honozooloo
Established
I searched the usual RFF forums and noticed that nobody I could find in the x100 forums has started a conversation about using the x100 for infrared capture. If my search skills are just crappy and I am killing a long-dead horse, I apologize.
The image above is pretty much straight out of camera, it's a JPG with default white balance. I desaturated the image a bit and cropped down, otherwise the processing is minimal.
Has anyone else experimented with IR capture using their x100s? I originally got the idea one late night spent loitering on the internet...I happened upon a blog post about the R72 on the m8 and also the x100. I can't remember who tried it/where I'd seen the idea originally. I've wanted to experiment with Hoya's R72 filter on my Canon bodies but the cost of 77 / 72mm R72 filters made it hard to justify buying the bigger R72 "just for the hell of it." But...the 49mm filter the x100 needs is a LOT more affordable. If anyone's interested I found 49mm R72s on eBay for around $40 shipped.
Admittedly my knowledge of "real" film-based IR photography is limited to amateur experimentation, but to my eyes at least I've been really excited by the capabilities of the x100 in IR. The R72 is an extremely dark filter (as most IR filters are) so between needing to minimize ISO and aperture for landscape-worthy DOF and clean images, I'm getting typical "daylight" exposure times at around 4 sec, f/4-8, and ISO 640ish. Handheld wide open at F/2 is a little too slow for my style of shooting, so it's been all tripod and cable release to capture these images.
This is arguably the most dramatically DIFFERENT creative option I've ever added to a digital camera rig for less than $50 (besides the el cheapo tripod I keep in my trunk "just in case", LOL).
Is there any difference between Hoya's R72 and other IR filters such as B+W's 092 or 093? Has anyone else played with the R72 or similar filter on their x100?
A few observations:
1. When in Hybrid mode (VF+overlaid info screen), the Hybrid overlay gets REALLY dim with the R72 mounted. It almost seems like there's a relationship between RF frameline/info "brightness" and the ambient light the CMOS/light meter "sees" coming into it TTL!?? Other than the slowness-inducing, auto-dim "Power Saving" function, I don't remember seeing any adjustable brightness settings for the Hybrid VF. Any guesses as to how or why this happens?
2. Using the viewfinder in TTL/EVF mode gives an excellent "live preview" and the contrast-detecting AF/lens design also seems to focus perfectly even in IR mode...no more IR-corrected focus points. For me this is a big deal because when shooting IR film I was always really bad at focusing properly.
3. Obviously the x100s optics weren't designed for IR capture, but they do a better job in IR than many Canon EF lenses I own. The x100 occasionally flares very weirdly, but I suppose that can be expected.
Has anybody else tried this? Thoughts??
-a
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capitalK
Warrior Poet :P
Just started playing with the R72 filter. It's more fun than I thought it would be, still not quite sure what I'm doing.
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rbelyell
Well-known
captalk, is your second picture a product of the R72 filter or some other setting?
tony
tony
capitalK
Warrior Poet :P
Both with R72 filter, the second one I swapped some channels in Photoshop to make the sky blue instead of orange.
rbelyell
Well-known
thanks, ithink the second one is very appealing.
capitalK
Warrior Poet :P
kbesios
Newbie
I have tied shooting IR wiht the X100 and R72 filter a few times with decent results. The thing is that I own a M8, so the comparison is really unfair. The M8 can shoot handheld IR images while the X100 will requires a tripod. It's natural since the M8 has a "faulty sensor" which is ultra sensitive to infrared light which makes it the perfect IR camera. On the other hand I've made better IR images with the X100 than the NEX 5N or Nikon D800E, so by all means if you don't mind the long exposure or are willing to shoot wide open at high ISO the X100 can produce IR images. I have not been able t produce decent "false color" images with the X100, but by seeing the false color image with the tree, I will give it one more try !!
patsesson
Member
Interesting. Did place a order for a Hoya IR filter also. We shall see how the results will be.
Great forum this!
Great forum this!
patsesson
Member
Got my IR filter now, lets what shall become of this madness 
patsesson
Member
Okay.
So its been a while
Did test out my IR-Filer, it gives a cool effect, but i noticed that a really sunny day gives the best results. Still a tripod is needed, i just shot in B&W with my X100, didn't really get how to adjust the color channels in Lightroom for some color edit's, meaby it needs Photoshop wich i dont own sadly.
Anyways here are a couple of my shots/Edits.
DSCF3656 by Patsesson, on Flickr
DSCF3678 by Patsesson, on Flickr
So its been a while
Did test out my IR-Filer, it gives a cool effect, but i noticed that a really sunny day gives the best results. Still a tripod is needed, i just shot in B&W with my X100, didn't really get how to adjust the color channels in Lightroom for some color edit's, meaby it needs Photoshop wich i dont own sadly.
Anyways here are a couple of my shots/Edits.
DSCF3656 by Patsesson, on Flickr
DSCF3678 by Patsesson, on Flickr