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What after removing the IR filter? Canon 350D


pixueto

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Dear all,

I'm the proud owner of a canon 350D who is thinking about removing the IR in the next couple of days.

Before I risk breaking the camera could you please help me with a few questions I've got in my head? I intend to remove the filter with no replacement, living the frame empty.

-will I be ale to focus through the viewfinder in the camera after removing the filter?

-will I be able to use a Bahtinov for focusing as I normally do now?

-will a LP clip filter be proyection enough for the exposed sensor?

-Are there any issues I'll have to contend with; do things different from the way I'm doing it now?

I intendo to use the camera only for astrophotography. My scope is a SW 200P (reflector)

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

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Dear all,

I'm the proud owner of a canon 350D who is thinking about removing the IR in the next couple of days.

Before I risk breaking the camera could you please help me with a few questions I've got in my head? I intend to remove the filter with no replacement, living the frame empty.

-will I be ale to focus through the viewfinder in the camera after removing the filter?

No, the focus on the sensor will be slightly different from the viewfinder.
-will I be able to use a Bahtinov for focusing as I normally do now?
If you use live view or an exposure with the sensor, yes.
-will a LP clip filter be proyection enough for the exposed sensor?
Yes, it should be but you may let dust in if/when you change it for another.
-Are there any issues I'll have to contend with; do things different from the way I'm doing it now?
The colour balance will be a bit different but the camera will be a lot more sensitive in red eg. hydrogen alpha nebulosity. If you're doing things with the camera sensor then there's no real difference. But the viewfinder focus will differ from the sensor focus as I mentioned above.
I intendo to use the camera only for astrophotography. My scope is a SW 200P (reflector)

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

Fine :)

Hope that helps :)

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Thank you very much Gina. That's all I wanted to know basically. The focus thing with the view finder worries me a bit. I normally point to a bright star and try to focus de best I can, then I start taking exposures with the Bhatinov unter I get it spot on. I would be lost if I can get a first estimate visually but if the focus on the sensor it's only slightly different I supposed that shouldn't affect me. Gina The Canon 350D doesnt have life view.

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The viewfinder on my 500D has it's own little focus adjustment dial on the back. I guess not all Canon cameras have one? .. if yours has one then could it not be used to re-match up the focus between the sensor and the viewfinder?

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The viewfinder focus adjustment is to allow you to focus the viewfinder to match your eyesight if you wear glasses and take them off to use the camera. I don't think the change in focus is very much so I should think you could roughly focus with the viewfinder and, as you say, finally focus by taking exposures.

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Hmmm haven't really noticed.. mind you when I first did the mod I started taking longer exposures so I expected a bit more noise I guess...

doing the mod encourages you to expose for a bit longer.. :grin: Also my processing skills have improved a bit in dealing with it since then too. I'm certainly glad I did the mod.. (aside from the small risk & fiddly bits)

Trouble is.. it's the slippery slope... you'll then want cooling... :eek:

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Can't say I've noticed any extra noise - just increased sensitivity which has improved the signal to noise ratio. But I can't remember if we have the same model of camera.

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Hmmm haven't really noticed.. mind you when I first did the mod I started taking longer exposures so I expected a bit more noise I guess...

doing the mod encourages you to expose for a bit longer.. :grin: Also my processing skills have improved a bit in dealing with it since then too. I'm certainly glad I did the mod.. (aside from the small risk & fiddly bits)

Trouble is.. it's the slippery slope... you'll then want cooling... :eek:

Yes, that is certainly true! A 7 degree C drop in temprature halves the noise :) I hope to post full details of my cooling mod soon.
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Thank you very much for the link. By the way, quartermass has reported that much more noise is coming up in his images after the mod. Is this something I can expect? Have you had this problem?

