IR Filter Removal
Here is how to remove the IR filter from a Casio Exilim ZR100 camera
Much thanks to Chris Clemente and the folks at the Rowland for assistance.
We did this so that I could use IR illuminators on nocturnal animals, allowing me to take high-speed video in the field at night.
Tools you will need:
Fine phillipshead screwdriver
Fine forceps
Gross forceps with grip
Dissecting scope
Superglue
Microscope slide coverslip size 1.5
Glass cutter (don't use a laser cutter)
Compressed air
Lens paper
For clarity, let me define my terms and axes:
The front side with the lens is the Ventral side
The back side with the LCD screen is the Dorsal side
The side with the wrist strap and plugs is the Right side (DO NOT REMOVE THE SILVER SCREW)
The side with nothing but 2 screws is the Left side
The side with the on/off button is the Top side
The side with the battery and SD card is the Bottom side
Step 1:
Remove battery and SD card
Step 2:
Remove all outer screws (EXCEPT THE SILVER SCREW). I would highly recommend drawing on a piece of paper where they go and using double sided tape to keep them on the drawing.
2 on the left, 4 on the bottom, 5 on the right, all indicated by green arrows above
Step 3:
Remove the Dorsal cover. The top right corner is tricky. Gently lift the bottom side of the dorsal cover piece up higher and higher until you can get the top right corner out. Be careful!
Step 4:
Remove the Top thin black piece (this picture is the underside of it). Do NOT lose the small red rubbery piece outlined in green. This is important for the zoom toggle.
Do NOT remove the screw in blue. The green circles are speakers and they go on the green squares of sticky tape.
Step 5:
Remove the Bottom thin black piece. (but you don't really have to)
Step 6:
Remove the Ventral cover by removing another screw.
The 3 small pieces on the Right side should fall out along with it: (THEY WON'T IF YOU DIDN'T REMOVE THE SILVER SCREW)
Step 7:
Lift up the brown plastic pieces to remove the connections from the Ventral side of the camera
Step 8:
Remove the lens unit from the Ventral side of the camera. You have to do that by pushing some wires out of the way. Look out for the microphone/speaker? on the bottom.
Step 9:
Unscrew the 3 central screws from the Dorsal side of the lens unit to remove the sensor.
Step 10:
Carefully remove the IR filter (in purple) from the Ventral side of the sensor. Do NOT touch the sensor
Use compressed air if you get any dust on the sensor.
Step 11:
Cut the coverslip to be the exact same size as the IR filter. Glue it where the IR filter used to be.
Step 12:
Screw lens unit back in place. Do NOT overtighten the 3 screws securing the sensor to the lens unit. It will crack the glass.
Putting it back together is tricky!
Reinsert the lens unit into the ventral side of the camera, and put the wires back where they were originally.
Insert the connections back into the connectors and lower the brown plastic to lock them in place.
Replace the ventral (and bottom if you removed it) cover and replace the 1 screw that goes with it.
Tricky: Replace the top black plastic part!
Make sure the speakers (outlined in green) are on the pieces of tape. You can even glue them there.
Make sure the zoom piece (outlined in red) stays horizontal when you put the top in. Otherwise you will not be able to zoom.
Replace the rotating switch up on top. There's only one way it can go.
You have to make sure that the white plastic part (outlined in purple) goes into the hole on the underside of the top black plastic part.
Tricky: Replace the Dorsal cover!
On the camera body there are 2 pieces of metal on top of each other, that fit into the black side piece as outlined in purple. Both pieces of metal go over the first part, and the longer piece goes under the next black piece (as indicated by dotted purple outline). Then assemble the blue and red pieces.
Another view of where the metal pieces outlined in purple should go:
Screw everything in and make sure it all works!