Opus Instruments – world leader in infrared reflectograpy

2023. 01. 09. | Egyéb kategória, News

Opus Instruments, the team behind the Apollo and Osiris cameras, is a world leader in infrared reflectography (IRR). Their cameras have been used to examine thousands of works of art worldwide in leading auction houses, galleries, heritage studios and educational institutions. They made a significant contribution to the conservation, preservation, restoration and artistic authentication of artefacts. Opus is based in Norwich, England. Our cameras are designed and developed here, while the entire production of the cameras takes place in our ISO 9001 accredited facilities in Lisbon, Portugal.

The world’s leading infrared camera

Apollo is the new standard in infrared reflectography. Following in the footsteps of the world-renowned Osiris camera, the Apollo uses an internal scanning mechanism to produce high-quality, high-resolution infrared reflectograms with unparalleled clarity and detail in over 65,000 shades of gray.

These images can be used to study different aspects of the painting, from underdrawing and pentimento in the work to underpainting and transfer of pigments at different wavelengths when using our filter set.

Unlike Osiris’ line sensor, Apollo uses an area sensor to capture thousands of details, all of which can be automatically and seamlessly stitched together using new imaging software.

The camera is a huge improvement in dynamic range, capturing fine details even in demanding light and dark areas of the subject. An adjustable histogram within the software allows you to get the most out of this dynamic range, both when viewing an IR reflectogram and helps you get the most out of lighting during setup.

A variety of preset exposure times means you can tailor settings to your subject and react to your subject’s needs. This is especially good news if you plan to use Opus Instruments’ filter kit, which allows you to study the transmission of pigments in different bands within the camera’s spectral sensitivity.

Using the area sensor also allows us to provide a live preview of the current image tile that can be updated in real time. This is fantastic news for focussing and significantly reduces setup time.