 2023 at 11:33 AM

Cinstance
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

Next in photoshop, create a new picture composed using the R and G channels of the UV-IR cut photo as the new G and B channels, and take the R channel from the IR only photo as the new red channel.

Below is the computationally simulated photo:

Simulated AeroChrome

Aug 17, 2023 at 11:38 AM

burningheart
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

I missed seeing this thread.

Have you been to the Ultraviolet Photography site. They do a lot of discussion with Infrared, Ultraviolet and Full Spectrum? www.ultravioletphotography.com

As to simulating Aerochrome the next test for you to try is incorporate some colourful non vegetative objects to see how the colours react. ie) a Red Stop sign should come out yellow.

Aug 26, 2023 at 08:42 PM

jedibrain
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Some DIY aerochrome experiments on my self-converted full spectrum M5

We have been having lots of fun with a full spectrum M6II. Mainly using hypercolor (590nm) IR filter, and a standard 720nm. Haven't ventured too far beyond that. I'll have to learn about this Aerochrome and see if we want to try that too.

-Brian

Aug 28, 2023 at 08:22 AM


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