My original N900 module was the same as this one, the first 2 I took apart completely from top up which is how I broke the autofocus on those, ruining the coil.

You basically have to do it from the bottom up, between the sensor and the lens assembly it's just glued on.

Hm, in case of module, that I'm 10000% sure was original, IR filter was on top of sensor, protected by *mold* plastic case. It;s just like that You need to break this plastic all-together, to remove filter. Quite low chances of not scratching sensor matrix :/

Also, there is another caveat - ultra-thin copper wire, than connects base PCB (with sensor) to copper ring. It's super-easy to break it, while un-glueing base of module. Not to mention that - at least in my case - this glue was stronger than plastic itself, i.e. parts of plastic break more easily than parts of glue holding them together... 0_o
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Also, I'm quite surprised, by how Your module looks, externally (from photos). It's totally different from what I've removed from genuine N900 - I'll post photos later.

/Estel

Well done. Ive been wanting to try this on my N900 for a while.

Ive been shooting IR on an old sony H9 for a couple years now. Recently tried modifying a cheap little micro cam and was successful. I didnt have any old film so used a floppy disk as a permanent IR pass filter. Still getting some visible light through. But was just an experiment to see how easy it was to remove the hot filter out of the camera module.

What plastic did you use to replace the hot filter ?

Are you using anything as a IR pass filter ?

If I had the time, money, design and craft skills. I would make a new back cover with rotating lens cover. That could switch between "off/covered" for when not shooting, "hot filter" for shooting normaly and "IR pass filter" for shooting IR.

It is exactly what I plan to have in my private, "exclusive" wooden N900's body - except for fact, that I want only "off-covered/ on-clear", without hot IR filter. It'as due to fact, that I want to design simple mechanism for quick replacement of camera module (no idea, if external hot IR filter would be enough, to make one "universal" camera module, for shotting both normal photos, and IR ones, when using IR pass filter?).

As it's niche of a niche I don't plan to offer body replacement's complicated by additional system (for quick camera module replacement), but as I have to project it anyway, I'll gladly share designs on Free license. Don't hold Your breath, though, as it all have to wait until base design for body replacement get finished.

Of course, considerable donors/pre-order supporters have special rights, any if any of them is reading this thread and interested, no problem on making their units modified for support of IR photo/NightVision filters, and quick camera module replacement (although it, also mean waiting little longer, as "base" units need to be finished first, before I start to create "variations" like this one, mainly for myself ).

/Estel

I just replaced the IR blocking filter with a clear piece of plastic.
I also tried holding 740nm and 950nm filters in front of the lens, but the picture seems the same without them anyway, unless there's no other light.

Ok, I finally had chance to test bunch of oryginal N900 camera modules, and - guess what - there are two types of them! One is easily disassemble'able, and it's the on on azkay's photos. The other-looking one is, OTOH, utterly impossible to open without breaking it to pieces, so if you got that type, don't even try. Unless you're better than me and figure out a way, then, by any means, share it with us.

In other case, it's required to get same-looking module as azkay's, to do successful disassembly and IR filter removal.

/Estel

Sorry for double posting, but it's "other department" news, after some time:

I've finally decided to do this mod properly. Indeed, with some patience, removing only lower part (with sensor) from rest of module was easy. No risk of broken ultra-thin cables, as lowest part have micro 2-pin connector, so everything fragile goes away with upper part of module.

Now, removing the Ir filter - that's another story. I thought about de-glue'ing plastic thingie that keeps it in place, but it's so tightly attached to PCB, that I was afraid of ripping sensor along. Sadly, cutting Ir filter (which is glass, not plastic), was only possible choice.

Holding sensor upside down (very important, to prevent gravitational fall of Ir filter glass dust into sensor), I've patiently weakened it using shaving blade, but it wasn't possible to remove it as one part - ended up breaking it in one place, and *carefully* removing remaining parts, everything with sensor upside down.

I'm perfectly sure that I haven't touched sensor itself, not scratched it, and after assembling module again, I got nice IR pictures. Hoever, I see many glass-dust particles on resulting image (without upside-down trick, it would be 2-3x as much). I've also got focus shift, which should be fixed, after I get hold on small piece of pure glass, to put it in place of IR filter. It seems to me, that the closer thickness of that replacement glass is kept to original filter's one, the more correct focus, but I may be wrong (any optics-knowledgeable people here?).

Now, i'm thinking about a way to removes that glass-dust from sensor. Cleaning with anything is a no-go - even using finest things, it leaves sensor in worse shape than before (tested on sensor from another, non-functional module). I got idea of sucking it via vacuum (for example, abusing vacuum cleaner on lowest sucking power, and making some adapter, that will allow me to safely vacuum'ise sensor without risk of touching it by anbything). Maybe someone here got better ideas?

/Estel

Don't suck, blow. Try those squeezy things that were used to clean old cameras. I don't know how they were called, but they have a rubber thing like a balloon which you squeeze and it blows air through a straw. I think it will do a better job than suction. (judging by how blowing the dust out of a cpu cooler requires much less powerful motor than sucking it in)

Yes I think using compressed air to blow is safer than sucking air with a vacuum
Keep up the good work!

Thanks for advices, I'll certainly consider it. Hoever, I'm a little bit worries - sensor is *extremely* vulnerable to scratches, and I'm afraid, that while blowing, moving glass-dust particles could damage it. That's why I thought about some delicate sucking ( ) that would make particles de-attach sensor, without risk of touching it again/moving around. Just leave and never came back.

OTOH, I'm worries that sucking can damage sensor too (basically, it seems, that *everything* can damage it, it's so vulnerable thingie). will need to carefully consider all available options.

/Estel