Infrared Fun with the FPP Infrared Film

I recently posted about using an expired roll of Kodak HIE IR film, and while it is certainly an amazing film - largely due to the fact that you can get excellent results just by using a common R25A red filter, it’s sadly no longer manufactured.  However, I also listed a bunch of b&w films that have IR sensitivity and work well with a R72 filter.  The downside of that R72 filter is that it is nearly opaque, and you really cant’t use an SLR for composing an image without taking the filter off, composing, and putting it back on for the shot.  I was able to find a 40.5mm screw-on R72 filter that fits a 53mm f/2.8 Industar LTM lens on my Canon 7 rangefinder camera.  That made a big difference in making IR photography easy!

The Canon 7 has an external Selenium meter, which I never use. From my experience and what I have seen, indicates that with a 200 ISO film with a R72 filter, I’ll need to set my aperture at f/16 at either 1 sec or 1/2 sec in full sun.  You really can’t use an internal meter for IR, as the R72 filter cuts out most of the visible light.  Generally, that’s about 5 to 8 stops of light, so that is going to be in the realm of 1/8 to 1 sec, depending on the quality of the reflected IR and the film used.  Bracketing exposures is your friend.

The Infra Red film from the Film Photography Project is rated at ISO 200, without a filter.  It’s also on a very thin Mylar base.  Load the film indoors.  Make sure it’s engaged on the take-up spool before closing the back of the camera.  I suggest using a rangefinder camera or even a zone-focus 35mm with a R72 filter on the lens.  Some photographers have used 35mm Holgas and the B setting. You won’t be looking through the filter like you would in an SLR. That’s a BIG help!  If your lens has an IR focus mark (not all lenses do), use it, but if you are shooting at an aperture of f/11 or f/16, it’s not going to be a big deal.  Set your shutter speed to 1/2 sec to get that full “Wood effect” of white foliage that makes IR photography so surreal.  Don’t over-think it.  Keep your aperture constant at f/16 and yes, use a damned tripod.  You can forgo the tripod if you open your aperture to f/5.6 at 1/30 sec, but you will lose the greater depth of field that f/16 provides.  

I’ve shot several rolls of the FPP Infra-Red, and overall, I am very pleased with the results.  You won’t get the exact same results as the Kodak HIE film, which did not have an anti-halation coating.  So, with that film, you also got some “blooming” from bright subjects that you won’t get with the other films currently available.  You MUST use an R72 filter with this film, as there is too much visible light coming through with a red 25A filter.  The R72 filter starts at 720nm of light wavelengths, which is in the infrared spectrum.  You CAN shoot this film as a normal 200 ISO b&w film, and get good results, as it is very fine-grained.  However, use it as an IR film for its spectral sensitivity and the unique images that you’ll get.

Examples from two rolls:

Roll 1 shot with a Nikon F... Developed with D-76

Roll 2, Shot with the Canon 7, developed in Rodinal.

As you can see, the FPP InfraRed is definitely able to give you that surreal monochrome IR look.  Make sure that you have plenty of sun.  In the first set of images, there were scattered clouds among the mountains, and that definitely wasn't ideal.  The one really good IR image was shot in full afternoon sun.  In the second roll, all were taken within 30 minutes, on a bright sunny afternoon.  I love what I got with the Canon 7, and that will obviously be my go-to for shooting 35mm IR films.

Kodak HIE - The Best Infrared Film?

I have been working on a photo project revolving around the Kudzu vine -- just one of the invasive plant scourges in the South, and certainly the most infamous.  I wanted to do something a little different, and realized that I still had ONE roll of Kodak’s HIE - High Speed Infrared Film which had an expiration date of 11/2007.  It came from my deceased friend Marc Akemann’s stash of film, and I’d been keeping it in the fridge since 2019.  Hmm, what better use than shooting some Kudzu with it?  

