Astrophotography Conversion options:
1. UV/IR blocking bluish filter removal with LPF preserved
This conversion preserves the Low Pass Anti-Aliasing filter with self-cleaning function on Canon cameras with Low Pass Filter. The spectral sensitivity of the camera sensor will be Enhanced Spectrum, allowing Hydrogen Alpha and Sulfur II wavelength emissions pass but still blocking UV/IR light. This is the most cost-effective Enhanced Spectrum conversion option that we offer for Canon cameras.
Autofocus and focus to infinity: With the Low Pass Filter only preserved, in most cases the sensor distance to the lens bayonet can be adjusted accordingly to allow the camera reach perfect focus to infinity with lenses. The sensor repositioning travel range can be verified once the camera is disassembled. It varies even among different samples of the same camera model. If there is not enough room to bring the sensor closer to the lens mount, the camera may not reach focus to infinity with lenses. Perfect focus of subjects closer than infinity will always be achieved in Live View Mode, but for guaranteed focus to infinity with lenses including perfect autofocus in Pentaprism/Pentamirror mode using DSLR cameras, options 2 or 3 are the appropriate choices. Telescopes will always reach focus to infinity without any problem.
2. Baader or Optolong Luminance Filter and LPF
On this conversion, the UV/IR blocking bluish filter is replaced by the non-detachable Baader or Optolong UV/IR Cut Anti-Reflective filter (Depending on filter availability) with enhanced H-alpha and Sulfur II transmissions, which is permanently installed preserving the Low Pass Anti-Aliasing Filter with self-cleaning function. The sensor filters configuration of this modification is the same of the Canon EOS 60Da and Canon EOS Ra. With this conversion option, the DSLR camera Pentaprism/Pentamirror mode autofocus and focus to infinity with lenses will work as before the conversion.
3. Baader or Optolong Luminance Filter only
On this conversion both Low Pass Anti-Aliasing filter with self-cleaning function and the UV/IR blocking bluish filter are removed and replaced by the non-detachable Baader or Optolong UV/IR Cut Anti-Reflective filter (depending on filter availability or camera model) with enhanced H-alpha and Sulfur II transmission range. With this conversion option, the DSLR camera Pentaprism/Pentamirror mode autofocus and focus to infinity with lenses will work as before the conversion. With the Low Pass Anti-Aliasing Filter removed, the Camera Sensor performs at native maximum sharpness, which is also great for solar and planetary astrophotography. Astrophotography dedicated cooled cameras have the same sensor filter configuration of this conversion having an UV/IR blocking filter with the same transmission range without any low pass filter.
Regular photography with an Enhanced Spectrum converted camera:
The camera can be used for daylight photography setting the custom white balance with a gray card shot under the specific light source for "In-Camera" white balance correction or with Adobe Camera Raw. To make the automatic white balance work as before the conversion, the Original White Balance (OWB) Clip filter can be used to correct White Balance (Subject to lens and camera model compatibility). Clip filters can be used with Canon EF Lenses (EF-S Lenses are not compatible with clip in filters).
Out of focus NIR: With the Enhanced Spectrum modification, depending on the lens, telescope or optical corrector used, some imagers might experience a little bit bloated stars due to the near infrared light slightly out of focus when a refractive optical system does not have at least one ED (Extra-Low Dispersion glass) element. This chromatic aberration could be mitigated with post processing correction using computer software.
For more information
If you have any question about the modifications options, or if you are not sure which one is the best for the astrophotography application that you are planning to do, please contact us clicking here.
