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Efke Aura IR, Rollei IR, Zomei 720, & Urth 720 Filters!

Andrew O'Neill

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Played around with these two infrared film at the North 40 Regional Park in Delta, BC. I know these films' characteristics are quite different... but how different are these two filters... or are they the same? Have a look and see! I make a Kallitype print, too!

 
Brilliant! Now we just need you to test the Hoya R72. ;-).
In all probability the Zomei is as good as it gets.
I bought a small one that I screwed out of the ring and use for my Ikontas.
 
I preferred the print, Andrew. What surprised me with of the filters( I think you said the Urth) was how well I could see through it when you held it u. p I have never used an IR filter but have been led to believe that an IR filter is practically opaque and yet the one you showed was far from that

pentaxuser
 
I use IR film for tree leaves, not tree trunks. That is just me.
 
Sirius Glass said:
I use IR film for tree leaves, not tree trunks. That is just me.
Click to expand...

I use IR for a multitude of things, not just leaves. Just leaves is boring, but that is just me
 

The Urth 720 is definitely a bit easier to see through than the Zomei. That actually disturbed me while I was doing the test. Interesting how the factors are exactly the same for both filters.
 
Andrew O'Neill said:
The Urth 720 is definitely a bit easier to see through than the Zomei. That actually disturbed me while I was doing the test. Interesting how the factors are exactly the same for both filters.
Click to expand...

Really‽ Did you do a thorough compare? That sounds strange. Given the price difference it would take a lot of balls to charge more for an inferior product.
Put them side by side on a light box cranked to max. Ideally with a baffle to only let light through the filters.
 

Zomei on the left, Urth on the right.
 

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  • Zomei_Urth.jpg
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Thanks,Andrew. Well the Urth does look a lot lighter than the Zomei but if it produces the same IR effect then being lighter is a bonus

I had never heard of either and if I got an IR filter then it is likely to be a Hoya so I suppose for me its the ability to through the Hoya that counts

If the Hoya is like the Zomei then maybe I need to search out an Urth assuming such a filter is sold in the U.K.

pentaxuser
 

Hoya is a little cheaper than the Urth. I went with Urth filter mainly because it is made of glass. I've never been a fan of plastic filters as I'm pretty rough, and tend to scratch stuff. You should see the state of my Wratten gel filters!
 

That looks way too light. Like a 29 with a polarizer on.
“Looking the same” is very hard to determine from only a couple of exposures. Even a 29 can get an IR effect in the right light.

Andrew O'Neill said:
Hoya is a little cheaper than the Urth. I went with Urth filter mainly because it is made of glass. I've never been a fan of plastic filters as I'm pretty rough, and tend to scratch stuff. You should see the state of my Wratten gel filters!
Click to expand...

They are all glass?
The Schott glass used is not totally unlike Woods original IR/UV glass in that it’s not as hard and is more brittle than “normal” glass.
 
The 29 gets decent Wood with the Efke IR, and so so with Rollei IR. The 29 and 720 do not compare, at least that has been my experience. I don't bother using the 29 anymore, unless I'm shooting HIE (I still have a few 4x5 sheets)... heck, even the #12 gave plenty of Wood with that film.
 
Great video Andrew!
I may actually not have photographed that particular North 40 tree, but as you know, the North 40 trees just keep on giving!
For example:
 
MattKing said:
Great video Andrew!
I may actually not have photographed that particular North 40 tree, but as you know, the North 40 trees just keep on giving!
For example:
View attachment 321653
Click to expand...

I think I walked past that one! Was that with your pinhole?
 
Andrew O'Neill said:
I think I walked past that one! Was that with your pinhole?
Click to expand...

Nope. That was one of the last rolls from my RB67, before I sold it prior to our move.
 
MattKing said:
Nope. That was one of the last rolls from my RB67, before I sold it prior to our move.
Click to expand...

Oh ya, I keep forgetting you had an RB67.
 
Refloating this thread. Planning a short trip to Norway in the midnight sun season, baking many ideas and thought it might be the time to go IR. So after seeing your video and posts here about the Zomei, I ordered one filter!
I've had a couple rolls of Rollei infrared 120 lingering around for a few years (hoping no mottling developed) and I kept procrastinating the purchase of some IR filter season after season. Also received a roll of Ilford SFX last winter and then of course the digital should work for IR.
 
Helge said:
it would take a lot of balls to charge more for an inferior product
Click to expand...

What I learned from testing published here is that is extremely common in the modern world of filters:

UV filters test - Description of the results and summary

It is time to present the results of our tests. In the chart below we present the filters’ ranking according to the points they achieved in all the categories. Overall ranking Filter Result Result [%] Price[PLN] 1 Hoya 72 mm HMC UV-0 36 90 79 ...
www.lenstip.com

There aren't a huge amount of filter tests online, we need all we can get because a person can't really judge by price anymore, if they ever could.
 
Yes the Zomei is glass. It's two pieces stuck together. I believe one is coloured for IR, and the other is an ND filter. One of mine rattles now. Urth is just one piece of glass, multi coated, and ultra thin. The Zomei is perfectly fine to use.
 

You would be well advised not to bake your lenses. I strongly recommend instead that you take your lenses.
 
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