James Lewin used a Nikon Z7 II permanently converted to 720nm infrared to make the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Animals in their Environment winner, “The Meeting Place.” The conversion turned harsh midday sun and water reflections at a Kenyan waterhole into dramatic skies, luminous vegetation and a soft, surreal scene, while providing enough sensitivity for the 1/800-second shutter speed needed to freeze an elephant’s spray.
The winning photograph and camera setup
Lewin’s image shows a young bull elephant spraying water over zebra and giraffe at a dry-season waterhole in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills. He photographed from a hide near the crowded waterhole and won the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Animals in their Environment category.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The published technical details for “The Meeting Place” are:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Component | Documented specification |
|---|---|
| Camera | Nikon Z7 II permanently converted to 720nm infrared monochrome |
| Lens | Nikon 28–75mm f/2.8 |
| Shutter speed | 1/800 second |
| Aperture | f/7.1 |
| Exposure compensation | +1 EV |
| Sensitivity | ISO 800 |
Lewin told TechRadar on 15 October 2026 that without infrared “there would have been no image.” His conventional frames in the middle of the day looked unattractive because bright sunlight and strong reflections flattened the scene. Infrared changed the problem into a visual advantage.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
Why infrared suited harsh midday wildlife light
Infrared records wavelengths beyond the visible range. Vegetation reflects a large amount of infrared light, so foliage becomes unusually bright. Skies can gain much stronger tonal drama, while water and dust take on a smooth, atmospheric appearance. In Lewin’s scene, those changes produced the otherworldly, almost timeless quality that ordinary color capture could not provide under the same conditions.
The choice was not only aesthetic. A waterhole is an active wildlife scene, and the elephant’s spray required a fast shutter. A camera converted to infrared can admit enough of the relevant light to work at 1/800 second. Lewin described the broader benefit as opening “a whole new opportunity” after the best morning light has gone: for infrared work, harsh midday conditions can become the start of the shooting window rather than its end.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
What a 720nm conversion does
Visible light is approximately 380–750 nanometres (nm); infrared begins above about 750nm. A standard digital camera has a physical filter over its sensor that blocks most infrared. A permanent conversion removes that filter and installs one designed to pass infrared wavelengths.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
A 720nm filter passes predominantly infrared while allowing a small amount of visible light. It is therefore associated with strong, traditional monochrome infrared rendering, such as bright foliage and deep, dramatic skies. The conversion is permanent: the camera is no longer a normal all-purpose color body unless it is converted again.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
720nm, 830nm and lower-cutoff options
- 720nm: Lewin’s choice; a practical balance for pronounced black-and-white infrared with some visible-light contribution.
- 830nm: Passes infrared more selectively and is used for a purer black-and-white infrared look, with less potential for false-color effects.
- Lower cutoffs: Admit more visible light and can produce stronger false-color results, but require a different white-balance and processing approach.
Permanent conversion versus an external infrared filter
An external Hoya R72 720nm filter is a removable way to test infrared on an unconverted camera. Nikon describes this approach as a popular starting point, but the camera’s original internal infrared blocker remains in the optical path. As a result, exposures can stretch to roughly 30–90 seconds even in bright sun.
| Approach | Motion and exposure | Reversibility | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent 720nm conversion | Efficient infrared capture; can support fast shutter speeds such as 1/800 second | Camera is dedicated to infrared unless reconverted | Moving wildlife, handheld work and dependable action timing |
| External 720nm filter on an unconverted body | Often requires approximately 30–90-second exposures because the internal IR blocker remains | Remove the filter and return to normal camera use | Low-cost experimentation, landscapes and static subjects |
That exposure difference explains Lewin’s decision. A long exposure cannot reliably freeze an elephant’s spray or a moving herd, whereas a permanent conversion makes action photography practical.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Lens compatibility and infrared artifacts
Infrared does not behave identically across lenses. Anti-reflective and protective coatings can create a “hot spot”: a bright, hazy circle in the middle of the frame. Flare and ghosting are also possible. Lewin found that some modern professional lenses with sophisticated coatings performed poorly, while certain older, inexpensive lenses could be more suitable.
Check an infrared lens-compatibility database or test each lens before relying on it for wildlife. A lens that looks perfect in visible light can reveal a hot spot only after conversion. Lewin also cautions that infrared can produce striking but potentially distracting effects, including spooky-looking eyes in close-up lion portraits.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Focusing, white balance and processing
- Focusing: Infrared wavelengths focus at a different point from visible light. DSLR users may need infrared focus calibration. Mirrorless cameras generally compensate more readily through electronic focusing and live-view feedback, but testing at the working aperture is still wise.
- White balance: Custom white balance is normally required, especially for lower-cutoff or false-color infrared captures. Use foliage or another infrared-bright subject as a reference rather than relying on the camera’s daylight preset.
- Raw processing: Monochrome conversions benefit from careful contrast and highlight control because vegetation can become extremely bright. False-color workflows require channel mixing and selective color adjustments after the custom white balance.
- Field checks: Review the center of the frame for a hot spot, inspect bright highlights for flare, and confirm focus on the actual subject before a key wildlife moment.
Can infrared make midday wildlife photography work?
Yes, but it solves a specific problem rather than replacing good light in every situation. In Lewin’s case, the conversion made bright, reflective conditions usable and preserved the shutter speed needed for action. It also gave the image a look that could not be recreated convincingly with a regular color camera.
Photographers should expect trade-offs: a permanent conversion commits the body to infrared, lens compatibility must be verified, and the resulting tonal response demands a dedicated white-balance and post-processing workflow. An external filter is safer for experimentation, but its long exposures make it unsuitable for most moving wildlife.
What the winning setup teaches photographers
- Choose infrared for a defined lighting or visual problem, not simply because it is unusual.
- For moving animals, use a converted body so exposure times remain short enough to freeze motion.
- Start lens testing before a trip; coatings, flare and hot spots vary by model.
- Set and test a custom white balance, then inspect raw files for highlight detail and artifacts.
- Use the wavelength deliberately: 720nm for a strong monochrome balance, 830nm for a more strictly infrared rendering, and lower cutoffs when false color is the goal.
Lewin’s Nikon Z7 II conversion worked because it addressed both halves of the assignment: it transformed an unappealing midday scene into a distinctive monochrome environment and delivered the fast exposure required for a fleeting burst of water.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
