Sony DSC-V3 for daytime infrared

I've posted this to sci.electronics.design but just in case there are any
practicing electronics engineers and technicians reading this who are
familiar with the IC resources of current industry, here it is again.

There are a number of modifications done commercially to cameras for
operation in the infrared end of silicon photo sensor response. Mostly, the
modifications are semi-permanent - - "semi" because for another $350
expenditure, the modification can be reverted back to normal. However, Sony
has produced cameras that have "Nightshot" capability, which mechanically
rotates away the hot-mirror filter and permits full-spectrum operation of
the sensor, and of course for normal use it rotates back into position. For
reasons of their own, Sony has severely limited the aperture and shutter
operation in Nightshot mode so that it cannot be used as a daytime infrared
camera even if externally filtered for IR only. The hard part that cost so
much money to convert most cameras to IR and back again is already done in
these Nightshot cameras, so we just have to find out how to actuate the
filter mechanism for temporary IR operation while the camera is in an
unrestricted mode.

In
http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/254/how-to-turn-a-digital-camera-into-an-ir-camera, a
comment by macona in response #84 describes how he modified his DSC-V3, "I
found that the solenoid is controlled with a little surface mount (SO-8)
H-bridge chip. I installed a tiny switch that sends a pulse to the chip
which manually moves the filter out of the way. Just cycle through the
nightshot modes to return to normal." This is wonderful - - a modification
that might only cost $100 if done commercially, and one that's very likely
within the capability of most electronic techs - - a new way to make money
providing a service. If only macona had given a little more detail on how
far to disassemble the V3 and what chip and contact to connect to his
switch, a new industry might have blossomed.

Now we need to know what that SO-8 chip might be, and what it takes to drive
the filter servo to the "mirror out" end of its operation range. It has to
be capable of operating with the 3.6V NP-FR1 lithium battery. Could the
servo be entirely self-contained in the SO-8 package? Are there unused
inputs that could be energized with a momentary switch closure or capacitive
pulse? Come on, all you genius electronics guys - - who makes the chip, and
where can we get the data sheets on it? Who wants to dig into the
modification and publish the procedure with pictures (and become famous)?

Chuck



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