Converting a normal Box Camera to a wide spectrum UV

[SEANHAWG 1]

I sell used surveillance equipment and I have one customer who buys my Ultrak and Costar box cameras and somehow converts them to a "UV wide spectrum" camera. Normally these cameras cannot really see well in real dark or pitch black conditions with a typical manual iris lens, the lux is 1.2. But he somehow takes them apart and does something to the internal parts which makes them able to view in the wide spectrum UV range. The cameras are able to see in conditions where almost no illumination is needed at all. He does not use or install infrared LED's, yet he makes these things to see in dark really well. I am well aware that anyone can take the small Infrared Filter out of a camera which makes it able to see IR. But he is doing something more than this because IR illuminators are not needed with these cameras. Is there any idea as to what he is doing?

[ak357 0]

I sell used surveillance equipment and I have one customer who buys my Ultrak and Costar box cameras and somehow converts them to a "UV wide spectrum" camera. Normally these cameras cannot really see well in real dark or pitch black conditions with a typical manual iris lens, the lux is 1.2. But he somehow takes them apart and does something to the internal parts which makes them able to view in the wide spectrum UV range. The cameras are able to see in conditions where almost no illumination is needed at all. He does not use or install infrared LED's, yet he makes these things to see in dark really well. I am well aware that anyone can take the small Infrared Filter out of a camera which makes it able to see IR. But he is doing something more than this because IR illuminators are not needed with these cameras. Is there any idea as to what he is doing?

 

Picture samples please ?

[Baylab 0]

Most of CCDs are sensitive to UV, however, most optical glass is opaque to UV( include the cover glass of CCD sensor). so I guess, what the guy did is just removing the cover glass of CCD sensor. they replace the lens made by regular optical glass with the lens made with UV transparent material.

[Soundy 1]

I've seen articles where guys do this to DSLR cameras. There's one guy on rec.photo.digital who's converted two of his old DSLRs to shoot IR, and there was a fair discussion there a while back about UV conversion as well.

 

Meantime, this site might be helpful: http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_IR_rev00.html

[rory 0]

What cameras are they? Model, type?

[SEANHAWG 1]

I'm sorry, I dont have any screen pics of the converted cameras, but here are the listings to my ebay ads of the 2 cameras:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250609241824&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230469257797&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

They are my Ultrak KC552BCN and Costar CCC3400 that I carry. You probably wont find too much info on the internet for them as they are mostly commercial grade.

 

I could be mistaken but I think he does more than just remove the IR filter and replace it with something else. He says that he sometimes "fries" the cameras in the process, so I am not sure exactly what he is pushing the camera to do.

 

Thanks for all your help and info.

[shropna 0]

About what is that discussion?

UV (Ultra Violet), or IR?