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is removal of IR filter on M9 a good idea?


Scott Root

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This is from Kodak’s press release: “In addition, the sensor incorporates a new IR-absorbing cover glass as well as a new red color pigment for improved color fidelity and improved image quality” (KODAK CCD Image Sensor Powers New LEICA M9 Digital Camera; emphasis added by me).

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  • 2 months later...

Of course, if your main interest is Infrared Photography- it would be nice to replace the IR absorbing glass with clear glass. I have two Digital Infrared cameras, one that I did the work myself and the other that cost $4,000 for the mod. That was done 17 years ago..

 

The IR cover glass can be removed from the KAF-39000. It is not cheap.

 

http://phaseone.com/Digital-Backs/P45/P45-Info.aspx

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I have compared the output from a Nikon D3x (should be very close to the M9 - the D3x's resolution advantage is just about eaten up by the AA filter) with good lenses (mostly the 24-70 f2.8 AF-S Nikkor) to various sizes of film scanned using the Nikon Super Coolscan 5000 and 9000 film scanners. Resolution-wise, the D3x is a 6x9 cm-equivalent camera - it prints 24x36 inches VERY nicely (which I wouldn't dare do from color film below 6x9). Scanning the film on a drum scanner might provide a slight resolution improvement, but it wouldn't be huge because the Nikon is already scanning grain.

In terms of dynamic range, the D3x far outpaces the Coolscans - here, a drum scanner could put film back in the race against the best digital cameras. I'm not sure how much of the reduction in DR I see in film images is the innate range of the film, and how much is what the Coolscan can pull from the shadows. I've never used a drum scanner, so can't comment on that.

 

-Dan

 

-

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