Ilford SFX - Need advice for first time

B&Wpositive · Nov 2, 2008

I'd like advice on using Ilford SFX. I am going to use it for the first time.

Including but not limited to: metering, focusing, filters, exposure compensation.

The only filter I have is a red #25. I'd like to see examples, please.

Thanks!

pentaxuser · Nov 2, 2008

We are all of us going to repeat what exists on other SFX threads and worse than that leave out bits that exist on other SFX threads. I'd do a search. There's lots of info. However just to start you off. The red 25 which is all I have used, like you, will give you black skies and black water on sunny days but will not give you the "wood effect" i.e, the white silvery effect on deciduous foliage. If you have a camera that meters through the lens as I have then relying on camera internals should give you a good neg. It worked with my Pentax but if not then based on Milsom's recommendation, use F11 at 1/60th.

Don't know where you are but the book I'd try and get hold of is Hugh Milsom's "Infra Red Photography. Easily found in the U.K but probably less so in the U.S. where Laurie Hayball's Advanced Infra Red Photography is probably easier found.

Don't know if you have a standard against which you are judging what SFX will do but do not expect the equivalent of Kodak HIE or indeed any other IR film. SFX is different. If it isn't IR weather or you've tired of the limited IR effect with a red 25 then take off the red 25 and shoot normally. It's fine as a normal ISO200 film.

pentaxuser

B&Wpositive · Nov 2, 2008

I gather from what you said:

The red 25 filter will give me a stronger effect than on panchromatic film but not a strong IR effect? That's what I want--an in-between effect.
If it's cloudy the IR will be blocked by the clouds and it won't work?
Meter and focus normally through the red 25 filter - no exposure or focus compensation is needed? That means I can shoot in aperture priority.
And if I want to get some non-IR results just remove the filter for those frames and it will look more like regular panchromatic film?

If true, this sounds great!

Thomas Bertilsson · Nov 3, 2008

That's about what you can expect. It's a fantastic ISO 200 standard panchromatic film. With the red filter you get a little bit of a glow, but not as much as the Efke or Rollei films that are available today. It's unique, and beautiful. Try it. If you don't like it, at least you had fun trying!
- Thomas

pentaxuser · Nov 3, 2008

B&Wpositive said:
I gather from what you said:

If it's cloudy the IR will be blocked by the clouds and it won't work?

If true, this sounds great!

I think you might get some effect even in cloud with the 25 but it won't be of an IR nature. So if you needed to lighten red and darken blue and green to distinguish them such as a red rose surrounded by green foliage then a red filter would be useul but for reasons others than the black sky and glowing white clouds effect.

It is very versatile, if a little more grainy than other 200 films. More easily handheld with a 25 and even a possibility with a SFX filter but that another thread's worth. Grain might suit you fine but if not and if enlarging beyond 5x7 and shooting in 35mm as opposed to 120. I'd be tempted to dev in Perceptol which is much finer grained dev than say ID11, in my opinion.

Have fun

pentaxuser

Simon E · Nov 3, 2008

B&Wpositive said:
I gather from what you said:

The red 25 filter will give me a stronger effect than on panchromatic film but not a strong IR effect? That's what I want--an in-between effect.
If it's cloudy the IR will be blocked by the clouds and it won't work?
Meter and focus normally through the red 25 filter - no exposure or focus compensation is needed? That means I can shoot in aperture priority.
And if I want to get some non-IR results just remove the filter for those frames and it will look more like regular panchromatic film?

Milsom's book is really for Kodak HIE users. As others have said, SFX 200 is much less pronounced in its effect, but I quite like this. And yes, you can use it as a regular b&w film too - think of it like HP5 with extended red sensitivity. You can get stronger IR look (aka the "wood effect") with the SFX-branded filter, Hoya R72 or a visually opaque filter but there is a significant price to pay in terms of ASA/EI rating.

Try aperture-priority but some subjects may be a bit off. Always better to over rather than underexpose(some advice here). You can get some fairly strong effects with red 25 filter in the right conditions, but don't be afraid to try shooting in overcast light. They're no masterpieces but I have Dead Link Removed, all with red filter.

Jon Shiu · Nov 3, 2008

examples

Hi, here are a few examples with Red 25 filter, auto-exposure. Note in reality the fence is weathered wood without any paint on it.

Jon

Simon E · Nov 3, 2008

There's a Flickr pool just for photos taken with SFX200, and some tagged with SFX200 that aren't in the pool, like this one. Should give some food for thought.

pentaxuser · Nov 3, 2008

Simon E said:
Milsom's book is really for Kodak HIE users.

True, as most books on IR were or were at least had devoted the vast majority of the content to what was regarded as the " IR film" but Milsom is good enough to cover SFX and calibration with red and opaque filters and there is a section on it which is reasonable from a technical aspect. Although from a non technical aspect on SFX I have seen better pics than in Milsom's book.

Pity Kodak didn't or couldn't economically share the afficionados enthusiasm for HIE. It does rather devalue Milsom's book which with hindsight he may have devoted more space to other films but at the time who would have thought that Kodak would ditch HIE? Well the Kodak accountants possibly but they were no more going to advise Milsom on the future than the CEO of a company is going to advise shareholders to sell the shares.

The way it turned out it was a bit like a book about, say, tuning Sony televisions and then finding Sony no longer make such things.

pentaxuser

B&Wpositive · Nov 4, 2008

Thank you to all for the example pics and info. I did see the Flickr pool a few days ago.

Now, I can load and unload SFX in the same light as any film, right?

jim appleyard · Nov 4, 2008

B&Wpositive said:
Thank you to all for the example pics and info. I did see the Flickr pool a few days ago.

Now, I can load and unload SFX in the same light as any film, right?

Yes, and that's one thing I like about SFX. It also gives me enough IR look, I don't have to shift the focus, I can use an IR filter, a red 25, red 29, etc., and I can use it as a regular b/w film if I want.

titrisol · Nov 4, 2008

I prefer to load/unload in the shade but yes it can be done normally.
That is the great thing of this super-pan films

B&Wpositive said:
Now, I can load and unload SFX in the same light as any film, right?

Aurum · Nov 4, 2008

One of the other recent threads (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

B&Wpositive · Nov 4, 2008

What can I expect from a red#25 and a polarizer in front of that on SFX?

(other than vignetting)

Doug Webb · Nov 4, 2008

I like SFX best with a Wratten 89b filter. I have an image posted in my gallery of a barn surrounded by trees taken that way if you would like to see it. Really a great film.
Good luck,
Doug Webb

Ilford SFX - Need advice for first time

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