Infra Red b/w Film development

[john341]

Has anyone any experience developing i/r negative film? There is some pretty confusing information out there, I was intending to use either Ilfosol-S or HC-110. I wonder what development times might be indicated. Thanks

 

[Bob Michaels]

It would help if you specified which film as I believe there are several IR negative films out there. In any case, the film manufacturer's data sheet is your best source of information. Almost all of them can be downloaded from the manufacturer's web site.

 

[john341]

I haven't bought it yet, its quite expensive in Oz It's a Rollei 400asa I'm sure.
Yes some info may be one the web-site..thanks

 

[Bob Michaels]

I must add there is no such thing as "correct" or "incorrect" exposure and development for b&w IR films. The one I am accustomed to, Kodak HIE, has dramatically different looks depending on exposure and development. None are "correct" and none are "incorrect". It's simply a matter of what you want your photos to look like. And that is not even taking into account the differences from which filter you use to block parts of the visible light spectrum.

 

[Fotohuis]

Rollei IR 820-400 with an IR RG715nm (#88A) filter.
M645 pro, iso 12.

The result depends strongly of the amount of IR light in the atmosphere and you have to use at least an IR filter of 695nm (89B) or the recommended 88A. Hoya R72 (720nm) is also OK.

Also the new Rollei Superpan 200 film has IR possibilities with these filters, however this film is sensitized till 750nm and lower iso rate (200) and this IR 820-400 is straight to 750nm and then the curve is rapidly going down to 820nm but is iso 400.
The strong effect like Kodak HIE is not possible due to the fact these films have an AH layer which is not on the HIE film. Further HIE is going over 900nm and even a dark red filter (620nm) was enough to get IR effect with this discontinued Kodak film.

Rollei 820-400 is available on 35mm, 120 roll film and 4x5" sheet film. Super Pan 200 on 35mm and 120 roll film.

 

[Tom A]

Black and white IR film is a true "shot in the dark". Buy multiple rolls and shoot tests! Also remember that some cameras are not IR proof - plastic backs, the small window on the back that shows the index on the cassette, some IR sensors in the camera body, they can all fog the film. Plastic developing tanks too. You also have to remember to load and unload in total darkness and keep the film cold, both before and after exposure.
On top of that comes minor things like focus shift etc. Sometimes is more effort than it is worth - but there are times when it works well. In todays world, I suspect that if I had to shoot more of that stuff, I would probably shoot digital and get a camerabody customized for it.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Older lenses came with a infrared focussing mark. After you focussed you turned the lens until the IR mark lined up with where vour visible light mark pointed on the distance scale. The kodak film was the grainiest film I've ever used, even grainier than the old Royal-X Pan Recordng or 2475 Recording.

 

[john341]

I agree-I used the Kodak IR forty years ago in New Guinea and it was a s l o w film with heaps of grain

 

[charjohncarter]

I shoot Efke 820IR at ISO .5 and .25 and developed them in HC-110h for 14 minutes; 30 seconds initial agitation, 3 inversions per minute, 68 degrees (edit: I used a a Hoya R72 filter):