Choices for IR film?

[Anon Ymous]

the price.

I think the conversion is also done by different partners, so this might affect the price.

 

[xtolsniffer]

This is an interesting thread for me as Rollei IR is my favorite film in my Mamiya C220 both for IR work and normal photography. I've always found it challenging to work out exactly who makes, markets and distributes some of these European films, not least to know if it's still going to be available in the future. The Rollei website just directs visitors to freestyle for datasheets for Infrared, Retro 400S and Superpan 200. The Infrared datasheet is clearly Rollei's own but the datasheet for Retro 400S is for Aviphot Pan 400s and for Superpan 200 is Aviphot Pan 200s, the latter stated as 'a panchromatic black & white negative film based on Agfa's discontinued AVIPHOT PAN 200 BW.'. It would be nice to know what is and isn't discontinued and what is made from what!

 

[Team ADOX]

The listing on Freestyle for 400S states that it's sensitive to 720nm; for Superpan 200 it's says 750nm and for 400IR it's 820nm. Are they making this up? Different spectral response implies different films to me. Maybe TeamAdox can shed some light (no pun intended) on this?

As explained above in detail, all these three different named films (Rollei IR, Rollei Retro 400S, Rollei Superpan 200) are all based on Agfa Aviphot Pan 200.
And there is only one valid / true data sheet for this film. Please have a look here at the Agfa homepage:
https://www.agfa.com/specialty-products/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2017/06/AVIPHOT-PAN-200.pdf

ADOX - Innovation In Analog Photography.

 

[Team ADOX]

It would be nice to know what is and isn't discontinued and what is made from what!

It is already all explained in detail in this thread: Please have a look at the postings number 56, 58, 70, 78.

ADOX - Innovation In Analog Photography.

 

[destroya]

from what I was told, the superpan and RR400 are both finished by Foma, while the IR is finished by Harmon/Ilford, hence the price difference.

john

 

[Team ADOX]

from what I was told, the superpan and RR400 are both finished by Foma, while the IR is finished by Harmon/Ilford, hence the price difference.

john

That is only partly true.
In 35mm all three films are currently finished by Harman technology.
In 120 format Rollei IR is finished by Harman, the other two as you said by Foma.
Harman and Foma have quite specific / own and different converting characteristics. You can quite easily see and differentiate whether a film is converted / finshed by Harman or Foma.

ADOX - Innovation In Analog Photography.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That is only partly true.
In 35mm all three films are currently finished by Harman technology.
In 120 format Rollei IR is finished by Harman, the other two as you said by Foma.
Harman and Foma have quite specific / own and different converting characteristics. You can quite easily see and differentiate whether a film is converted / finshed by Harman or Foma.

ADOX - Innovation In Analog Photography.

Thank you so much for contributing your time and effort to Photrio.

Hey man, I am Sirius!

 

[Nokton48]

400s 70mm Supergrain Blad 100 Planar 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

400s 70mm Supergrain Blad 100 Planar 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

400s 70mm Supergrain Blad 30 Distagon 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

400s 70mm Supergrain Blad 100 Planar 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have this film in 70mm bulk form, as Agfa Aviphot 200, or also, Rollei 70mm 400s. I have found Ei 100 to be the sweet spot. Use Rodinal or Rollei Supergrain (AM74 type). Watch for light piping so l load and unload in the darkroom.

Very economical way to shoot medium format. Has an infared look to it that I like.

 

[Ai Print]

I have some of the last batch of 35mm HIE left and some 120 Aerographic re-spool which is the same thing but medium format. Other than that, I have a good amount of Rollei IR 400 and a king's ransom in Efke IR820 in 120 and 4x5 which if handled well is stunning IR film. I hope we don't lose IR400, it is super sharp film with great IR effect with an R72 filter. Since I basically have the year off from shooting commercial work, I am really looking forward to making some great images on this film, even this week hopefully as the green is starting to emerge below the snow capped peaks.

Here is one from 4x5 IR400 / R72:

And here is one in 4x5 from Efke IR820:

 

[ColdEye]

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge form these posts. Just had a try with Rollei retro 80s in rodinal 1:50, with a regular 25 red filter. I need to get a r72 for this, I quite like the film. Sorry for the borders on the scan, my ls-40 does that and I decided to leave it.

 

[Paul Manuell]

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge form these posts. Just had a try with Rollei retro 80s in rodinal 1:50, with a regular 25 red filter. I need to get a r72 for this, I quite like the film. Sorry for the borders on the scan, my ls-40 does that and I decided to leave it.

View attachment 245997 View attachment 245998

Regardless of them not being infrared, these are beautiful photos in their own right

 

[scheimfluger_77]

I’ve shot a few rolls of 80s through my pinhole camera, a lot of them with a 720 filter. The film has this nice ‘creamy’ look to it.

