Color Infrared Film

[raid]

I haven't used such film in quite some time, but I have loaded up 40 images the past two days, out of which a few were taken with Kodak color infrared film. I remember how I planned very carefully for each exposure since I did not want to waste any frame by bracketing due to [then] being a poor graduate student. I wonder how many still use color infrared fim and whether it is even possible to get such film developed anymore. I may have a few rolls in the freezer. No clue whether gamma rays already messed it up or not.

If you have the time, please take a look at my uploaded images and give me your input. Thanks.

Raid

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I've used it recently (that is, within the last year), and found it relatively easy to have it processed because it can be done in E-6 process. I'd advice to send the box along with the film... in case you have to ship the film out. If you go to a lab, just take it with.

I like it, but I simply don't see more opportunities to use it here. And traveling with it would be a problem (if by air, otherwise... nah).

 

[AusDLK]

I have used Kodak EIR film quite recently.

When in Italy back in June I found a store that had five rolls in their film cooler. I bought them out. Then the next month in Prague I found another store that had three more rolls that I scooped up. Believe it or not I found two more rolls in a store in Vienna but I never had a chance to expose it!

I used an orange filter both over a lens and behind a pinhole body cap on my M7. I have the resulting images posted on my web site (click here) along some that I took back in 1973 when I was teenager.

The film can be processed using the E6 process. I was concerned that the film canister warns about processing in total darkness -- that is any IR sensors in the E6 processing machine need to be turned off before running the EIR film through it.

But two different shops with equally difficult language barriers processed the film for me and there was absolutely no fogging.

You should check with a local lab about IR film processing first but frankly I'm not so sure that this is really a problem with modern E6 processing machines.

The film was loaded and unloaded in subdued light (i.e., in the shade) again with no problems with fogging.

I did no bracketing to speak of. I set the ISO setting to 200 (and even once by mistake to 100) and let the M7's built in meter do the work for me. Almost all of the images taken in open sun were perfectly exposed.

I have probably 20 rolls of EIR in the freezer back home so I will be revisiting EIR film again when I return home.

Where do we find the images that you just uploaded?

 

[raid]

I have used Kodak EIR film quite recently.


Where do we find the images that you just uploaded?

Dave,


http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=3565


Raid

 

[dmr]

When I was in my teens (more years ago than I care to admit) I tried a roll of Infrared Ektachrome. Haven't even considered doing again, but from seeing yours, I'm tempted, just to see what it will do.

The shot I'm attaching was with the old IR Ektachrome. I did have to send it for special processing, if I remember my numbers, this was the older E3 process in the days where E4 was the normal one.

Yes, very bizarre colors ...

 

[raid]

dmr: Mine were also taken with the sdame type of film as yours.

I wonder if the results will be idnetical when using E-6 versus the original developing process meant for the infrared film. Was it E-4? I wonder why suddenly E-6 was acceptable after years of using another process at very few labs?


Raid

 

[dmr]

I wonder if the results will be idnetical when using E-6 versus the original developing process meant for the infrared film. Was it E-4? I wonder why suddenly E-6 was acceptable after years of using another process at very few labs?

Hmmmm ... (blowing off dust from unused memory cells ...) ... I'm sure the normal process for this, at least when I used it, was not E4. I remember one of the people who worked at Willoughbys told me that she had used it and had some of it done in E4 and some in E3 and those in E3 came out much better. I do remember taking it to Spiratone for processing and they had to send it out for the then-obsolete process.

I have no clue if E6 would work for this film. Maybe Photo Engineer on APUG would know.

 

[x-ray]

When I was in my teens (more years ago than I care to admit) I tried a roll of Infrared Ektachrome. Haven't even considered doing again, but from seeing yours, I'm tempted, just to see what it will do.

The shot I'm attaching was with the old IR Ektachrome. I did have to send it for special processing, if I remember my numbers, this was the older E3 process in the days where E4 was the normal one.

Yes, very bizarre colors ...

I worked part time for an aerial research company in the early 70's and flew with 4 hasselblad EL's loaded with 4 different 70mm emulsions. One 70mm back was generally loaded with EIR and from time to time we shot 9x9inch metric IRE. IN those days it was E3 but was a really great film. It was more saturated and lower contrast than the current film. I might have a few examples if I can find them and will scan them to post.

The company I worked for developed a method of counting small pint trees in newly planted forests and determining the number of surving plants by the density of magenta in the film. The method was more accurate than a ground crew counting trees.

I guess I didn't even think the film was still produced but it's a great deal of fun to shoot. Back before switching to canon digital I had nikon D1x bodies and could shoo IR B&W and color with them. I placed an 87C filter on the lens and made long exposures from a tripod. Very good results and the AF would focus through the filter. I think there are still a number of digicams that do excellent IR.

 

[raid]

It could have been E-3, but I have forgotten which process it was. I also get the feeling that the new film/developing combo will not be as dramatic in color as the original.

Raid

 

[x-ray]

The E4 version wasn't nearly as good as the E3 version either.

 

[raid]

When did the change happen from E3 to E4 to E6? Did the film emulsion also change with the changes in the developing process?

 

[dmr]

When did the change happen from E3 to E4 to E6? Did the film emulsion also change with the changes in the developing process?

I was thinking more about this, and thought I might want to try this again, so I looked on the Adorama site to see if they stocked it. (I was kind of thinking that it might add to some autumn colors.)

Uh-huh, they sure do, and they do have some notes about the processing, stating that E6 will give more saturation and higher speed, but officially you are supposed to use the AR5 process (whatever that is).

I then got a bad case of sticker shock when I looked at the price! OUCH! $22 and change! I think I'll wait until I have a real reason to shoot it. 🙂

Here's the link, in case anybody wants to read about it more ...

http://www.adorama.com/KKEIR36U.html

 

[raid]

dmr: Yes, this film is rather expensive. About 20 years ago, the film cost $12, which was much more expensive than any slide film at the time. No lab would accept IR film since "it would mess up the rest of the E6 rolls".

Raid