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Modifying the CoolPix 990 for Digital Infrared |
| Check out the new CoolPix 990 Infrared Gallery on BermanGraphics |
| Scroll down for a comparison with original Jpeg's you can download. |
| There is approximately a 5 stop difference between the modified CoolPix 990 and the CoolPix 950. The modified CoolPix 990 can shoot at a fast enough shutter speed to not need a tripod, even though we recommend using one all the time. |
| Unfortunately we don't have pictures of the camera being disassembled, but there are pages about it on the net. I'll provide some links at the bottom of the page for those of you who want to do it yourself. We recommend letting someone who knows what they're doing take your camera apart. |
| The CoolPix 990 was purchased new on eBay for $400 in June, for the purpose of having the hot glass replaced with clear optical glass. |
| We hired Mark Roberts, who manufacturers the DigiSnap serial port remote control, (for the CoolPix and other cameras) to do the modification as he's used to taking CoolPix cameras apart. Mark doesn't have the facilities to cut glass so we had to cut it ourselves. |
| The glass was purchased from Edmund Optics product number 42-975 |
| I've had the hot glass from the CoolPix 990 measured to be 2.8mm thick and this is the closest size replacement. James Wooten reported his 990 was 2.9mm thick. So I figured there was enough leeway for it to work. I've gambled about $60 for the replacement glass (and $400 for the camera). I also picked up a non working CoolPix 950 in the hopes that the glass would be the same size but it didn't fit. |
| The glass was difficult to cut being thicker than window glass. Chris had to use his wife's jewelers tools to get a clean cut. |
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Comparisons between the
CoolPix 950 |
 CoolPix 990 f-3.5@1/132 second |
 CoolPix 950 f-2.6@1/6 second |
| Comparisons between the CoolPix 990 and the modified 990 set up on side by side tripods Download a 4 meg zip file containing the four comparison original Jpegs |
 Modified CoolPix 990 |
 My original CoolPix 990 |
| Resources: |
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