Thanks

Hi Pix, I bought my 350D already modded so I can't compare before and after for you, but I can show you what a simple shot looks like, I think this one of M27 had no darks etc as it was just a test, and only a hand full of 45 sec subs with a 6" Newt, so it might be good for showing you the levels of noise and the kind of signal you get in the red with short exposures which is good in my opinion. The only thing I would point out is that your subs will come out with a pink cast which will process out, not the magenta cast in this image which is my wonky processing:D

post-16129-0-98473200-1346248853_thumb.j

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  • 1 year later...

Just an add on to this thread in case anyone is still reading it, I modded my canon 350d back in 2012 and all I did was take out the red filter and nothing else. Increased noise is only due to longer exposures really not anything to do with taking the filter out. I am still using the 350d and have a skywatcher coma corrector fitted to the camera which stops any dust getting to the sensor and gives me a nice crisp star field with my 200p.

So if you have a 350d and your up for the challenge remove that red blocking filter and then just put your camera back together and you will have a much better camera for astrophotography. I do not use it for normal photography just astro so bear that in mind as when you take out the red blocking filter it will be no good for day time images any more for that I use another camera.

Was it worth it most certainly and the canon 350d is a wonderful little camera even though it is now a bit dated mine is still going strong.

My last galaxy image taken with my modded 350d still going strong, I love my 350d :grin: see my blog for all the other images this great little camera can take.

post-8732-0-81440500-1397319346_thumb.jp

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Modded 350D cameras usually have the IR filter replaced. 

the filter inside the canon 350D is a top notch IR blocking filter, it blocks the red IR bandwidth very tightly.

the filter inside a Astro-mod 350D is a top notch IR PASS filter, it ALLOWS the red IR bandwidth to pass onto the camera sensor. 

Most rep IR pass filter are the Baader glass ones, expensive but very good.

now theres an added bonus to, because the new filter is the same thickness as the old block filter, your

focal point of the sensor compared to the viewfinder is the same. unlike if you have no filter installed. 

The little wheel on camera viewfinder, is a dioptre (sp) adjustment. 

look through viewfinder and tweek your dipotre left or right ( up/down)

notice how the icons in the viewfinder become somewhat off focus, 

in focus, this is used for people with glasses, it adds agitisum to the finder to compensate your eyesight.

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Can I just ask?

If its advisable not to focus through the viewfinder as it will be different to what is on the sensor and the 350d has no live view, what is the best way to focus then?

As I'm unable to sell my 350d, I'm going to modify it myself and just use my 450d for everyday use.

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That maybe so but I'm not going to modify that one.

The 350d is a spare.

Hi Anthony,

You can focus initially through the viewfinder and then take 5 second exposures at high ISO to fine-tune the focus. I strongly advise you to get hold of a Bhatinov mask if you still haven't got one (cost just over a tenner).

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Just an add on to this thread in case anyone is still reading it, I modded my canon 350d back in 2012 and all I did was take out the red filter and nothing else. Increased noise is only due to longer exposures really not anything to do with taking the filter out. I am still using the 350d and have a skywatcher coma corrector fitted to the camera which stops any dust getting to the sensor and gives me a nice crisp star field with my 200p.

So if you have a 350d and your up for the challenge remove that red blocking filter and then just put your camera back together and you will have a much better camera for astrophotography. I do not use it for normal photography just astro so bear that in mind as when you take out the red blocking filter it will be no good for day time images any more for that I use another camera.

Was it worth it most certainly and the canon 350d is a wonderful little camera even though it is now a bit dated mine is still going strong.

My last galaxy image taken with my modded 350d still going strong, I love my 350d :grin: see my blog for all the other images this great little camera can take.

attachicon.gifNGC2403 galaxy.jpg

Hi Mark,

Your photos with your setup have been a source of inspiration for me over all these months. Certainly the 350D is a lovely and capable camera with many strong points: big pixels and high sensibility. The disadvantages, though are: old digic processor so increased noise, lack of live view for quick and easy focusing and amp glow.

Have you done anything about the amp glow? I've seem a mod about this somewhere.

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