Modding Question

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Hi,

I've been working towards modding my 1000d using Gary Honis' instructions, I am planning to do the "full spectrum" mod, without any clear glass replacement for the IR filter (I don't need AF with a 130pds). It seems that *most* people who have modded this camera and followed the instructions carefully have been successful, and I'm willing to give it a try; I have all day free today so I think I'll tackle the job this afternoon after I've re-read the instructions all the way through.

There is just one point in the instructions which I don't understand:

Does this comment mean that I will have removed the part of the chip assembly which holds this cable? I know its not the sensor cable, (that's the broad one labelled A209 in the pic) so I'm guessing its the cable for the Ultra-Sound sensor cleaning? Could this mean that I don't reconnect this cable?

I thought I'd ask in this section of the forum as it's patrolled by lots of imagers who may have modded a DSLR similar to mine.

[LightBucket]

With the full spectrum mod you ONLY remove the two filters not any of the mechanical parts, they go back in, you take the glass from the housings and then put them back....so the sensor cleaning function mechanics are still there....that is the way I understand it

[LightBucket]

But you do seem to be correct, after looking at those instructions they do seem to imply that you remove the cleaning mechanics.... so yes I think you are correct

[JohnSadlerAstro]

So presumably they have removed the "LP Filter #1" and the Blue coloured filter. Is it safe to remove both? Surely that will leave the sensor open to the elements?

[LightBucket]

Yes the sensor will be open to the elements, but obviously only during exposures as the shutter will cover all other times, so it’s no biggie..

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Good.

I think that's the only part of the instructions I don't understand, it's a bit confusing, especially as earlier in the instructions they explain they are only removing the IR cut filter. Presumably that's coz they are replacing the original filter with a less harsh one, to preserve AF.

EDIT: From looking at the pictures it looks like the LPF # 1 fits *inside* the filter assembly, so leaving that out will no effect re-assembling the sensor/filters.

[LightBucket]

Yes when the full spectrum mod is done, and no glass is put back, then the sensor will have no glass in front, so when the “pros” do the mod they put a clear glass back in front and shim the sensor for AF to work, BUT you don’t need either for the mod to be successful, BUT AF with a lens will be slightly off, and the sensor will be open to the elements during an exposure, which like i say is also not really a problem, and the sensor surface is pretty tough to be honest...so it not an issue in a DSLR when you have a shutter assembly in front...

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the help, reading through now it all makes sense! Essentially, that ribbon cable will no longer be there as the filter and its frame (which is the Ultra Sound part) will no longer be there!

John

[LightBucket]

If they just do the “normal” Astro mod then only one of the two filters is removed, which I think is what they were referring to in the instructions you read earlier, but you are removing both which is a full spectrum mod, so you may then need an IR filter when imaging as you will have removed the IR cut in the camera...

[LightBucket]

1 minute ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

Hi,

Thanks so much for the help, reading through now it all makes sense! Essentially, that ribbon cable will no longer be there as the filter and its frame (which is the Ultra Sound part) will no longer be there!

John

Correct, also the glass that can be put back does not on its own restore AF, the sensor need to be shimmed slightly also, but all that is only need for daytime use as for nighttime with a lens you can manually focus...

[JohnSadlerAstro]

So what effect will the no-IR-cut have on images? I am using a 130pds and as I understood it, IR causes bloat with lenses but not mirrors?

[Alien 13]

The full spectrum mod is not very kind if you ever plan to use a refractor or camera lenses, OK with a reflector though. I have wondered how tough the sensor surface is compared to the original glass filter with regards cleaning etc.

Alan

[JohnSadlerAstro]

1 minute ago, Alien 13 said:

The full spectrum mod is not very kind if you ever plan to use a refractor or camera lenses, OK with a reflector though. I have wondered how tough the sensor surface is compared to the original glass filter with regards cleaning etc.

Alan

Essentially the camera is old, and if I were ever to change my setup, I would get a new cam before anything else.

[JohnSadlerAstro]

Will the images look strange with so much IR? I'm assuming I'll I still be able to image galaxies without them turning odd!

[LightBucket]

The images on your scope will look ok, but not with a lens of any kind, as for sensor cleaning I would not worry about that, at the end of the day how often would you clean the glass in front of the sensor if it were still there, probably never, so whay clean the sensor...  flats will take care of any dust bunnies, but there won’t be anymore than their were before, in fact when doing the mod and putting a clear glass filter in place, it is very common to get dust particle trapped in between and then never be able to get rid, so it can’t be any worse....

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

40 minutes ago, LightBucket said:

With the full spectrum mod you ONLY remove the two filters not any of the mechanical parts, they go back in, you take the glass from the housings and then put them back....so the sensor cleaning function mechanics are still there....that is the way I understand it

Before you do the mod decide if you are going to leave the anti aliasing filter in or not. (If your doing full spectrum remove it it blurs the pictures slightly but the cleaning functions do not work anymore. So before you do the mod go into the camera menu and turn off automatic cleaning) I did full spectrum on mine and it's better to remove the Lptf1 and also of course the IR cut filter. 

You will love the results. 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

10 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

Will the images look strange with so much IR? I'm assuming I'll I still be able to image galaxies without them turning odd!

They will look better!

[JohnSadlerAstro]

That's great!

I've just realized why that is: (don't know why I didn't earlier !) Lenses refract different wavelengths by different amounts, but mirrors don't (unless its gamma rays )!

John

[LightBucket]

Let us know how it goes later today....or maybe take pictures and post for others to follow..

[JohnSadlerAstro]

2 minutes ago, Gerry Casa Christiana said:

(If your doing full spectrum remove it it blurs the pictures slightly but the cleaning functions do not work anymore. So before you do the mod go into the camera menu and turn off automatic cleaning)

Yes, I did that before I took the battery out yesterday. (I''m not taking chances with being fried by the flash, it would be quite embarrassing on the coroner's forms).

 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

25 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

So what effect will the no-IR-cut have on images? I am using a 130pds and as I understood it, IR causes bloat with lenses but not mirrors?

Yes you will need to buy either a Astronomik CLS CCD clip in filter to filter out unwanted IR you want a filter with a 700nm cutoff. You can also buy a L1 or L2 which doesn't have light pollution built in. 

Yes you will need it to stop star bloat ( although I have never tested it without the CLS filter. 

Gerry

[JohnSadlerAstro]

So that will be required even if I'm using a reflector? 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

3 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

Yes, I did that before I took the battery out yesterday. (I''m not taking chances with being fried by the flash, it would be quite embarrassing on the coroner's forms).

 

You can see the capacitor so just don't touch it. I wore anti static gloves. Don't say how easy it was afterwards! Some people say I did it in a hour  I took 6! 

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

3 minutes ago, JohnSadlerAstro said:

So that will be required even if I'm using a reflector? 

Yes I use a reflector too 150pds  

[LightBucket]

6 minutes ago, Gerry Casa Christiana said:

Yes you will need to buy either a Astronomik CLS CCD clip in filter to filter out unwanted IR you want a filter with a 700nm cutoff. You can also buy a L1 or L2 which doesn't have light pollution built in. 

Yes you will need it to stop star bloat ( although I have never tested it without the CLS filter. 

Gerry

If you do the normal mod and leave one of the filters in the camera, you don’t need the CCD version of the CLS clip filter, just the standard CLS would be fine as you would still have IR cut in the camera, but in your case the CCD version would be needed...