anwarsalim

As we know infrared photography in film media is infrared film capture some of the longer length (above 700 nm) infra-red radiation. The film is also sensitive in the UV region (below 400 nm). a few film also sensitive to near-infrared radiation out to approximately 1000 nm wavelength (1 micron).

How bout in digital? (infrared photography using filter attach in front of the lens method) “The reason i choose Digital Camera is prices continue to fall and the level of functionality and resolution is increasing in consumer digital cameras

In Digital you have understand not just the concept of infrared it self, but you really have to know the specification of your Digital Camera. Is your digital camera respond very well to infrared?
In the front of your digital camera sensor (CCD/CMOS array) there is a special infrared-blocking filter. it’s called hot mirror, every brand has they own type of hot mirror, code name low pass filter. That’s why there are few camera like Nikon (D100,D50,D70,D70s) are very good capture infrared, and another brand needs longer exposure to capture infrared.

For example i using Nikon D70/s, most of my photo need = iso200 1second at F/9. Why Fuji S3 Pro UV/IR can hand held IR photography?
in Canon EOS 350D will need longer than that. Are CCD is better than CMOS? Is Nikon better than Canon? i wouldn’t say that. I just want to enhance basic understanding risk of infrared photography.

If you often do long exposure infrared photography, there a fatal risk you will get. At the end, the sensor will give you dead pixel and burn out electricity. I will not recommend this. But its your camera anyway. lol
The good thing is camera with low pass filter capture more natural light without infrared light. I don’t want say which brand A or camera brand B is the best, lets finish this one.

Another risk is your health, what i mean is never see through view finder for compositing your photo while infrared filter is attached in your lens. The worst case is eye cancer, I’m not try to make you afraid, understand the risk. You will achieve the gain and addicted ot infrared photography

After you understand the camera, lets talk more detail about infrared wavelength
Wratten #25 _ _ _ _ _ 600nm
Wratten #29 _ _ _ _ _ 620nm
Wratten #70 _ _ _ _ _ 680nm
Wratten #89B _ _ _ _ 720nm
Wratten #88A _ _ _ _ 750nm
Wratten #87 _ _ _ _ _ 800nm
Wratten #87C _ _ _ _ 850nm
Wratten #87B _ _ _ _ 930nm

if you have Hoya R72, its mean your filter block all the infrared with wavelength above 720nm. If you have Hoya RM90, its mean your filter block all the infrared filter above 920nm.

Why i should know about this? let me give you real case. 600 nm is more opaque and red than 720nm. Why Hoya R25 give me reddish photo with high contrast in the sky? why custom infrared filter with 980Nm need longer exposure?

Understand this concept, you will know which Wratten type can give me the best IR for B/W result, or which wratten type give me the best raw photo for false color (infrared color photo). Other beneficial is will give you very clear mind which infrared filter is the best for me.

If you ask me, which one is the best? base on my experience i will say Hoya R72 is the best, why? because easy to get!!. That’s it. Some infrared filter for example iflord gelatin SFX can’t face the strong heat of the sun, easily broken. B+W is too expensive, i just can’t afford to lose another one. Heliopan RG780 is very rare, with Harrison&Harrison you have to wait another 3 months to get a filter

Cokin P007 is my fave too, because the method is slot in. Make me comfort do the composition before taking a picture. But its back to you.. feel free to choose which one is the best for you. Remember the point of view that every filter have their own characteristic, fully understand about this. You will get full beneficial of the filter.

The other thing is metering in infrared are totally different with natural metering. Because source of infrared photography is infrared light. For easy let me give you hints :
1) There is more infrared light around when there is bright sunlight. This doesn’t mean you should avoid take infrared photo in other conditions but that the effects are stronger when the sun is out.
2) Largest amount of IR: the hours just after sunrise and before sunset (due to the angle of the sunlight through the atmosphere), the effect is most dramatic (i.e deep black sky) when photographing with the sun behind the camera. Now you know why some of infrared photo are very contrast
3) An electronic or bulb flash will increase the amount of IR as well as visible light.

In conclusion, you will never able to depends on Auto, A, S, P, or other mode in your Digital Camera, always use Manual Exposure mode in your camera

I will continue in next journal. Feel free to ask and discuss, i will do my best to answer

Copyright images belong to the owner, attach in this journal not for profit information

best regards,
Anwar Salim