Overview. We’ve had this D850 modified for IR photography by the good people at Kolari Vision. The low-pass filter was removed and replaced with an internal 720nm infrared filter. Instead of capturing three different colors of visible light, the camera now sees three different wavelengths in the near-infrared spectrum.

Normal Use. You use an IR-modified camera just as you would a normal camera: autofocus works, live view works, and in-camera metering works. Exposure times are similar to a normal camera when shooting in sunny conditions where IR light is abundant. Try to shoot under indoor artificial lighting (not really any IR light there) and you’re going to need a tripod. Note: you may see front or back-focusing using autofocus under some lighting conditions.

This Thing is Different. For those of you who aren’t familiar with IR photography, the look is very different. You’ll want to read up on shooting in IR and the post-processing required for the images.

720nm Infrared Filter. The Standard IR Filter (720nm) This is the tried and true classic IR filter. It allows for good color for false color, and good contrast for black and white. This is equivalent to the Hoya R72 and Wratten 89b. This filter is good if you’re interested in shooting some mild color and black and white. This filter produces the traditional dark blue skies and can also be processed for color. While not as high contrast as the 850nm, many people prefer this filter over the 850nm for B&W work, as it allows a little more color for B&W processing.

Pro Anti-Smudge / Anti-Reflective Coating. Applied to the IR filter, this special coating is centered in the infrared band to help alleviate reflections/hotspots. Is it a cure-all for those pesky IR hotspots with some lenses? No, but it does help to greatly minimize them. This 2nd generation 720nm version features Kolari’s “Pro” designation, which claims to make the sensor less of a dust magnet. If you have ever used an early IR converted camera, you know these things are an absolute nightmare to keep clean. Anything that helps gets two thumbs up from us.