I have a modified Canon EOS 1100D camera. The IR cut filter in front of the sensor has been removed. Since then, it has been capturing light that a standard camera would largely block out. Without alternative color correction, the camera no longer produces usable images, but at the same time, it’s fascinating to see how this color shift opens up new possibilities for photography.
Until now, working with the camera has been quite complicated. You had to use a special program to change the profile embedded in the RAW image files, export the RAW file as a DNG, and then you could work with it in other programs to a large extent. To make working with these files easier for myself, I built a tool—a web app—called Full Color Editor. The web app opens RAW files directly in the browser. I can select a neutral point in the image for white balance, mix color channels, swap color channels (often used in infrared photography), and assess the results using the preview, histogram, and overexposure indicator. There are also corrections for hotspots and uneven lighting—common issues in infrared photography. The image files are processed locally in the browser and are not uploaded to a server.
When exporting, I can decide how much of the development should already be defined:
- Raw-DNG: The sensor’s Bayer mosaic is preserved. The actual conversion to a color image is then performed by software such as Affinity Photo or Adobe Lightroom. The result may look different from the preview in the editor.
- Developed DNG: The editor calculates the color image and saves it as a Linear DNG. The selected settings are already factored into it. For a more immediate result, TIFF and JPEG options are also available. This mode also allows me to experiment with my own demosaicing methods.
Full-spectrum images do not have a single “correct” color rendering. Filters, lighting, and the subject strongly influence the result. The editor is therefore designed to do one thing above all else: make these decisions visible and controllable before the image moves on to further processing.
You can find some of my work taken with this camera here: Full Spectrum // Volles Spektrum
Click here to go to the editor
