Working with Macophot IR820C / Efke IR820

[Wolfram Malukker]

I know they're the same Fotokemika stock, and they're both NLA and all expired by now. I have six rolls of Macophot IR820c that I'll shoot within the next year or so, assuming I can find good information on developing it. I've read that it has issues with the antihalation layer dissolving, but no one has said the same for Efke IR820, which is the same film according to Fotokemika's past statements. (Wish I'd played with cameras earlier in life!)

I do not yet process my own film. I send mine to Boutique Film Lab in Nashville, TN because they're just a bit south of me. They develop all B&W film in a leader card processor in Ilfotech RT developer.

Will they be able to process my IR film, or will I need to learn developing and practice a bit to get good results?

I shot my first roll of Rollei Superpan 200 saturday, shooting at 200ISO in bright sunlight, and at 6ISO with an R72 IR-pass filter. I don't think they will have an issue with developing Superpan 200, but have read a few horror stories about the Macophot IR820.

 

[Rudeofus]

I have heard some stories about labs using IR light and night vision goggles to watch the process, but it's extremely unlikely that a photo finishing lab would do that. You could still ask about that, and whether their machinery uses IR to scan for sprocket holes or the like. They look like a professional outfit, so they should know about IR films and their own machinery.

Once this is cleared up you should be good to go. Self processing is a lot of fun, but one should not start this trail with expired and poorly hardened IR film.

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

I'll ask the lab about the IR light/night vision, but I don't think they use them-it seems like the entire crew at BFL work in a 20x30 storefront, the place is pretty jam-packed with folks running scanning machines and photo software.

Considering expired is the only IR film with any sensitivity beyond 780nm available, that's the only option. Aviphot 200 isn't likely to be made again, just like 400 and 400S ran out, so Maco swapped IR400 to being Aviphot 200 just like the other Rollei films. When it runs out, I guess they'll just change the film and keep the name again. I like the look of Konica 750 but it's all expired, Efke 820 was the last batch of IR film made that I can find any mention of, and it's all from 2012. (And 400+$ per 10 rolls, the few places I've seen it for sale.) I got lucky with the Macophot, I mentioned Saturday that I was trying some IR photography and one of the other photographers in the park offered it to me as they now do their IR with a digital camera.

I still haven't decided if I want to dive into developing film myself-I have all the tools, as my grandfather had a darkroom before he moved down to where we all live at now, but I don't have a good storage area for chemicals that are temperature or moisture sensitive. The photographer that gave it to me didn't mention anything about it being hard to develop, I just read some tales on the internet about it.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I wouldn't trust a lab with it. Do it yourself. It's easy.

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

I am considering it-I'd like to develop at least one or two rolls with my grandfather.