[matthew]

Pavel, you're absolutely right, just buying the camera OR having a camera converted would have cost as much as this whole package. Its a good deal even with the sensor dust. And I'll happily answer any questions about the lensbaby, but the fact that you didn't know I have one answers a few questions already.

Keith, that's a god point about the false colour. I've been really struck by the effect, feeling that it looks unreal in the literal and figurative sense. While I haven't quite gotten a B&W conversion routine that I like yet, I'm hoping that the colour effect will help me brighten the foliage and other bright purples, while I can darken the oranges of the sky. Shooting through an R72 filter drops the sensitivity by 1/3EV, so the camera's definitely letting in some non-IR light to give the extra latitude than I'm finding.

Irma, thanks—believe it or not, it hadn't occurred to me to print any. Hopefully I'll get something worthwhile soon.

Zig, thanks. I know some people have been quite successful with DSLR conversions, but getting one to behave seems too much like work for me to take it on. So far I've been quite impressed by the FZ18, and wonder what a converted G9 would be like.

Here are a few more photos. (One of the nice things about testing the new camera is that I don't have to worry about quality.)







My apologies for the double-posting of the last one, but the first time I didn't admit that it was shot in IR. Granted, it looks very much like it would shot with a normal camera, but I do feel that shadows and light still have a different feel. There's also Keith's point about the ease of controlling shadows and highlights. (Besides, it was the camera that I had with me.)

I got a chance to shoot some portraits today, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they came out. People aren't usually my strength.