Infra-Red In Ernest

Following on last week's posts about infra-red, Ernest has pointed out the advantage of his conversion techniques for older digital cameras - designed to make the things record IR with no need for a dark filter on the front of the lens.

For a still subject, not too much difference but for a moving one...the difference between getting the shot sharp or as a complete fuzzy blur. You can use the normal aperture controls on your lens.

Of course you are sort of making a long-term IR commitment with the camera conversion and you will get a monochrome image. You can get wild colours if you put them into the file afterwards.

Call the repair department and discuss the technical details and costs with the boys.

More On Infra Red With Kenko

Our post yesterday regarding infra-red film from Maco lead me on to look and see which of the infra-red filters are in stock.

Looks like we have a fresh supply of Kenko IR filters in 49mm, 52mm, 67mm, 72mm, and 77mm size. They are dark as and prevent ordinary light from penetrating to film or sensor - only the IR gets through.

The results can be charming, with white foliage and black skies on monochrome or wild colours with a colour setting on a digital camera. Exposure is long, and you need to let the camera decide this for itself sometimes - you can't focus by normal means either - you have to set the distance scale yourself and it has a slight offset for the IR wavelengths.

Serious experimenters would do well to get a book from the library about this, or search out one of the Fawcett publications from the bookstore. Like pinhole photography, IR imaging is a totally scientific and absolutely predictable fairy tale told in a foreign language in the dark in a high wind so be prepared for anything...

The Darned Good Excuse You've Been Waiting For

You've been sitting looking at your 35mm camera or your 120 TLR or SLR haven't you? Now that you have a digital camera and a computer it has gone into disuse, hasn't it. You are feeling guilty, aren't you?

But there hasn't been a good opportunity to use it, has there? Well now there is a good excuse - a new film available here at the shop.

Not new. Nothing is new. ( With the possible exception of new shoe designs for dancers...) These films have been going for a while, but not in this packaging. It is all the prompting you need.

Agfa must still exist in some form in Belgium - probably the old Gevaert works - and they are making infrared film. Maco in Germany hold the license but you can decide amongst yourselves who actually coats it and who sells it. Sort of like Ilford's paper works...

The IR film has an extended sensitivity up to 820nm. It has a basic sensitivity of 400 ISO before you put a filter on the front of the lens so you do have a useful range of exposure in the camera. The manufacturer's listing says that it can resolve up to 140 lines per millimetre. If you overexpose it your can get a real aura around the subjects - this is a photographic aura, not a psychic one...

Developing is standard chemistry - they quote times for Rollei, Rodinal, D76, Xtol, ID 11, and Ilfosol S on the package so it looks as though there is a good chance you'll have the developer already. Standadrd lab stuff if you don't want to do it yourself.

Results will be white foliage, black skies, waxen skin, and all the classic IR images.

New packaging means that you get standard 120 film and 35mm cassettes in waterproof containers for field use. You still need to keep the film from strong light and heat when you are loading it, but that is a characteristic of IR films.

Are You Infra - Ready? Our Repair Department Can Help

Thomas has asked me to remind readers of this blog and Facebook that Camera Electronic is able to convert an number of DSLR cameras to infra-red operation.

It will be a deliberate decision on the part of the camera owner since after it is done, infra red is all you can record on that sensor. But what a step into the universe! Infra red is an entirely different set of wavelengths from the ones that you normally use to see. Unless you are a Hollywood science fiction monster, you will never see the world in infra red...unless you photograph it.

Oh, wait. I'm wrong. Some of the WWII sniperscope outfits and tank sighting devices were infrared. Crude but somewhat effective. Certainly superceded by modern starlight scopes but they did exist. But back to Camera Electronic.

Ernest has a number of filters that cut visible light at various points and this means that once he has modified the internal sensor in your camera, it will be able to see and record what you cannot. The conversion costs a bit - ask the repair department for a quote - but the good news is that the best cameras for it are older types - ones that attract very little price in the secondhand market. You might have a gem in your camera closet that is no good for regular work but would be perfect for the IR.

Get set for black skies and white trees. And animals with amazing eyes...