***Camera Nerd Alert***
As I'm always tinkering with camera gear and have some sort of "maker" project, I'm going to start sharing some of the things I get into a bit more. I have found those who have done so in the past to be very helpful to me in various ways. This sort of information is likely only interesting to a few - but most of my posts and interests are pretty niche as it is.
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Santa Cruz Island and the Santa Barbara Channel. Canon EOS M w/EF 100-400mm, 850nm
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Since I have been working with the converted Canon EOS M infrared camera a lot lately, I have run into several little usability issues along the way, many of which I have found workarounds for. I had the original M shortly after it came out, debuting as a complete commercial flop for Canon. Prices were slashed to the point of temptation for me, so I jumped on it, figuring it couldn't be as bad as the critics were saying.
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The upgraded Canon EOS M w/EF 16-35 F4 IS L
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They were right. It turned out that it kinda was that bad. Canon had a great concept with the M series, but completely missed the mark with their earlier attempts. They rolled out a half baked, old tech, "who is this for?" camera. My understanding is; this is the product of what had started as a concept of an advanced compact for the pro who wanted something more portable, shifted by the execs at Canon to the consumer level mid-development. That adds up when you use it and wonder what happened.
The auto focus was the biggest complaint by most, and a firmware update that improved it, was too little, too late. The interface was from their consumer cameras and terrible for a mirrorless model. The glossy, fixed rear screen was the only way to view and shoot, but was easily washed out in the sun. Battery life was dismal. The non-existent grip left it fiddly in the hand. It really was pretty bad.
BUT, the sensor was actually quite good, (the same one from the 7D, as I recall). And the first little lens, the 22mm F/2 pancake, was a compact killer (originally designed when it was still going to be a pro level system). If I was patient with it, I got decent results, and I used it a fair amount until the M3 showed up and finally solved many of my gripes (oddly, they did away with one of the biggest praises the M got, which was the removable strap system). The M3 introduced an hotshoe EVF, tilting screen, better battery, decent interface, a built in grip, and basically a better experience overall. I still have that camera and use it for the all the same reasons. I had considered converting it to IR, but read it doesn't make a good candidate on Kolari's website. "The Canon M3 exhibits sensor artifacts due to the phase detect pixel
array. This can be visible as multiple horizontal blue lines across the
image."
When the IR converted original M I have now came up on my radar, I pounced, as it was another deal too good to pass up. I imagined being able to throw the diminutive body in a bag I was already carrying, and have the option of 590nm and beyond, at the cost of a little space and weight.
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| Carpinteria and the southern coast, Canon EOS M w/EF 100-400mm, 850nm |
I had forgotten how bad the original M was - it's been 10 years. I was thinking I could use the same EVF I have now, the same batteries, and all the same adapters to use any lens I own. Most of that was wrong. I forgot the M doesn't use the same power pack, nor does it accept any EVF. Half of the Leica lenses I own aren't great for deep IR, and there will never be a EF-R to EF-M adapter. 🤷♂️ Worse, when adapting to a manual focus lens, the only way to get any sort of focusing aid requires several button presses, three hands, and the ability to see a terrible screen in the sun. What a mess.
First thing I did, like any good American consumer, was order some unbelievably cheap accessories from China. A grip was desperately needed, especially considering how bad the UI was. I chose a model that integrated an arca plate and access to the battery and card. Worth every penny of my $11.94. For an additional 99¢, Ali let me get a magnetic screen loupe. I added a thumb rest to see if that would help (it did not), and had it on a boat the next day for a grand total of $15.55. Amazing. Unfathomable, really.
Out of the box, the grip was a game changer. With the EF 16-35 F4 IS L lens attached, it allowed me to actually hold onto the thing and make adjustments. Huge improvement. The loupe worked great, but had some flaws. The adhesive that was used for the frame to magnetically attach to was worthless. They included extra double sided tape, knowing this. The tape was not much better, even after a several alcohol wipes on the surfaces. My solution was to use a very tenacious 3M double sided adhesive, and it worked like a charm. Then, the weak link became the magnetic attachment point, which would hold it in place just fine, but a bump from my hip as I carried the camera by its strap would send it flying into the dirt.
I spent several days thinking about how to best solve this issue. The viewfinder was already bigger than I wanted, but at least it came off easily if I wanted to try to shoot overhead or needed to access the touchscreen. My solution added a little more size and awkwardness to the arrangement, but it does allow both a secure connection to the camera and quick disconnect. It really only requires a hacksaw, drill and a file, but that's about it. A grinder, sandpaper, vice and clamps are all just niceties.
I started with a strip of 1/2" aluminum flat stock from the hardware store. Some quick measurements and adjustments on the fly allowed me to bend it into shape fairly easily. I used a generic hotshoe mount that can be found at any online retailer for cheap, and used a locking nut on the top to prevent it from unscrewing itself. To attach the aluminum to the loupe, I epoxied the bracket, clamped, and ran a single panhead bolt through for added strength. I hit the head of the bolt with a Sharpie to keep its visibility to a minimum, and placed it in a location that clears the view of the screen. I don't even notice it in use. Of course, I also added some flair along the way, shaping the aluminum to something more pleasant than square, and added a red dot of nail polish, to both secure the nut and have fun. I also clipped off the rattling lanyard attachment collar that came with it and replaced it with golden floss. Whatever. Why not?
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Quick mock up and template to follow/measure from.
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Checking the bend angles
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Checking aliment and the beginning of shaping
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The two posts to hold it all together
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High tech blackout job on the panhead.
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| Can't have too many clamps |
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Finally, the last bit of usability upgrades came with deploying Magic Lantern on the firmware. Mostly made for videographers, this tweak can add a TON of functionality, but I mainly only wanted one thing in particular: focus aid. Now, when it is active, I can half-press the shutter with a manual focus lens, and get a 100% view to make sure I nail focus. While it's not my ideal setup, it works well enough to make it very usable.
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MUCH better. Secure enough to suspend it from the loupe side (though not recommended)
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I added 3 pieces of flare. Golden floss, red paint and silver alignment marks on the top nut.
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