With rumours of an new nokia phone, this phone would have infra red camera as well.
Would it be possible to develop an app so you can film with infra red in the dark with the n900 or do you need extra hardware for that.
yeah, I would say you need extra hardware. I'm a hobby photographer, but I know nothing about IR photography, but that there are so called IR filters for your cameras (they cost around 200€) and when you photograph with IR you see no matter if it's too dark. The pictures are B/W as I know it, and inverted/negative... That's what I know about IR photography, and my 2 cents goes to the "you need extra hardware" pot
Explains in detail why it'll be very hard to use the N900 or any other small portable device camera for IR photography.
Basically, IR light interferes so much digital photography that it must be blocked from entering the sensor in the first place. The fact that people can do IR photography with digital sensors is due the fact that the IR bocking was not always sufficient, like in some first gen SLRs.
Today, the IR filtering is much effective and more controlled. For doing IR photography with cameras like the one in N900, you would need to physically remove the IR filtering layer from the sensor and replace it with a visible-light filter. Also the optics aren't meant for IR frequences and don't work optimally with the software even if you could do the physical modifications necessary.
Most digital cameras (including the one on the N900) can still pick up infrared to some degree, despite the IR filter.
For an example, start the camera app, point a TV remote control into the lens and press a few buttons, you'll be able to see the IR LED in the remote light up on the N900's screen.
If you picked up a powerful enough IR torch you might be able to take night photos without any visible light. Maybe. But like Mandibela said, you're probably not gonna get much of a picture without busting open your N900 and removing the IR filter.
Do any of you know where the ir filter is? and how could i remove the lens from the pcb? i am only afraid that physically removing would break the device.
Do any of you know where the ir filter is? and how could i remove the lens from the pcb? i am only afraid that physically removing would break the device.
The IR filter is properly inside the lens. Most small form factor cameras have the IR filer stuck in between the actual lens and a glass/plastic plate so it is nearly impossible to remove.
I would'nt recommend you doing it to the N900, but a think that you properly can do is to filter out everything except IR light. This can be done quite effectively by using a piece of developed film of a totally black subject. Then the camera's automatic light correction will properly be able to get some sort of image...
