Another dumb question from me.

[DRabbit]

I have an M8 but am now getting into film.

What impact does an IR-Cut filter have on B&W film photography?

In other words, when I use my 50mm planar on the M8 I need to leave the IR-Cut filter on. If I don't take it off with the Zeiss Ikon and B&W film, what happens?

 

[__hh]

My gut feeling is... nothing.. at least to the normal human eye.

However, then using with 35mm lenses and wider on colour film, the filters will cause some (cyan?) colour shift.

 

[Bassism]

Though I don't have any direct experience, I think that the IR-cut filter would have no effect on a film camera. Its place on the M8 is to remove a portion of non-visible light to which the sensor in the M8 is sensitive.

I don't know what colour the IR-cut filter is to the human eye. I assume that it would be a light blue colour, in which case with b/w film it would cause blue subjects to be a bit lighter and yellow and red subjects to be a bit darker, similar in operation to a standard b/w blue filter.

In any case, it's not at all necessary, and it would be best to remove the filter for use with b/w film (unless you intend to lighten blue subjects, which is opposite from the standard use of b/w filters, and in which case you'd be better off with a proper blue filter)

 

[FrankS]

Just don't use IR film with that filter. 😉

 

[DRabbit]

Okay then! Good to know because it's obviously easier to just leave them on than to constantly remove them especially if I'm switching back and forth between M8 and film.

Okay... since I'm on a roll with dumb questions...

It's okay to change lenses on a film rangefinder when there's a roll of film in the camera, right? The shutter is closed (obviously), so the film is protected, right?

Honestly, I'm really not as dumb as I sound.

😀

 

[Al Kaplan]

Yup, we switch lenses all the time with film in the camera. It doesn't hurt anything.

 

[ChrisN]

When changing lenses, just be careful not to point the camera towards the sun, or you might get this :

 

[DRabbit]

Thanks guys 🙂

 

[George S.]

One more thing.... You should avoid pointing any camera even with lens attached at the sun. Do not even place your camera on its back while outside, like when taking a break on a bench or something unless the lens cap is on. The sunlight will burn a hole in your cloth shutter curtain.