---
author: Chris Hodapp
comments: true
date: 2010-04-03 22:34:54+00:00
layout: post
slug: hacked-infrared-camera-attempt-1
title: 'Hacked infrared camera, attempt #1'
wordpress_id: 284
categories:
- Albums
- Project
- Technobabble
---

[This page](http://geektechnique.org/index.php?id=254) at GeekTechnique discusses how most digital cameras are easily turned into infrared cameras by removing the IR blocking filter in front of the CCD, and replacing it with a filter that blocks visible light but passes IR. As luck would have it, exposed film negatives work very well as such a filter.

So I attempted this on my Kodak EasyShare CX6200, my first camera, which somehow still works after 6 years of abuse. It was surprisingly easy, minus the part where I had to manually resolder the coil which controls the shutter on the lens because it was attached by single hair-thin strands of uninsulated wire. But I digress...

<!-- TODO: Can I edit gallery shortcode to work from Page Resources?
It can generate a gallery from a directory but first I have to get at
that directory. -->

{{< gallery >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/edit-127.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/edit-128.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/edit-129.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/edit-130.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/edit-132.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-102.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-104.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-109.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-110.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-113.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-114.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-115.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-117.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-120.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-122.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-124.jpg" >}}
    {{< figure page="images" resources="2007-2008-old-wordpress/2010/04/orig-125.jpg" >}}
{{< /gallery >}}

I think it's working well. It very clearly passes IR light because the IR pens for the Wii whiteboard showed up quite brightly; it blocks light from LCD monitors and passes sunlight, but red LEDs seem to show up a bit. Trying it on another camera with more manual controls, and perhaps with a sharper filter, might prove interesting.
