So, the American company Kolarivision, originally known for replacing sensor glass with thinner glass - has of course expanded over the year with many other services. From Full Spectrum conversion service, to Infrared as well Leica M8/M9 shutter replacement, even Sensor replacement. And tons of other stuff and filters of all kind. Astro, IR, special wavelength filters, and so on.

Albeit it appears to me that the EU branch isn't as full fledged as the US counterpart. For example the thin sensor glass replacement for Sony cameras, down to an extreme of only 0.2 mm - is only available in the US - not in the EU it appears (unless I'll write to them and ask) But it isn't listed on their EU page.

The hassle with import and export, if you do the conversion in the US, is... well, you would have to pay extra fees more than you like it. It's just a hassle not worth it (in my opinion). Unfortunately.

But I would of course love to have hyper-sensitive Sony A7s camera with ultra-thin sensor glass, in order to house Leica-M lenses with way better performance in the corners (especially on the wide angle side).

Infrared options

I would of course prefer a strict Infrared camera, just doing black & white. However, Kolarivison offers only full spectrum conversion. Which means you still need a filter in order to narrow things down. The advantage of full spectrum is, that you can use a camera (with special filter), in order to return to do normal color photography. Or with another filter do Infrared. Or another to do UV photography. However, that also means you always need a sort of filter in order to narrow the full spectrum down to the desired wavelengths.

Yet... that sounds also pretty expensive to me (with a lot of additional filters for specific tasks), to be honest. Yet, it does have creative options, because the full spectrum camera, enables you to do a lot of different things. For example emulating AERO chrome images like this:

How ? Full spectrum converted camera + IRChrome Lens filter. A 77 Ø mm filter for example costs $200 in the US. So, there is that... I don't know if there are "clip-in" filters you mount into the body of the camera instead of a filter in front of a lens.

The other option is a Canon EOS R type of camera

and then via RF-EF adapter with drop-in filter - allowing you to drop in filters in between camera and lens (so you need only ONE filter for any EF lens you adapt. You simply add specific filter, such as 550mn, 590nm, 665nm, 720nm or the stronger 780nm and 850 nm IR filters for exclusive Black & White IR images. Or Astro filters, AERO/IR Chrome Filter.

What about my Canon EOS 6D ?

Anyway. Sometimes I thought that my old Canon EOS 6D, would be a good candidate for Infrared conversion / alt full spectrum conversion.

I am not ready to sacrifice my Canon EOS R camera for any conversion (since it is my main camera for making digital copies from 24x36mm negatives). But the Canon EOS 6D certainly is a splendid candidate !!

By the way, it seems that many Canon RF lenses emit IR-light (the RF 50/1.2 L does not. One of the few RF lenses who don't) But many other RF lenses do... which is a big problem for IR photography (and not worth it). You would have to go around this problem by using Canon EF lenses with adapter instead.

What I personally would wish for...

is just an INFRARED camera, for black & white. I rather would like to work with LIMITATION and FOCUS, instead of "having all options open" for a bunch of filters of this and that kind. Knowing this of course, makes it easier for me to focus, what camera could fit best in that category. In essence, a replacement for my Leica M8 that was by nature leaking IR light - and because of that allowed me to take black & white IR images.

I so loved that - especially during springtime, it was a feast !

Possibly, maybe... Canon EOS 6D

So, if i chose my old EOS 6D as a model for conversion, I still need a specific IR filter... oh, now wait a minute... i forgot !!! If there are any filters i have A PLENTY collected over the years... then it is actually IR 720 nm filters in all kinds of sizes. I could indeed choose the Canon EOS 6D and let it become a "full spectrum" camera with the aim to use it as a Black & White Infrared camera.

It would costs me 575 €. (6500 SEK). Shipping included.

A quite nice option.

In that regard the EOS 6D [20 MP] is of course a far more flexible option - compared to my Leica M8 [10 MP]. The latter would require a shutter replacement and cost me around 845 € / 9300 SEK with rangefinder adjustment included.

What about reviving a Leica M8 ?

Well, the Leica M8 is neat, quirky-fun, a very simplistic tool and a classic. Let's not talk about that Leica actually released a half-baked camera in that regard, not really up to the standards of Leica. But that's a different topic. - which too

It is still a Leica M and a great way to make photography. Since it leaks IR light "by design"... you kind of "have that ability "built-in" already when using an IR filter. That being said, it is not as sensitive as a full spectrum converted camera you use for Infrared photography

The Leica M8 usually gave me shutter speeds around 1/30s, alt. 1/60s to 1/90s when it was really bright - while a 720nm IR filter on the lens, and the ISO set at ISO 320.