Running out of Kodak's High Speed Infrared.... which film do I go to now?

[Rob Skeoch]

I've been shooting a bit of the old Kodak High Speed Infrared but I'm down to my last two rolls. The film was given to me a few years back, it's way out of date, and was tricky to use at the best of times. I can't say that I've had any luck with the film as the basefog seems to overpower the image. It's possible the person who owned the film before me, opened the black canisters and fogged everything, who knows.
I'm been keeping the film in the plastic can until loading it in the camera in the dark.
Now where do I go from here? I've shot a couple rolls of Ilford's SFX200. I'm not getting the IR look I want.
What are people using? Is it the Rollei film that seems to be today's IR answer.
I'm happy to have one camera loaded with the film, and I have filters including the B+W092 which is their IR filter, but I also have the 090 Deep Red option.
Every shot doesn't seem to work in IR anyway, so any tips appreciated.
Thanks.
-Rob

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have been happy with Rollie 400 IR film developed in XTOL: stock, 1:1 or replenished. I use Red23, Red25, Red29 and 720 [aka 72] for various strength of the Wood effect. That is the closest I have come to HIE in a product since I ran out of it.

 

[retina_restoration]

Rob, there is no modern equivalent of HIE. Rollei's Infrared 400 is about as close as you're going to get, and it's not very close at all in my experience. Overexposing it and using a 720nm filter will help, but it's the Poor Man's HIE at best.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

There is nothing out there that even comes close to what HIE could do. Even with a #12 yellow, I could get decent Wood effect. Rollei IR is the best that is out there now...but again, it's nothing like HIE. You can get good Wood effect with a 720 filter, putting your EI down to about 6. At least it's available up to 4x5. I get it from Argentix. I see he has it in stock from 35mm to 4x5.

 

[revdoc]

There's still some old Konica 750 floating around on eBay. It's closer to HIE than the Aviphot films.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

There's still some old Konica 750 floating around on eBay. It's closer to HIE than the Aviphot films.

Really? I think Konica is closer to SFX. They both only made it out to 750nm. Rollei (Aviphot) IR would be closer to HIE (but still miles apart) as it goes out to about 820nm.

 

[mfagan]

I got a newsletter (his last one, he said) from Tim Rudman. He is selling off a lot of HIE as well as some other IR film. I have no idea if any is left.

 

[mfagan]

I should have added above that the newsletter is from almost two months ago.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I should have added above that the newsletter is from almost two months ago.

I wonder if it's mainly 35mm. He's probably sold them all, anyways...

 

[mfagan]

Some roll film. Copied from his newsletter:

“- Macophot infrared roll film IR 820c and IR 820c AURA
Efke IR 820c and IR 820c AURA​

These are identical products.
Made by Fotokemika's Efke in Croatia and subsequently rebadged under licence by MACO as Macophot.
The 'AURA' versions have no anti-halation layer, for "more glowing effect".
Sensitive to light to 820-850nm.
Red or UV filter required for best IR results. Load and unload in subdued light or darkness.”

His email: photo@timrudman.com

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks, mfagan. I loved Efke IR. I have a 50 sheet box of 4x5 in the freezer. Wonderful stuff.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

From recollection, SFX-Konica-HIE is the order from least to most effect. I haven't shot the current ones.

I shot a lot of Infrared back when i was young. HIE was always mushy. Konica was much cleaner. SFX was cleaner still. Konica ended up being the one I used most. It was available in 120. Shame it was lost. Got some great tones from it.

I'd recommend getting whatever is available then playing with filters. You will probably find something you like.


Konica-