I strive for compatibility between all my camera equipment.
Of my primary four shooters – my two Nikon Df cameras, my Nikon F2S 35mm film shooter, and my Pentacon Six TL medium format film camera, I can swap out various components to increase my shooting flexibility. I need my super-big telephoto lens? No problem. One adapter connector and I can use it either on the Pentacon or with the Nikons.
Thanks to my P6-NEF adapter, I can connect my Zodiak 180-degree lens to my Nikon Df camera and capture 180-degree full-frame imagery. And this works beautifully on my Df.
But I have two Df cameras – one of them was modified for infrared use. Unfortunately, although I could theoretically attach the camera lens to the infrared Df, the images coming out would look like garbage. And I do not want to submit photos in Competition Season that look like garbage. NO I DO NOT.
The clue may lie in the Zodiak’s proprietary lens filters.
The filters screw into the rear of the lens, not on the front. The original lenses were a light blue, a light red and a light yellowish green – which does absolutely NOTHING for infrared photography. In order to achieve spectacular infrared imagery, I would need a 720nm filter, an infrared chrome filter, and maybe a “candy chrome” filter for some swank imagery.
All I need is to find 38mm filters that achieve these specs. Yeah, sure, B&H Photo must have those. Yeah, sure, Adorama must have those. Yeah, sure, I should be able to source the original manufactured parts from Russia. Let me just check my Amazon account.
Pfft. No. Won’t work.
But I have an idea.
What if I sent these lenses to the same company who modified my Df – Kolari Vision in New Jersey – and see if THEY have the ability to swap out the glass in these housings for infrared-specific filters. If they can do this …
HOO BOY I could create some treasures. Shots that nobody else can capture.
I like that concept. SHOTS THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN CAPTURE.
The good folks at Kolari Vision responded back. It would take some solid work on their part – they would have to custom-grind some 38mm filters and then enclose them in the filter housings – but it could be done. I paid in advance for their services, and shipped the filters to New Jersey.
Basically what I’m creating is a custom project. These filters will only work with the Zodiak camera lens. And the Zodiak camera lens will work with the Nikon gear ONLY with the P6-NEF adapter. Yep. Japanese camera with a Chinese adapter with a Ukrainian lens – modified by a company in New Jersey.
I anticipated the project would take at least a couple of months – Kolari Vision would receive the lenses, figure out how to dissolve whatever compound the Zodiak factory used to bolt their glass into the lens frames, shave down their glass to fit INTO the frames, re-seal everything – yeah, couple of months. They’ve probably got sixteen custom orders ahead of me. I must exercise patience.
Patience, young man. Be like water. Let it flow through the stream.
At this point, I feel like Bruce Lee without the jeet kune do skills.
A few days after shipment, I received an email from Kolari Vision. The lenses have been replaced and the results are on their way back to me.
Hokey smokes, I get to test drive these things – oh man, I can’t wait to capture all the brilliant foliage and green grass and –
Um … Miller … quick word. HAVE YOU LOOKED OUTDOORS??
The trees have no leaves. The grass is sleeping under the snowfall.
Damn … I’ll have to figure something out. I can’t just wait until springtime for this …
Wait a half a tick. It might not be possible to get infrared color at the moment …
But I could still shoot black and white infrared with the 720nm filter …
Yeah, you’re thinking what I’m thinking.
We gonna do this.
I drove over to the Cohoes Falls. I’ve photographed the Cohoes Falls in the past; there’s a nice overlook that gives you a great view of the waterfall.
Which right now is frozen up like my neighbor’s water pipes.
Let’s see what I can pull from this.
Wowie Doodles. That actually turned out nice.
Let’s try another angle. Can I use the fisheye lens to capture the entrance sign to the Cohoes Falls overlook?
One way to find out.
Pretty good for a first try. Nice and sharp. With lots of tasty black and white infrared shading.
If I can get shots like these in chilly weather with the 720nm filter …
What will happen when I slap the IRChrome filter or the candy filter on this bad boy?
I can’t wait to find out.
Hurry up, warm weather. Right now. 😀
Chuck The Writer 