IR and the DVX100

judge94

judge94

New member
I have a need to shoot some IR experiments. Does anyone know if the DVX100 has that capability and what the settings would be.

Thanks
 
Sorry. I miss read what you wer saying. The camera has to have IR capabilities. I am not sure if there is a way to go in and adjust the settings.
 
Damn, cause I was hoping to just set-up IR lights and run an HD camera in the dark, hoping the IR light would illuminate it without an actual light. But it does make sense that it doesn't work that way since it's not an actual visible light.
 
This is a good question. I always wondered why NO PROSUMER cams have "nightshot" (sony) or "nightalive" (jvc) I think its really funny how sony's $200 cams have some sort of IR, but thier prosumer $2,000 cams dont. I think it would be cool to have ir on the dvx.
 
It's all in the chips!

Or rather, CHIP.

A one CCD camera just has a simple bayer filter on the chip, this won't block IR. The restult, a one chip camera will always see IR. But that's bad in normal shooting, so they build a small IR blockign filter into the camera. Nice and simple.
When you turn on "Nightshot" (or whatever you call it) the camera jsut swings this IR blockign filter out of the way and the CCDs see IR!

However a 3-chip camera uses a prism (AKA: "Beam splitter") that splits the incoming light out to the 3 CCDs based on their wavelength. Only light matching the right wavelength can pass through the prism. IR is not one of these wavelengths, and therefor it's practically impossible to get IR to the chips. And thus there is no nightshot on a 3-CCD camera.

- Mikko
 
Ok, thats somewhat what i figured was happening. Thanks for clearing it up, now perhaps you can clear this up too. Rumors say that if you buy a simple $30 4x4 kodak IR filter from bhphoto your dvx can get IR... I dont see the science in that.

mikkowilson said:
It's all in the chips!

Or rather, CHIP.

A one CCD camera just has a simple bayer filter on the chip, this won't block IR. The restult, a one chip camera will always see IR. But that's bad in normal shooting, so they build a small IR blockign filter into the camera. Nice and simple.
When you turn on "Nightshot" (or whatever you call it) the camera jsut swings this IR blockign filter out of the way and the CCDs see IR!

However a 3-chip camera uses a prism (AKA: "Beam splitter") that splits the incoming light out to the 3 CCDs based on their wavelength. Only light matching the right wavelength can pass through the prism. IR is not one of these wavelengths, and therefor it's practically impossible to get IR to the chips. And thus there is no nightshot on a 3-CCD camera.

- Mikko
Click to expand...
 
So....why does it "see" the remote control light? Is it far enough into the visible red to be seen by the camera, but not far enough to be seen by my poor, tired eyes?
 
Not sure. I recall that some 3CCD cams can't see any IR, even from a remote.

However I think that maybe a little IR does get through (such as from a high intensity source, like a remote) but most of it is blocked, making it useless for the more sensitive shooting of reflected IR needed for nightshot.

Nightshot was originally an afterthought, making use of a side effect. I doubt they would pour money into making CCDs that could specially see IR. Though those very first few Sony nightshot cameras (that were too sensitive, and could see through clothes) seem to be prety valuable if you can find one. :)

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
Not sure. I recall that some 3CCD cams can't see any IR, even from a remote.

However I think that maybe a little IR does get through (such as from a high intensity source, like a remote) but most of it is blocked, making it useless for the more sensitive shooting of reflected IR needed for nightshot.

Nightshot was originally an afterthought, making use of a side effect. I doubt they would pour money into making CCDs that could specially see IR. Though those very first few Sony nightshot cameras (that were too sensitive, and could see through clothes) seem to be prety valuable if you can find one. :)

- Mikko
Click to expand...

i had one. :p the thing broke about 2 years ago tho. It was HI8 lol
 
Thanks for the answer. It looks like I'll need to use my old sony trv27 for this shoot
 
Last edited:
Could I use an IR filter (with an IR Light), that blocks out all normal light (RGB) and only let's through IR light, would the CCDs pick that up?
 
Nope.

There would still be no way for the IR to pass the Beam Splitter Prism to the CCDs. You'd need somthgin that converted wavelengthes from IR to visible.

- Mikko
 
I believe the Panny DVC30 can shoot IR and even has an optional IR light for shooting greater distance in IR.


ian
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top