IR Film Photography

When using SFX200 use an R72 or equivalent

When using Efke 820IR or the Rollei use a wratten 87 for the best effect but anything below will work as well but with a less dramatic the effect.

For HIE use anything up to 87C where no visible light will actually pass through at all, its completely opaque

Basically the stronger the effect the more expensive and difficult to get hold of the filter.
 
Well I made my first "IR" print today from a roll of SFX200 that I shot last weekend. Quite a nice print except for the tiny scratch in the negative which I didn't pick up on the contact sheet which turned into a much bigger scratch once printed (about 1cm long). Never mind. Bloody grainy stuff though this SFX200, unless it was my choice of developer (Ilfosol3).

I've got a couple of rolls of really OOD Konica 720 to shoot then I'm going to try some proper IR film. I guess that Rollie IR400 is the obvious choice for proper IR but is that horribly grainy too? Perhaps I need to look at a developer which will help with the grain issue, any suggestions (liquid preferred to powder)?
 
Mine were a bit grainy, to say they were 6x6.
It was my first roll though, and they were slightly over, I don't think ilfosol is a good match either, maybe ID-11.
I did find it scratched easily, or at least there were more than usual.
Tbh, I don't get scratches at all, just dust, so there must be something soft about the emulsions or something..
 
The IR can be used for the Kodak 25 red with SFX and a Lee 87 which is 750nm with either Kodak HIE or Konica infra-red. Couldn't see a thing with the 87 though. Definately tripod only it id really nice to use these IR kodak.
 
IR photography is usually quite grainy but this can be reduced by deving in a developer like T-max, ILFOTEC DD-X or Perceptol according to the SFX200 datasheet on Ilfords site. These give the finest grain when its deved in them.
 
Cheers Samuel, I'll give one of them a try some time.
 
Think I just found the reason why they scratched so easily. I was just tidying the garage and notice that the bottle of Fotospeed fixer said that it didn't contain a hardener. Before that I'd been using an Ilford fixer which did. False economy on my part and the last time I'll be using that Fotospeed hardener.
 
Something else I was wondering. If proper IR film (not the extended red stuff) is meant to be loaded in pitch black, how do you load it on a film back where you need to line the arrow on the backing paper up with the mark on the film back?
 
Kev M said:
Something else I was wondering. If proper IR film (not the extended red stuff) is meant to be loaded in pitch black, how do you load it on a film back where you need to line the arrow on the backing paper up with the mark on the film back?
Click to expand...

AFAIK it's only 35mm that needs to be loaded in total darkness as there is no way of stopping the light entering the cartridge where the film leader sticks out. 120 film with backing paper is OK to load in subdued light.
 
Dredging up an old thread, but I thought people might like to know that Dean Bennici is currently cutting more rolls of his Kodak Aerochrome colour infrared film in 120 format. He says he has about 50 rolls left so get in contact quickly.

Here's his message.
Dean Bennici said:
Hello Rob,

I will be cutting a new batch of color infrared film into 120 format.

The film is fresh, dated Nov: 2011.

If you are interested, you will need to pay in advance and the film will be delivered in middle February. I have a very limited amount and it will sell out fast!!!

The cost is $24.50 USD (19 euros) per roll.

Postage is $8.00 USD (6 euros) for up to 12 rolls.

I accept paypal.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dean Bennici
Click to expand...
For the large format users amongst us he is also selling sheets of 8x10 at $33 a sheet.
 
I so want to try this but $25 a roll is hellishly expensive. Might have to treat myself though, I never got to shoot Kodachrome so I'd like to shoot some of this before it too is gone forever.

Don't suppose you know any labs in the uk capable of developing it seeing as it says it has to be done in total darkness.
 
If you have a local lab you use, you can ask them to turn off the IR sensors in their machines when they develop it. They'll usually oblige!
 
I have been given a coupe of rolls of Kodak HIE film, so I'll grab a filter and start snapping ASAP. My Leica has a brand new B+W film in it so I'll either have to load it into the Olympus, which will be more tricky in the dark, or use up the B+W film pronto!

I'll start looking for a 720nm in 46mm fit, then...
 