Since 2000, I have shot a few rolls of HIE, and I always felt that for a special project, shooting b&w infrared is something to behold.  Unfortunately, Kodak HIE has been out of production for well over a decade.  What I really like about it is that you don’t need to use a nearly opaque R72 filter to get the “Wood effect” - which is that ghostly glow to leaves that make the IR world so much fun.  All you need with HIE is a red 25A filter.  On top of that, you don’t even have to use a meter - under full sun, set your exposure to 1/60 sec at f/16.   It’s that easy.  You want full sun for the best results, anyway.   My roll of HIE had always been refrigerated, and as an ISO 400 film, that is a good thing.  That’s one of the reasons I like HIE - it’s very simple to use, and you can shoot it without a tripod.  

In comparison, you must use an opaque IR filter with the Rollei IR films, as well as the FPP 200 ISO IR film.  That definitely requires a tripod, because you have to set up your shot without the R72 filter, then attach it and make your exposure, if you are using an SLR.  If I am using the FPP IR film, then it is about 8 stops of filtration, so that makes it basically an ISO 0 .75, or about 1/2 to 1 second exposures at f/16.  Tripod city, for sure. As far as I know, no other IR film comes close to HIE for its versatility, ease of use, and excellent results.  I wish Kodak would make  it once more.

I find it best to use a fully manual camera with any IR film, because the meter is going to be pretty much useless.  I use my Nikon F with a plain prism finder.  It also has a very good sealing back, and no features that would introduce fogging of the IR film.  Load your IR film indoors, if possible.  In the case of HIE, there is no anti-halation layer, and there is light-piping if you are not careful.  Light-piping is where the film base acts something like a piece of fiber-optic, carrying the light into the unexposed sections of film. Something to be avoided, for sure. 

I loaded my Nikon F at home, and used a 25A red filter on a 35mm f/2.8 non-Ai Nikkor lens.  I set my exposures to 1/60 at f/16, as well as 1/30 at f/16, or 1/60 at f/11.  I shot in full sun, and when I developed the film I used Rodinal at 1:25 for 9 minutes at 20°C.

Results

It had been enough years since I have used this film that I was actually worried that I might not get good results, but damn, that film came through, and I was not disappointed with a single shot.  I scanned the negatives on my Epson V700, and here are some of the results below.

My friend Bill Pivetta took the Nikon F from me and shot a couple of shots of me with it, and talk about a striking image...

That was taken outside of the Highland Brewery in Asheville, and I shot these there, too.

On my quest for Kudzu, I found a nice patch of it along Riverside Rd. between Asheville and Woodfin.  

The French Broad River with the tree-covered hills made for some contrasty images.

Lastly, all vines look interesting in IR, as these grapes and background vegetation appear with a dark sky.

Yes, you can use digital to get an IR image, and I have done it. However, I love the way films render subjects under IR, and especially Kodak HIE.  I love how easy it is to get the Wood effect with HIE, and the ease of developing the film.  

One of my sources of information on Infrared photography has been the book, “The Art of Infrared Photography” by Joseph Paduano.  ISBN #0-936262-03-6.  His simplified chart of exposing Kodak HIE is as follows:

Approximate outdoor exposures with a No. 25 red filter

• Direct Sunlight - 1/60 sec  at f/16
• Hazy, barely discernable shadows- 1/30 at f/16
• Light cloud cover - 1/30 at f/11
• Moderate rain - 1/15 at f/8

If you set your aperture to f/16 and are using a wide-angle lens, you really don’t need to use the IR mark on your lens barrel for the IR focus point.   While recently-expired HIE is hard to find, I see some of it on eBay - but it’s usually from the late 1980s, and at crazy prices.  I’d stay away from those sales - it’s likely to be fogged from age, and probably not refrigerated.  

If you want to give black and white infrared film a try, here are a few alternatives that will work pretty well, but probably not as easily as Kodak HIE.

SFX 200 with a variable IR filter (2016)

All of the films listed below will give you best results with an R72 filter. That being said, I highly recommend using a camera that isn't an SLR, so that you can compose through the viewfinder.  You aren't going to be using a TTL meter anyway, so a fully manual camera is preferred.  For 35mm, a rangefinder camera or zone-focus such a Rollei 35 will do, so long as you are able to have B exposure, or at least 1 second shutter speed.  For 120, I highly recommend a TLR, or if you have a rangefinder medium format, that'll work too.  Some folks have even used Holgas with an R72 filter.  You'll be able to find R72 filters in most sizes, but you can also get adapter rings to fit whatever you need.  

