A method and apparatus for achieving monochromatic response from a low-cost color imager are presented. In this method and apparatus, the out-of-band response to infrared (IR) light by solid state sensors is exploited to produce a monochrome image. The monochrome image is produced by omitting the IR blocking filter from the sensor of the color imager and illuminating the scene to be imaged including IR radiation from an LED. The wavelength emitted from the LED is matched to the wavelength or wavelengths that correspond to a region where the sensor's response to IR light is relatively even, despite the color-mosaic filter permanently attached to the sensor.