List of Infrared (NIR) films

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Here's a list of Near-Infrared films you can have fun with. Don't forget red or IR filter and bracket to get the hold of it!
Tested with Heliopan RG715 and Digital King IR72.

Adox:
Scala 50 / HR-50 (best)

Astrum/Svema:
FN64
Foto 100
Foto 200
Foto 400 (?)

CatLabs:
320 Pro

Foma:
Fomapan R 100 (weakest, tested with 715nm filter)

Ilford:
SFX 200

JCH:
Street Pan

Rollei:
RPX 25 / Retro 80S
Superpan 200 / Retro 400S / Infrared 400

Silberra:
Pan 100 / Ultima 100
Pan 160 / Ultima 160

...and basically any other Aviphot 80/200 derivative out there.

Fomapan R 100 might be the surprise here - was for me, but test I ran couple of days ago shows very small IR response. Left: Unfiltered Fomapan R 100 @800 | Right: Filtered with Heliopan RG715, +13 stop or half an hour exposure. You can see that the turquoise sun shield turned black and the evergreens reflecting some winter evening light. The response is very weak, but it's there!

On my Flickr I have samples from majority films listed.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2024

I use Rollei Infrared 400 with Red23, Red25, Red29 and 720 filters. Each provides its own depth of the Wood Effect.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Which one do you prefer, which gives best speed/visibility TTL/Wood combo for you?

Anon Ymous · Jan 1, 2024

Fomapan 400 also has some IR response.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Anon Ymous said:
Fomapan 400 also has some IR response.

Hmm, thanks for suggesting, will have to test it then

Anon Ymous · Jan 1, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
Hmm, thanks for suggesting, will have to test it then

Have to admit that I haven't tried it myself, but have seen some shots on-line.

mshchem · Jan 1, 2024

Are these films really IR in the traditional sense? Red filter works with panchromatic films well too. Fun with films!

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

mshchem said:
Are these films really IR in the traditional sense? Red filter works with panchromatic films well too. Fun with films!

Not that deep in IR spectrum as the old one's, but best and only you can have today. Superpanchromatic (NIR) will give proper Wood effect with 715, 720nm filters. Might be risky to go above as sensitivity drops off at about 750nm with these films.

mshchem · Jan 1, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
Not that deep in IR spectrum as the old one's, but best and only you can have today. Superpanchromatic (NIR) will give proper Wood effect with 715, 720nm filters. Might be risky to go above as sensitivity drops off at about 750nm with these films.

Are these any different from Ilford SFX? I haven't shot SFX for years, definitely dramatic. Thanks for this thread I need to try these films.

MattKing · Jan 1, 2024

mshchem said:
Are these any different from Ilford SFX? I haven't shot SFX for years, definitely dramatic. Thanks for this thread I need to try these films.

Indeed - Ilford SFX ought to be on the list.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Oh, right - forgot about SFX!
I tried SFX and didn't get much compared to Adox and Rollei offerings

If we look at Ilford SFX 200 and say Adox HR-50 / Scala 50 sensitivity curves, we can see why.
SFX has weaker NIR response.

Ilford SFX 200:

Adox HR-50 / Scala 50:

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Fomapan R 100:

Therefore some NIR sensitivity

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Anon Ymous said:
Have to admit that I haven't tried it myself, but have seen some shots on-line.

Well, that doesn't count to me. As far as I remember, it was earlier versions that were sensitive to some NIR, but today Foma website lists no sensitivity to speak of. But one might try it out with stupidly long exposure just in spite:

Fomapan 400 Action:

Animalcito · Jan 1, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
Well, that doesn't count to me. As far as I remember, it was earlier versions that were sensitive to some NIR, but today Foma website lists no sensitivity to speak of. But one might try it out with stupidly long exposure just in spite:

Fomapan 400 Action:
View attachment 358415

I mentioned it (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/fomapan-400-in-rodinal-1-50-ei-35mm.198140/post-2661700) that unfortunately Fomapan 400 lost its IR capabilities. The negatives were blank with the times I normally used it and even giving it significant more time did not help.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 1, 2024

Ah, thank you, @Animalcito

MattKing · Jan 1, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
SFX has weaker NIR response.

But not no NIR response - this is SFX:

mshchem · Jan 1, 2024

I vaguely remember PE explaining why there's not any IR film left. Something about something so difficult to make in small, non-government quantities. I remember playing with Kodak's HIE etc. I was a kid, nothing to show for it.

Maris · Jan 1, 2024

Surprisingly Ilford Delta 3200 also shows a trace of infrared sensitivity:

Hacienda #13 22.R.R.
Gelatin-silver photograph on Ilford Classic VC FB photographic paper, image size 21.5cm X 16.3cm, from a Ilford Delta 3200 negative
exposed in a Fiji GSW680 camera fitted with a IR720 filter.
Exposure was 8 minutes at f8 to show a trace of Wood effect.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 2, 2024

Maris said:
Delta 3200 also shows a trace of infrared sensitivity

Hmm, interesting - will have to check out.

miha · Jan 2, 2024

@Maris: I don't care about IR but this is a beautiful photograph!

