Sunny 16 for IR?

Mark_S · Mar 30, 2007

I am dabbling with IR photography, using a 720nm filter. From the first few rolls that I have done, I am begining to believe that there is no way to meter a scene to end up with a decent exposure. This got me thinking - is there an equivalent rule like the 'sunny 16' rule for IR films?
From what I have seen, the speeds listed on the box are wildly optimistic.

Terence · Mar 30, 2007

Which film are you planning to use. They have vastly different qualities.

Sirius Glass · Mar 30, 2007

The problem is that the spectrum response of the light meter is no where close to the spectrum response of the IR film. Perhaps others here may know of a better way of setting the exposure for IR film, but I for one have never found a consistant method. That would leave trial and error.

Steve

DrPablo · Mar 30, 2007

If you're using a 720 nm filter with the Rollei IR film, you can start by exposing at ISO 3. That's worked pretty consistently for me.

Terence · Mar 30, 2007

Stever said:
The problem is that the spectrum response of the light meter is no where close to the spectrum response of the IR film. Perhaps others here may know of a better way of setting the exposure for IR film, but I for one have never found a consistant method. That would leave trial and error.

Steve

I agree with you, and definitely bracket more for IR, but I can normally come up with a starting guess for a given lighting condition, ie. sunset at sea level versus mid-day at 10,000 feet. As the film becomes more IR sensitive, and as you use higher cutoff filters, the guesses become less accurate and require more bracketing. For instance, using Ilford SFX at mid-day at sea level with a #25 filter, I'll rate the film at about 100 and then adjust for the filter factor. Kodak EIR at sunrise atop Mt Rainier with an 89b filter is anybody's guess . . .

pentaxuser · Mar 30, 2007

Can I recommend "Infra- Red Photography - A complete workshop guide" by Hugh Milsom. This book does literally what it says on the tin as the advert runs. He covers several IR films quite extensively and thoroughly.

In the U.S. "Advanced Infrared Photography Handbook" by Laurie White-Hayball may be easier to get but in terms of helpfulness I think H Milsom's book has the definite edge.

pentaxuser

nicolai · Mar 30, 2007

Here are instructions for building your own IR meter.

ben-s · Mar 30, 2007

FWIW, I usually TTL meter through the filter (a Hoya R72). I've had success with MACO, HIE and EIR.

I have also tried metering through the filter, using an external meter (Sekonic L308B and Gossen luna-pro) This works too.

Bracketing is a must.

I've attached a quick illustration of what different filters do to IR film - primarialy to demo the wood effect, but interesting nonetheless. I adjusted the exposure to whatever the TTL meter read for each filter
The order is no filter, Yellow, Orange, Red, R72

Dave Miller · Mar 31, 2007

ben-s said:
FWIW, I usually TTL meter through the filter (a Hoya R72). I've had success with MACO, HIE and EIR.

I have also tried metering through the filter, using an external meter (Sekonic L308B and Gossen luna-pro) This works too.

Bracketing is a must.

I've attached a quick illustration of what different filters do to IR film - primarily to demo the wood effect, but interesting nonetheless. I adjusted the exposure to whatever the TTL meter read for each filter
The order is no filter, Yellow, Orange, Red, R72

That's an excellent comparison Ben, but what film is featured?

Sparky · Mar 31, 2007

No. 87, f/4 and be there.

ben-s · Apr 2, 2007

Dave Miller said:
That's an excellent comparison Ben, but what film is featured?

I missed that one
In this case, MACO 820C, 400 ISO.
The results you get from HIE are pretty similar too, but you usually get the characteristic "glow" around things from no Antihalation layer.
Shot in a Canon EOS 500, 50mm lens.
If my slightly inebriated memory serves me correctly, f/8, Tv ranging from about 1/100th to 10 secs.

Sunny 16 for IR?

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