Efke IR 820

[andysig]

I've decided to experiment with IR film and have got some Efke IR 820. Has anybody got any tips for developing this in DD-X and the best ISO rating for exposures?

Secondly, I've got a deep red filter (for normal B&W film). Is this a good filter to use with IR film or do I have to get a specific IR filter?

Thanks in advance,

Andy.

 

[nickandre]

If you want the IR effect go with a Hoya 720 nm filter (IIRC. this was the cheapest filter available. I think I went through ebay) and then you'll want to rate it really low. Basically the film is way more sensitive to red light than it is to infrared light so if you can see well through the filter you'll still be getting the deep red effect. I think I used ASA 1.5 with that filter with good results in TMAX developer. It's been a year or three though.

 

[rawhead]

With Efke, you'd want an opaque (R72) filter for the best effects.

I always rate mine at ISO1.5 (yes, one-point-five). Then I follow the Massive Dev chart. DD-X (1+4) 11:30min @ 20?C

 

[rawhead]

Forgot to add sample pics: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=efke&w=88929764@N00&s=int

 

[cmo]

Even cheaper: the Cokin IR filter. Just don't use it with direct backlighting.

Here is plenty of information:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[JCJackson]

Both the Hoya R72 and the Cokin work well in my (limited) experience. It is worth studying the longish document that Efke posts about this film on their web site. If you want the IR "bloom" be sure to get the version of the film that has no anti-halation coating.

If you accept the manufacturer's rating of ISO 100 for the film, and add five stops for the infrared filter, you wind up with ISO 3. But 1.5 is probably better in most situations. In any case, bracket generously, since it is very difficult to assess how much infrared is actually there in any given scene.

Don't know where you plan to be shooting at this time of year, but generally there is more infrared in early morning or late afternoon, in spring or early summer. Another advantage of spring shooting is the little tiny leaves that are just busting out. Although these look green to the eye, they actually reflect tons of infrared, making for shots that look almost like snow scenes.

It's kind of unpredictable stuff, so just decide you're going to have fun experimenting!

 

[polyglot]

I use a Chinese R72 (720nm lowpass) clone and EI1 in Sunny-16 conditions, i.e. 1s at f/16 in full sunlight. Gives some decent detail into deep shadows while still retaining printable and detailed highlights on sunlit foliage. That exposure is also good for backlit foliage.

It has bad reciprocity failure, so for f/22 you want about 3s.

I like to develop it in Xtol 1+1 for 15:00.

 

[Roger Cole]

Anybody ever tried these modern IR films in Diafine? I have some Rollei in the freezer, the R72 filter, and plan to give that a go this spring, mainly because there's no guess work about time and temperature, same for all films and it does what it's going to do. It gets a bit of extra speed from some films so we'll see if that helps with these films.

If the first roll is awful I'll go to conventional developers.

 

[whlogan]

I have, with stunning results. 5 to 6 mins in Solution a and b. 30 secs agitation for the first min in both solutions and then 3 secs every 30 secs thereafter. Dump each solution quickly. No wash. Fix for 5 mins. Wash for 5 mins. Dry normally. I use a wash agent from the out fit in Wash state.... can't think of the name....also I prefer the Aura. I do mine in a Bronica ETRSI with a 40mm. Have fun !!!!!
Logan

 

[cmo]

Examples for Efke Aura in XTol 1:1, rated at @1.5-6 ISO, on bright summer days in Bern, Switzerland:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clemens-molinari/sets/72157624586698999/show/

 

[Roger Cole]

I have, with stunning results. 5 to 6 mins in Solution a and b. 30 secs agitation for the first min in both solutions and then 3 secs every 30 secs thereafter. Dump each solution quickly. No wash. Fix for 5 mins. Wash for 5 mins. Dry normally. I use a wash agent from the out fit in Wash state.... can't think of the name....also I prefer the Aura. I do mine in a Bronica ETRSI with a 40mm. Have fun !!!!!
Logan

Cool, thanks. That's slightly longer and slightly more agitation than I use for other films but no problem. That's with the Efke? I planned to try both it and the Rollei. Have you tried the same film with other developers and how did it compare? My two interests in trying it with Diafine were, first, because it's easy to find the "right" time, and secondly because the stuff, with an IR filter, is so darned slow any effective speed increase would be nice.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Hello Andy, you may also be interested in reading this thread:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[andysig]

Thank you all for your replies and links. I now have a lot of information to absorb and a lot of experimenting to do. It's clear that my 091 filter from B+W won't be much use but I shall use my 093 IR filter and do a fair bit of bracketing with an ISO range of 1 to 3.