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I've been using Sony digicams for a few years, especially the 2003-2004 5MP (megapixel) DSC-P10 and DSC-V1, and I've used them for IR (infrared) photography. The V1 gives green nightvision images. The P10, with thick IR filters in front of the lens, takes LONG exposures that end tinged red and/or blue. In normal daylight, with no IR filters nor nightvision, each camera is fast and agile and crisp, but neither is suited for handheld daytime IR work. So I looked at various possibilities, and went for the Minolta Dimage F300 with IR conversion -- another 5MP point-n-shoot. Such conversions typically involve removing the IR-blocking filter ("hot mirror") from the internal lens assembly, and replacing it either with plain glass (so that IR-passing filters can be added externally), or with an IR-passing filter that blocks some or all visible light. The F300 was converted with the latter approach; the seller states that the replacement filter is somewhere between a #25A (red) and #078 (infrared). Why shoot in IR? No, it's not X-ray vision, for looking through thin clothing. But live vegetation reflects IR, so we get the "woods effect" where foliage looks a bright cloudy dreamy white. Close-ups of skin may reveal arterial patterns. Clear skies turn black. All sorts of interesting stuff, depending on how much visible light remains in the image. So I turn the F300 on to 'auto' and the lens slowly emerges and a deep-violet image gradually resolves on the little LCD screen. That's my first impression of the F300 -- it seems sluggish, compared to its almost-twin the DSC-P10, and VERY slow against the DSC-V1. Everything is slower -- ah, but there's that "woods effect" I was looking for! Resolution seems pretty good, but that's to be expected with so much visible light in the mix. Y'see, digicams use sensors where different spots (pixels) register either red or green or blue (RGB), with twice as many green pixels as red or blue. A deep IR filter, which eliminates all visible light, leaves nothing for the green and blue pixels. So image resolution decreases by 3/4 and the results look noisy. But not with this converted F300 -- the resolution is about the same as with the Sony cams set to 'sepia' effect. The seller says that adjusting the White Balance can affect the image tone. I haven't tried that yet, nor other custom tweakings, because I'm still slogging through the PDF version of the user manual. The camera allows for manual control of exposures, and various processing tweaks, and can save both JPEG and TIFF files. My one great disappointment is over the F300's zoom range, which seems to be about the equivalent of 42mm-126mm, although the manual claims 38mm-114mm. With IR, wider is generally better -- IR panoramas can be awesome. I know, I know -- some greater photographer said "The best wide-angle lens is three steps backwards!" -- but that's not always possible. So I just got an adaptor and deep IR filter for the DSC-V1, whose zoom range is equivalent to 34mm-136mm. Maybe those few extra mm's will make a difference. Overall, I'm happy with the F300-IR. Even sluggish, it's still handy for impromptu IR shooting, at shutter speeds up to 1/400 in hot sunlight. I just tell myself to be in less of a hurry, to slow down and spend more time composing shots. I hear that some of the Nikon and Canon digicams modded for IR are even slower, so I won't complain much. If shooting color, I'd be disappointed; but for IR it's OK.Read full review
Camera works GREAT. The thing that I really like best if that you can have the camera name the photos by "Date Form" as the default. the camera will make folders names by the day to store the photos in and then name the photos by the day with an extra digit for each photo. Only thing that I don't like is that after a whil the cameras internal battery goes bad and it will forget the date every time you have to change the battery which really is not that often as it sues a specialty battery that lasts a long time. I really did nt buy this camera to use it. I already had one and my duaghter broke the battery/memory card door. I bought this one simply to get a replacement battery door and the price was close to the cost of a new door.
This camera takes great pictures and is very easy to operate. the instructions are very simple and no problems to work