 

[Film-Niko]

The Rollei website just directs visitors to freestyle for datasheets for Infrared, Retro 400S and Superpan 200. The Infrared datasheet is clearly Rollei's own but the datasheet for Retro 400S is for Aviphot Pan 400s and for Superpan 200 is Aviphot Pan 200s, the latter stated as 'a panchromatic black & white negative film based on Agfa's discontinued AVIPHOT PAN 200 BW.'. It would be nice to know what is and isn't discontinued and what is made from what!

If you test Rollei Infrared, Rollei Retro 400s and Rollei Superpan 200 side-by-side under exactly identical conditions (I have done that) and with testing the characteristic curves, you will see at once that it is all exactly the same film: Agfa Aviphot Pan 200.

The problem with the supplier Maco Photo Products, which uses the license of Rollei-Film for his repackaging, is that they are well known for decades for misinforming and cheating their customers.
With fake data sheets as in this case.
With different prices for the same film.
For selling overpriced: For example their RPX 100 and 400 films are just repackaged Kentmere 100 and 400 films, but at much higher price.
Another cheating: Their RPX 25 and Retro 80S are also the same: Agfa Aviphot Pan 80. But RPX 25 has a much higher price, and a different "fairy-tale" datasheet.
Recently they switched their Ortho 25 film to Ortho 25 Plus, which has much coarser grain, less sharpness and less resolution. Completely different film. But the datasheet remained the same!

This company gives a shit on his customers. Lying is in their DNA for decades.
Not surprising: The owner of this company was convicted by German court for criminal activities.

Therefore I have stopped using their stuff. I don't support cheaters.
And with Ilford SFX 200, Adox HR-50 and Adox Scala 50 there are three excellent alternatives for infrared photography.

 

[ColdEye]

Can you share some examples with the Adox HR-50, I have not heard of that film yet.

 

[Paul Manuell]

Can you share some examples with the Adox HR-50, I have not heard of that film yet.

Ditto

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Can you share some examples with the Adox HR-50, I have not heard of that film yet.

Do a google image search. There are a few examples.

 

[markjwyatt]

Here are a few from 1978-1980, Kodak HIE. Was really fun stuff. (Zeiss Icarex 35S TM Pro; CZ 50mm f1.8 Ultron)


curve by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr


mystical man by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

Mariah by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

 

[AgX]

The problem with the supplier Maco Photo Products, which uses the license of Rollei-Film for his repackaging, is that they are well known for decades for misinforming and cheating their customers.
With fake data sheets as in this case.
With different prices for the same film.
For selling overpriced: For example their RPX 100 and 400 films are just repackaged Kentmere 100 and 400 films, but at much higher price.
Another cheating: Their RPX 25 and Retro 80S are also the same: Agfa Aviphot Pan 80. But RPX 25 has a much higher price, and a different "fairy-tale" datasheet.
Recently they switched their Ortho 25 film to Ortho 25 Plus, which has much coarser grain, less sharpness and less resolution. Completely different film. But the datasheet remained the same!

This company gives a shit on his customers. Lying is in their DNA for decades.
Not surprising: The owner of this company was convicted by German court for criminal activities.

Therefore I have stopped using their stuff. I don't support cheaters.
And with Ilford SFX 200, Adox HR-50 and Adox Scala 50 there are three excellent alternatives for infrared photography.

You are perfectly right.
But to be fair, they nevertheless offered films otherwise not or hard to obtain.
Also the founder of their photode partmenr left the firm some years ago. Maybe his successor knows how to be decent to customers.

 

[fs999]

Pentax 645N • Pentax FA 645 75mm f:2.8 ED with R72 infrared filter
Rollei Retro 80S developed in Caffenol CL 50min stand @ 20°C


Pentax 645N • Pentax FA 645 75mm f:2.8 ED with IR R72 filter
Rollei Retro 80S developed in Caffenol CL 50min stand @ 20°C

 

[scheimfluger_77]

This film has a wonderful look to it, great photos.

 

[pentaxuser]

Yes these are really good,fs999. What was your EI for these. I am tempted to give it a try. I also have a P645N with the FA 75mm lens

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[fs999]

This film has a wonderful look to it, great photos.

Thank you !

Yes these are really good,fs999. What was your EI for these. I am tempted to give it a try. I also have a P645N with the FA 75mm lens

Thanks

pentaxuser

Thank you !
80 ISO. I used a cheap R72 filter.
But take care, I bought 20 120 films last year and all have backing paper markings on the film...

 

[akiller]

1977 expired Kodak infrared film, 8x10"

 

[pentaxuser]

Thank you !

Thank you !
80 ISO. I used a cheap R72 filter.
But take care, I bought 20 120 films last year and all have backing paper markings on the film...

Sorry for this late question when you replied to my original question in June but when you say you used EI 80 was this with or without the R72?

It was with the R72 what EI did the film become - about 3-6?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[fs999]

Sorry for this late question when you replied to my original question in June but when you say you used EI 80 was this with or without the R72?

With R72. I used the meter of my Pentax 645N through the lens.

It was with the R72 what EI did the film become - about 3-6?

I don't know. I suppose it depends on the opacity of the filter.