I had an idea the last few weeks, that was to somehow attempt for experimentation purposes, an infrared camera. Night sky watching, see if it will pickup Satellites but most of all, the attempt was for ISS/Shuttle tracking etc etc.
I watched some Youtube vids, that showed that you can mod webcams and the like, to accept Infrared light.
Basically you have to pull apart the webcam/camera and remove the IR blockout filter that is near the sensor/lens and then reattach without stuffing it up.
I did that tonight, pulled apart an old Hi8 camcorder, with pure gumption(even after the Mrs went
), I got it apart, undid the lens, and found the blockout filter. Removed filter, put back together, to find out that the auto focus system didn't work.
I had knocked the system out of it's home position and it didn't move after I put it all back together.
Had to repull it back apart to understand why it failed. After 30 minutes, I found it doesn't like to be reset/not in the home position type of thing.
Finally got it to accept the home position and put back together.
Took it outside to see what it could see against my IR security camera and it worked a treat. Absolute magic. The IR LED's illuminated my hand that was infront of the camera.
I could see my hand without any issues (in complete darkness).
It even picked up some stars with it
Though it had one quirk/trade off, since the filter was taken out, Auto Focus isn't all that great.
You have to zoom slowly to auto focus. So this will be a challenging aspect of this mod.
I just need now, a proper IR illumination spotlight and away we go.
What a way to recycle old cameras. Camera that was used : Hitachi Hi8 Camcorder (year 2000 vintage)