Ilford SFX 200 is a near-IR film that with a dark red filter, will give somewhat of a Wood Effect.  Some people use an R72 filter for better results.  Again, you’ll need to use the filter factor with any dark red or R72 filter to see what your exposure will be on a sunny day.   SFX 200 is available in 120 and 35mm

Film Photography Project BW IR.  This 200 ISO film requires a R72 filter in full sunlight for the best effect.  You can also use a deep-red filter for less dramatic effect. 35mm only. 

Rollei Infrared 400 - needs a R72 IR filter for the full effect.  It’s available in 120 and 35mm, and also in 4x5 sheets.

Rollei Retro 80s - I have seen examples with an R72 filter, and I am impressed.  With an R72 filter, try 1/2 to 1 sec at f/16 on a full sun day. Available in 120 and 35mm.

Rollei Retro 400s - I have it on good authority that this film will also produce the Wood Effect with a deep red or R72 filter.  It’s available in 120 and 35mm.  

JCH Street Pan 400 - An R72 filter makes this a very interesting IR film to try out. 35mm only.

CatLABS X 320 Pro - From the CatLABS site - "Unique IR capabilities with extended sensitivity in the 750nm range: use an R72 type IR filter and use ISO 3-5 on your light meter for best results. IR photography can "see through" rain/mist and provide a unique rendering of plant life and leaves. "  The film is available in 35mm and 120.

Thanks to those of you have reached out to me regarding this post, and I have updated the information because of your suggestions.  

Pretty In Pink...FPP's Infrachrome Film

UM's Ingalls Mall with Rackham in the background, 2014.

I have been scanning in some slides from the summer's shooting, and realized that although I have shot a number of rolls of Infrachrome Film from the Film Photography Project Store, I haven't previously posted about it.   Before I start, here are some answers to questions I get about the film.

Q: What is FPP Infrachrome film?
A: It is most likely Aerochrome (E-6) film from Eastman Kodak.  I can't think of any other manufacturer that would have made such a distinctive film.

Q: Why shoot it?  Nothing looks real.
A: That is the point entirely.  You see an altered color landscape, and in bright sun, you get red and pink tones of green foliage, and other color shifts.  Blue sky tends to stay blue.  It's obviously not a film for every-day use.

Q: What filtration do I need for those quirky colors?
A: I suggest a yellow filter (K12) and a polarizer to get the best results.   You can experiment with a deep yellow or light orange and see what differences you get.

Q: What conditions are best for IR film?
A: Any infrared film works best under full sun conditions, whether it's B&W infrared or color infrared.  You need the sun to provide adequate infrared reflectance from the foliage.  Shadows tend to be very dark, as they are not reflecting IR.  IR is the opposite end of the spectrum from ultraviolet, or UV.  UV rays are very short wavelengths, and the longer wavelengths of IR basically gets to the level of heat.  Obviously, not a winter film!

Q: What 35 mm cameras work best for Infrachrome?
A:  Stay away from cameras that have a film cassette window on the back, and if they use IR inside for figuring out frame counts, like the Canon EOS cameras.  Time to go back to basics, and use something like a Pentax K1000, Nikon FM2N, Canon FTb, Minolta X700, etc.  You definitely want the camera to do the metering.  Of course, you could also use a rangefinder camera.

Q: Where do I send it to be developed?
A: Unless you are doing your own E-6 developing, the only place I recommend is thedarkroom.com in California.  They are used to dealing with it, and after I sent a couple rolls to another lab with awful results, I wish I had sent them to The Darkroom.   The film isn't cheap, so don't mess it up.

Every time I shoot a roll of this film I am amazed by the results. It's also a learning process, as every time, the conditions, subject,  and time of day give me results that are often surprising.   What really work -- strong afternoon sunlight, lots of vegetation, and a few clouds really add to the image.

Here are a few examples form the FPP Infrachrome film.