Infrared with the Kodak DCS 520 / Canon DC2000

<p >Its not every day that you find a once mighty $15000 professional digital SLR in a charity shop window. The Kodak DCS520 is a Canon EOS 1n with a digital body added by Kodak. The same camera was sold as the Canon DC2000. The sensor is only 2MP, its big brother the DCS560 has a 6MP sensor, which would have been nice, but you can't expect miracles.</p>

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<p >It came with the charger and three batteries, one of which proved to be viable. It takes two PCMIA cards into which you can plug a compact flash or microdrive. To my surprise it worked perfectly with a 4GB card. The only real problem with it is a bleed in the top LCD.</p><div></div>

<p >These were the first DSLR's with a preview screen, not huge but better than nothing. The rear command dial works by pressing select button to navigate the menus – it took me a while to discover this.</p>

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<p >The camera records images in a proprietary RAW format. The files have a TIF subscript but they are not TIFFs, however I found that ACR opens them correctly and enables RAW manipulation. I increased the image size to 6MP on saving as JPEG, and did some sharpening. But 2MP is 2MP. JPEG's can also very slowly be generated in the camera, if it is set up to do so.</p><div></div>

<p >I immediately noticed that there is a filter, for antialiasing and infra red blocking, not directly in front of the sensor as with other cameras, but at the front of the mirror box, just behind the lens. And it is easily removed for cleaning. Or perhaps, infra red shooting. So I bought an infra red filter for my 28-80 USM, and tried it out.</p>

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<p >In use it was impossible to see the image through the filter, so the procedure was: compose and focus. Adjust focus back to the infrared marker on the lens. Attach filter. Close eyepiece blind (actually this didn't make as much difference to the exposure as I expected) and press the shutter. I got shutter speeds around half a second at F/11 and 200ISO (the lowest available, it goes up to 1600).</p><div></div>

<p>Here are some results, after RAW conversion, levels adjustment, and conversion to monochrome. The shots were done around Kirby Muxloe Castle, near Leicester, on a very sunny morning. My first attempt at infrared, which I never saw the attraction in previously.</p>

 

<p>Oops forgot the picture. One good thing about the DCS is that being based on an older film camera, it works with some older Sigma lenses which aren't compatible with later DSLR's.</p><div></div>

<p>Another example. I hope the members of the EOS forum don't mind me cluttering it up with this stuff.</p><div></div>

<p>Third and last.</p><div></div>

<p>Finally, this is what the images look like straight from the camera. Any suggestions as to how best to process them would be welcome, and many thanks for looking.</p>

<p>By the way I forgot to mention that the DCS 520 was introduced in 1998.</p><div></div>

<p>Congratulations on the catch!<br>

In re processing: I also just use the "lightest=white", "darkest = black" to convert. </p>

<p>My report on the sister camera, the DCS 560, at http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00e0Tk . It's still a very usable camera.</p>

<p>JDM I had read your post but it didn't click that yours was the sister camera to mine. You should be able to use CF cards larger than 1GB by upgrading to the latest firmware - if you are into that kind of thing. You can still download the manual, software, firmware etc from Kodak - rather surprisingly I thought. But I expect you already know this.</p>

<p>http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/DCS/dcsRegister/downloadIndex.jhtml?dcsFwSelector=pcMac5xxFirmw</p>

John, I also found a DCS 500. I got mine at an auction. I tried to go to the URL you listed but it is no longer working. I need the manual and latest firmware. Would you mind emailing it to me at: piipinc@gmail.com Thanks so much.