Still Photography:

Pentax K100D Digital SLR

Canon 10D Digital SLR

 For our main digital still photography, we prefer to use the SLR-type cameras. These type of cameras give us several advantages over smaller point and shoot cameras. Digital SLRS provide some of the best flexibility by allowing the user to shoot in a RAW file format. This is a completely uncompressed image file that allows the user to extract more data from an image than if it were shot in the more standard JPEG format. Additionally, SLRs allow you to mount an external flash to the camera for an extra light source.

Canon Digital Rebel XT

Nikon D70 Digital SLR

 

An example of how much more data can be extacted from a RAW file:

This is the unedited file straight from the camera.

This is the same file, but it has been processed to reveal the maximum detail in the image.

 

Using external flashes provides significant advantages to a camera's built-in flash. Most importantly, an external flash extends the range of the flash from about 10 feet with a camera's built-in flash to anywhere from 35-50 feet with a flash like this. Secondly, experience seems to indicate that when using an external flash, the instance of false positive airborne particulate "orbs" in photos is significantly reduced. Presumably, this is due to a similar sort of behavior where using an external flash reduces red-eye in humans. See the Wikipedia article on red-eye for further explanation of the effect.

Canon Speedlite 380EX

Pentax AF 360 FGZ

 

This particular Sony camera is one of several cameras that Sony has made that has NightShot, a mode which removes the IR cut filter that is normally present in other digital cameras. This makes the camera more sensitive to the longer electromagnetic wavelengths than that of visible light. Additionally, all cameras are able to record ultraviolet light - that is why it is recommended to put a UV filter on a lens to get sharper images.

The B+W 403 filter blocks all visible light, allowing only the shorter wavelength UV rays and the longer wavelength IR rays to reach the camera's imager.The use of this filter effectively makes the camera see the "invisible" or that which is not apparent to normal human sight. We can use tools like the IR extender to greatly extend the range of what the camera can see.

This camera makes the perfect compliment to our other digital cameras by ignoring what they can capture and taking pictures that show what other cameras, and our eyes, cannot see.

Sony DSC-V1

Sony HVL-IRM Infrared Extender

 

 

 

 

B+W UV Black Filter 403

 

 

This image shows the transmission curve for our B+W 403 filter. The human eye can typically see from about 380nm up to about 750nm. This filter effectively blocks everything in that range, only allowing the UV spectrum (approx. 315nm to 400nm) and the IR spectrum (approx. 750nm to 1000nm).

 

Fuji Z10fd

Casio Exilim Pro EX-P600

 In addition to our bigger SLR cameras, we do carry a couple of point and shoot digital cameras. We will use these sometimes if just scouting a location and we just need to take some quick snapshots for records. Also, these cameras can be set up to record video and audio or to just record audio. Video quality is nothing to write home about, but it provides an extra degree of usefulness during investigations.

 

Video Recording:

Sony's camcorders are really the only game in town when it comes to paranormal investigation. All of their camcorders have Sony's NightShot mode which allows a camcorder to record in total darkness using a near-infrared system.

We use both miniDV tape and hard drive camcorders for our investigations. The SR82 has a 60GB hard drive which allows us to record 14 hours of continuous recording in the high quality mode.

Any of these camcorders can be enhanced with the use of an infrared extender.

Since all of these are digital, it makes it very easy to transfer the contents over to a computer for analysis.

Sony DCR-HC21 Digital miniDV Camcorder

 

Sony DCR-SR82 Digital HDD Camcorder

 

Sony DCR-TRV70 Digital miniDV Camcorder