Ah lovely stuff, patience is a virtue apparently. I'm going to Italy in April so by then I want to get my tecnique for Velvia slide film and IR film down so I can try them out on the landscape there.

Cheers
ped
 
Only 720nm? HIE is the only IR film that is sensitive up to 900nm and as so can be used with a Wratten 87C filter which is practically opaque to visible light as it cuts off at 830nm - 850nm. Or you could use a slightly lighter Wratten 87 that passes light at about 800nm and is also usable with Efke IR820C IR film.

Heres an 87C filter in 46mm:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/46mm-46-mm-850nm-850-Infrared-IR-Pass-Filter-K-/170406051290?pt=UK_Photography_CamcorderAccess_RL&hash=item27acfdfdda

I couldn't find an 87 filter as such, but that Ebay shop also had a 760nm version as well which is (I suppose) fairly close.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/46mm-46-mm-760nm-760-Infrared-IR-Pass-Filter-K-/170406051156?pt=UK_Photography_CamcorderAccess_RL&hash=item27acfdfd54

I don't know if you've read it before, but this post that I made a while ago on IR film photography might be useful.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=2954752&postcount=3

Note that there is a slight mistake in it though, HIE cannot use a 950nm filter properly as its sensitivity is practically nearly 0 at 950nm, only just found that out actually!
 
Also, I got IR filters from here (they are listed under effects filter) and they seem good. Stuck one in the spectrometer in work and it had a nice sharp cuton at 720nm and at least OD3 (~ND10) filtering for the visible range. No AR coating of course, and the blanks might have been wavier than something wavy on a windy day at the world bean eating championships, but it did the trick when I was playing with it on the dslr.
 
OK chaps I'm about ready to load up my HIE IR film and order that filter. I'll need some help with exposure - is there an easy calculation I can perform to help me? Someone I think mentioned shooting it at ISO400 and bracketing just in case?

Cheers
 
If its an 89B 720nm filter then it absorbs about 4 stops of light. According to the Kodak datasheet, the film speed is about ISO 50 with the filter factor. With an 87 800nm, its ISO 25 and with an 87C 850nm its ISO 10.

If your camera has TTL metering, meter with the filter off (at ISO 50 or at ISO 400 and add the extra stops on), focus and then adjust to the IR mark on the lens. Then put the filter on and take the picture.

Without TTL metering, using a handheld lightmeter do the same, meter at 50. It may be a good idea to bracket a stop over and under as meters are not designed to meter IR light so it can be a little hit and miss. It's better if you shoot at f11 or above as the depth of field cancels out any focusing errors between the IR and visible light.

If I remember though, if your using your Leica, most of their lenses don't have IR focus marks so how are you going to focus it?
 
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Hi mate thanks for the reply,

I have a 28mm Voigtlander lens I will use with the IR film so will focus with that. I guess I'll mainly be doing landscapes initially so I think I read somewhere to focus to infinity but then back a bit?!

I have a VCII meter which I can use to meter with and I can even point the meter through filters to find out their filter factor (I did this with an unmarked orange filter to ascertain it was a 3 stop) so that information is useful, thanks.

I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Also, I presume I can't develop the film in ID11?

ped
 
Your meter won't be able to meter through an IR filter correctly,
basically its just 4 stops about for a 720nm filter. Meter and expose it at ISO 50 like the Kodak datasheet says.

With a 28mm, you won't need too much correction anyway, focusing to 3m at f8 makes everything from 3m to infinity in focus. Looking around the internet, it seems that most Leica shooters tend to just focus normally or only shift the focus extremely slightly.

You can develop it in ID-11, but it will be very grainy as most IR film is. It would be better to use something like Ilford DD-X or Perceptol that will give finer grain. According to the massive dev chart, with DD-X diluted 1+4, about 8 minutes should be sufficient for HIE or 15 minutes with stock Perceptol.

Remember to load it in complete darkness or the light can burn up half of the roll and obviously unload it in complete darkness as well.
 
Thanks. The reason I'll put it in the Leica is because it's probably the easiest camera for me to load in the dark!

Just been looking at filters. If I go with the Cokin P system it's going to be rather expensive... does anyone do a 46mm screw in filter rather than something that will necessitate a whole system to hold the filters?

I know I could look myself but the internet here is terrible

Cheers
 
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