Modifying Canon 50D

[abodee2]

Hi all

been looking at getting the IR filter in my 50d (has liveview) removed so i can use it to capture lots more night time objects. There's a place near by me that does the filter removal and i'm close to going ahead with it. I use a separate camera for daytime photography and this one is purely for astro.

One thing im not sure about - will i need to replace the IR filter with a clear glass one for it to manually focus to infinity with my telescope or will i be ok? Im thinking if that filter gets removed then the focus distance will also change. Help and advice would be much appreciated! 

Ali

[PhotoGav]

Hi Ali, you won't need to replace the filter with glass for manual focus as when on a telescope. I think that autofocus with a canon lens goes off, but if you aren't going to use the camera for stuff with autofocus it's fine. You can even use it with a canon lens and manual focus with no problem. I modified a canon 60D a while back and it was a great move, so go on, get it done, you will love the increased red response. Good luck. 

[barrie greenwood]

Don't know about the cannon but I did my Nikon myself and it was OK however I'm not sure it's done any good but I've not really given it any real testing due to the weather if it's an old camera go for it if not give it some thought before getting it modded

[abodee2]

6 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

Hi Ali, you won't need to replace the filter with glass for manual focus as when on a telescope. I think that autofocus with a canon lens goes off, but if you aren't going to use the camera for stuff with autofocus it's fine. You can even use it with a canon lens and manual focus with no problem. I modified a canon 60D a while back and it was a great move, so go on, get it done, you will love the increased red response. Good luck. 

That's what I wanted to hear! Cheers gav, will go ahead with it i think. 

 

[barrie greenwood]

Happy day's let me know how you get on!

I can't seem to process anything with the red data through deep sky stacker all I get is a Grey box really strange because all the data is there in photoshop,

[PhotoGav]

1 hour ago, abodee2 said:

That's what I wanted to hear! Cheers gav, will go ahead with it i think. 

 

Excellent. I look forward to hearing how you get on and seeing your first light image. 

[rigradio]

Hi Ali,

If you remove the LPF#1 and LPF#2 filters for full spectrum mod without replacing them with clear glass, I believe you have to adjust the sensor position after the mod done. Otherwise, you can't focus on stars with lens (infinity). CMIIW.

Ketut

[abodee2]

Got the 50D back with the IR filter removed. I've not noticed much of a difference using the camera normally: the autofocus using canon lenses works absolutely fine and there's no real red tint in any of my photos. I've had a look at the RGB and there looks like there's slightly more red in reach photo than G and B. I've kept my WB settings to AUTO. 

When i look at other peoples photos after taking out the IR filter they all look like they have an obvious red tint. Is this normal? 

Thanks 

Ali

[michael8554]

Hi Ali

I'm confused by that ribbon on your removed filter.

To me that looks like the filter with the piezo-electric  dust removal element - the LPT1

The one that should be removed is the other one, the LPT2

That's why your piccies aren't red

Hope I'm wrong

Michael

[rigradio]

Agreed with Michael.

Ketut

[PhotoGav]

Oh dear, that doesn't sound quite right... After moding my Canon, daytime pictures had a very clear pinky red tinge to them. I would definitely go back to the place that did the mod and question it.

Why is nothing ever straightforward?!

[PhotoGav]

Ali, it might be useful to post a pic of a regular outdoor scene taken with the moded camera just to see what it is like.

[PhotoGav]

I just checked the thread from when I modded my camera and the filter that I removed was a blueish colour... So, I'm afraid the filter removed from your camera does appear to be incorrect. Who is this company that did the removal? You definitely need to tell them that they have done the incorrect procedure and need to sort it out for you. How chronically frustrating. I hope you get it sorted swiftly and painlessly.

[abodee2]

18 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Ali

I'm confused by that ribbon on your removed filter.

To me that looks like the filter with the piezo-electric  dust removal element - the LPT1

The one that should be removed is the other one, the LPT2

That's why your piccies aren't red

Hope I'm wrong

Michael

 

8 hours ago, PhotoGav said:

Oh dear, that doesn't sound quite right... After moding my Canon, daytime pictures had a very clear pinky red tinge to them. I would definitely go back to the place that did the mod and question it.

Why is nothing ever straightforward?!

I got on the phone to the shop first thing in the morning to check what they had done and all they could say is 'oh no oops didn't mean to do that'. After that I was really hesitant to go back to them and get it done properly but ill have to wait and see what happens when I get it back on Monday. 

You're absolutely right Michael it was the piezo-electric dust removal element that they had taken out. 

Cant understand how something such as that could be done incorrectly if they specialise in cameras. Don't think I'll be going there again. 

Thanks for everyone's help, will update when I get the camera back

Ali 

 

[PhotoGav]

I'm sure that it will come back perfectly ready for astro use now, but it is mad that they can make such a fundamental error. You should have done it yourself!!!

I look forward to seeing the results with the correctly modified camera.

[michael8554]

Perhaps you should Name and Shame so we can avoid this shop.

Michael

[cjdawson]

Or in my case, I think I might specifically go to that shop to get my 70D modded.

My thinking here is that firstly, they didn't try to deny it was done incorrectly, and secondly it sounds like they are going to put it right.

[michael8554]

1) If they had any experience of this mod they would have immediately recognised, or at some point before packing and returning,  that the filter they had removed should not have had a ribbon on it.

2) If they had taken test exposures they would have realised the characteristic red caste was missing.

I wouldn't trust them not to break it, I would send it to a recognised modding company for repair at their expense.

Michael

[iapa]

Mmmm - just been looking a 50D on eBay that has been full spectrum modded being sold by FullSpectrumUK.

Now thinking I'll hold until some results are available here

[abodee2]

SO

Picked up the camera today, they were positive they'd remove the right bit this time and put the wrong bit back in. Didn't make the mistake of going home and testing it this time and tried it out there and then in the shop.

Attached a few photos below of the view outside my window and the sky just on full auto - there's a clear pinkish tint this time. Ive also attached a photo of the removed IR filter. I hope.

All that's left to do is test it out on a clear night

let me know what you think

Ali