Exposing HIE with and without filter

I know there have been a lot of threads about Kodak HIE infrared

film, but none of the ones I found clearly answered my questions, so

apologies for asking it again!

I am wondering what ISO to set my camera (going to use a Nikkormat

FT3, FG-20, Canon EE17 or Minolta Hi-Matic 7s for this, load and

unload in the darkroom, no worries about film fogging) at when

shooting Kodak HIE through a red #25 B+W filter, and also without a

filter.

I would prefer metering though the filter. From what I've read, ISO

400 will generally do it with the filter mounted (800 if there's lots

of foliage, 125 with tungsten light indoors? Will 400 do it for all

weather conditions outdoors?), but I am confused by the ISO 50 that

Kodak recommends, or is that metering without the filter mounted? If

so, that would also answer my second question,

What ISO setting to use for HIE without the red filter? (I am aware

this will take away the 'IR effect', but I want to try it anyway)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know I'll have to bracket a

lot, but having a starting point that is most likely close to being

correct, would help a lot. :) I'm probably going to shoot my first

test-roll tomorrow, I was thinking of using the Canon EE17, as the 72

half-frame shots I can get on a roll of HIE would be ideal for

testing the (expensive) film.

Thanks a lot in advance.

I rate HIE at 400 ASA in daylight and tungsten since this latter is rich in IR. If you use the camera's meter first check that it meters accurately with a red filter attached. Some meters are red-sensitive and thus cause under-exposure. To check this, meter a scene with no filter and note the aperture-s/speed values. Then, put the R25 on and meter the same scene again. The meter reading should drop by 3 stops. If it only drops, say, 2 stops, then you need to compensate either by downrating the film by 1 stop or increasing exposure by 1 stop above the indicated reading.

If you want to shoot HIE without a filter then just rate it at 400 ASA.

The 50 from Kodak is without the filter. A red 25 costs you 3 stops. 3 stops from EI 400 is...EI 50. There ya go.

allan

Allen you mean the ISO 50 is +3 stops <strong>with</strong> the filter. That is assuming you're measuring with a handheld meter and not TTL.

For TTL metering with a red 25 or 29 wratten filter, just set it to ISO 400. As noted, tungsten has a lot of IR light. I have shot HIE under tungsten spotlights with no filter and gotten decent IR response. The filter still helps though.

Jonas

I rate, meter and focus my Kodak HEI @ 400 through a deep red #29 filter, and get excellent and consistent results.

Russ

No i.e. is going to make any sense unless you have a special meter to measure the IR in addition to the visible light.

An i.e. of 400 metering through a 25A does seem to work a lot of the time because it is the IR equivalent of "sunny 16". However it will mislead you some of the time.

I find that a consistent f11 @ 1/125th using a 25A is the most reliable exposure. Much more so than any visible light meter will ever get you. Do that and you won't have to bracket. Do that and learn what types of sky give you more or less IR exposure (which a meter will not tell you) as well as different angles of the sun (which a meter will also not tell you)

My experience, shooting a lot of HIE, is that many photographers find it quirky and needing bracketing because they chase exposures dictated by a visible light meter. If they would just study the bracketed shots they like best, they would find it's that consistent exposure that yeilds the best result.

Oh, shoot it without something to filter out most of the visible light and you'll find it's just a very expensive but crappy b&w film.