Infrared 120 or 220 films

[richard_boswell]

I am looking to take some pictures using infrared film. I went to my local camera store but they didn't have any and told me that it would have to be special ordered and that it would take 2 weeks. I saw some photos taken on infrared film and would like to try it. What should I watch out for and is there a good book out there?

 

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Thanks

[don_karon1]

Ilford SFX 200 is semi-infrared film. I have only very limited

experience with it. Sometimes it produced images with that infrared

"look" and sometimes not.

[nigel_smith2]

Konico IR 750 comes in 120 but you'll be hard pressed to find some.

Apparently it's made once a year and except for a recent msg in a

newsgroup from some in Konica claiming it will be produced this year,

everyone thinks they won't make it. I'm down to my last roll so have

bought some Maco 820 which is new and available. Haven't processed

any yet though. Kodak HIE doesn't come in 120 but I think I read

somewhere that you can get rolls created out of cut down 70mm stuff

(might be pricey!)

[pete_caluori]

Greetings,

 

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I can recommend Maco 820c and you can order it from B&H in NYC. When

used with a 87 IR filter it produces a strong IR effect, though not

quite the same as Kodak's HIE. HIE is not available in 120 or 220,

but there is a person on the NET selling repackaged 70mm Aero IR,

which is the same as HIE (http://infrared.homestead.com/). The nice

thing about Maco's film is that it does have an antihalation coating,

so it does limit the highlight "bloom" that is a trademark of HIE.

Also, I have successfully loaded 820c at mid-day, in the subdued

light of a car trunk, which is something I doubt could be done with

HIE.

 

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Regards,

[howard_dvorin]

Richard,

There are several good books concerning B & W Infrared Photography.

 

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The Art of Infrared Photography by Joseph Paduano

Infrared Landscape Photography by Todd Damiano

and two by Laurie White All are published by Amherst publishing Co.

In addition there is a good web

site.www.Cocam.co.uk.CocamWS/infrared//Infrared.htm

I also found a wealth of information by going to Google and typing in

Black and White Infrared Photography

Howard Dvorin

Mt. Laurel, NJ

USA

[volker_schier1]

The Maco IR 820 is a very good film. It has the finest grain of all IR

films and by far the best tonal rendition, but unfortunately also the

lowst speed of all IR films on the market. Not even without filter

does it reach the stated speed of ISO 100 when developed in the

recommended Laborpartner chemistry. Even the new recommendation to

develop 10 minutes instead of 7 does not change this. With an 89B

filter you will get around ISO 8, with an 87c filter the speed was

down to ISO 0,25! I use a very exact ORWO 585 inrard filter with a

cutoff point at 780nm. The very low filmspeed I get indicates that the

film probably is not sensitized all the way up to 820nm, what the name

obiously is intended to mean. The negs are fabulous though. One has to

accept that this film can only be used in combination with a tripod.

The film is based on the Efke 100 panchromatic film with an added dye

that "catches" infrared ratiation and transforms it to a wavelength

which can be recorded on film. The often stated infrared effect, which

is especially visible on foliage is not only based on the higher

reflection and emittance of IR radiation. The colour sensitation of

Kodak IR film is not very uniform: this film has a higher sensitivity

towards green. The emittance of IR radiation in combination with this

high green sensitivity gives the characterstic "IR look". You can

easily see this if you use different filters. It does not matter if

you have a Wratten 25 or a Wratten 87C on the camera, the resulting

white foliage will be very similar, although the rendition of other

"colours" will change due to the changing mix of visible light and IR

radiation. This is very visible with the Maco film. The denser the IR

filter the more different the result. With high density filters the

"IR look" will be achieved since visible light is banned. With red

filters foliage still will show structure. I think that the Maco is

far more versatile than the Kodak IR film. The only problem is the low

speed. For more information check the following article in the Italian

foto journal "fotografare", which an be accessed on the following

site: http://hamburg.germany.com/laborpartner/html/roma.htm

[volker_schier1]

I received an email from Maco stating that they recommend using either

Ilford Microphen or Tetenal Ultrafin Plus as developers to compensate

for the low speed. They especially recommend these two developers,

because they are available in the US. They say that the tonality will

not be as good as with the Laborpartner product, but that the acutance

should be very good. I have not tried this combintation and therefore

cannot comment on these claims. I simply pass the information on in

case somebody is interested. Maco will come out with a ISO 400 speed

IR film sensitized up to 750nm next year.

[bill_lange1]

I like the Maco film as well, but PLEASE don't be a dope like me and

forget to pre-wash/pre-soak the film before developing to get the

anti-halation layer off. I forgot this twice (duh!) and I can

guarantee you won't like the results.

 

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I did read somewhere that you CAN pre-wash the ant-halation layer off

the film, dry it, and re-roll it before shooting if you DO want the

HIE clouding effect. That's a lot of work for 120, though. I might

have more patience for that in 35mm size, I guess. But then why not

just HIE!

[volker_schier1]

Correct, you have to remove the very effective anti halation layer AND

you will have to fix much longer than with most other films. Extra

fixing will also remove the last traces of the layer. I guess that the

first films coming out of Zagreb had a too tough antihalation layer.

The one I got were not problem. 30 secs to 1 min will remove it. Try

fixing for 5 minutes in speed fixer, otherwise you might have milky

negs. If they still look a little milky when they come out of the tank

do not worry too much. It disapears after drying.

[gene_crumpler8]

MACO 820 is a great film. I expose at an EI of 4 through a R72 filter

and develop in diafine. Great results and I can blow up 6x7's to

16x20 with moderate grain.