MCB18 · Jan 3, 2024

I know Aviphot has already been mentioned, but I will say, it is EXTREMELY responsive. Even with the cheapest IR filter I could get for my RB67, it has an extremely obvious wood effect, and the sky goes black without a polarizer, something I have heard folks mentioning they needed sometimes. I would definitely recommend picking up Aviphot or a derivative, and playing around with it.

Ivo Stunga · Jan 3, 2024

It is indeed so.
And the given list already includes majority of Aviphot reworks/repackages.

Adox
Takes Aviphot 80, puts some work in it, and boosts pictorial ISO 1 stop, making a great ISO 50 film. Then selling it as HR-50 and Scala 50 for affordable price. I have no problems with this and congratulations for making sweet tech emulsion available for regular shooters.

Meanwhile everyone else on the list (except Ilford and Foma), probably Astrum included, just plain:
- Repackages either Aviphot 80 or 200;
- put their half or fully assed logos on it;
- without putting any additional work into it;
- often charging way higher prices than Adox;
- far too often lying that it's a "completely new emulsion, made for them" and I have some problems with this, but like that tech emulsion is available... I just avoid these resellers whenever possible.

This horse has already been beaten to death more than once, but more info on this practice here: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...-films-and-kentmere-100-and-400-films.196304/

Currently the IR response goes as this, starting with less sensitive: Fomapan R 100 < Ilford SFX 200 < Aviphot derivatives.

If you need Aviphot 200, cheapest iteration usually is Rollei Superpan 200 in bulk, but most expensive - Infrared 400. If Astrum turns out doing the same, then cheapest option would be to buy bulk from Ukraine.

Cute.

MCB18 · Jan 3, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
It is indeed so.
And the given list already includes majority of Aviphot reworks/repackages.

Adox
Takes Aviphot 80, puts some work in it, and boosts pictorial ISO 1 stop, making a great ISO 50 film. Then selling it as HR-50 and Scala 50 for affordable price. I have no problems with this and congratulations for making sweet tech emulsion available for regular shooters.

Meanwhile everyone else on the list (except Ilford and Foma), probably Astrum included, just plain:
- Repackages either Aviphot 80 or 200;
- put their half or fully assed logos on it;
- without putting any additional work into it;
- often charging way higher prices than Adox;
- far too often lying that it's a "completely new emulsion, made for them" and I have some problems with this, but like that tech emulsion is available... I just avoid these resellers whenever possible.

This horse has already been beaten to death more than once, but more info on this practice here: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...-films-and-kentmere-100-and-400-films.196304/

Currently the IR response goes as this, starting with less sensitive: Fomapan R 100 < Ilford SFX 200 < Aviphot derivatives.

If you need Aviphot 200, cheapest iteration usually is Rollei Superpan 200 in bulk, but most expensive - Infrared 400. If Astrum turns out doing the same, then cheapest option would be to buy bulk from Ukraine.

Cute.

Yeah, the folks that get their films finished by Harmon/Foma/Shanghai, claim it’s a brand new emulsion, then get pissy when folks call them out (you know who you are) really annoy me. Just tell us it’s Aviphot, we already know but it makes you look so much less like a shady person when you just admit it.

I’m still trying to find fresh stock in manageable bulk, but unfortunately there’s no easy way to get confirmed Aviphot products in consumer usable quantities in 35mm. I can buy a master roll’s worth of semi-finished pancakes, but that’s… well, a bit out of my budget. But Astrum stuff is probably Aviphot, so it’s probably the best bet if you want it cheap.

MF and sheet film on the other hand, can be found ridiculously cheap from India right now, but they are NOS expired. Cold stored, and still awesome film, but 10-12 years expired still. You also gotta put a lot of elbow grease into packaging that stuff for cameras. Just spent almost 3 hours cutting 50 sheets of 8x10 up today, but it’s an awesome film that I’m happy to give to the community at reasonable prices.

BMbikerider · Jan 3, 2024

Non will ever equal or exceed the performance of the Kodak HIE Infra Red. Tricky to use, but get a good shot you will have an outstanding winner. With no antihalation layer the ghostly edges of a subject in the frame will never be equaled,

Ivo Stunga · Jan 3, 2024

I agree, @BMbikerider ! Well, kind-of

List of Infrared (NIR) films

Ivo Stunga

Sirius Glass

Ivo Stunga

Anon Ymous

Ivo Stunga

Anon Ymous

mshchem

Ivo Stunga

mshchem

MattKing

Moderator

Ivo Stunga

Ivo Stunga

Ivo Stunga

Animalcito

Ivo Stunga

MattKing

Moderator

mshchem

Maris

Ivo Stunga

miha

MCB18

Ivo Stunga

MCB18

BMbikerider

Ivo Stunga

List of Infrared (NIR) films

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