M8/M8.2 sans IR filter?

[Rob-F]

Much has been written about the IR problem and the need for filters. Yet as I understand it, the problem exists only with certain articles of dark clothing. Seems to me the camera ought to work fine without the filter for many other applications. How about architectural shots, cityscapes, and street work. OK someone on the street might be wearing dark clothing, but I wonder how noticeable the color shift would really be at a distance.

What about the season, and the light? Does the problem still exist in cold weather, when there is less heat energy outdoors? What about overcast light?

And then there's black and white photography. How much does it matter then?

 

[Makten]

IR only causes problems at certain sitations. I use my M8 without a filter most of the time. Worst case scenario is black clothing in light from regular tungsten bulbs, since they emit very much IR and the cloth reflects it. Sunsets can also be troublesome, depending on what the light is reflected on.
The color shifts on black surfaces can can be severe, causing them to look purple, not even close to black. It also matters for B/W, since black isn't black anymore, but rather gray. Skin tones also get to bright under tungsten light.

 

[jaapv]

Everything containing chlorophyl that is all foliage! shifts to yellow, caucasian skin turns reddish-mauve, colours shift all across the spectrum. The acceptability is determined by the amount of ir in the light and by your tolerance of colour shifts.
It is a legend, eagerly promoted by Leica, that it is just synthetic black.
There is an IR image of -4 stops overlaid over your sharp image - and the IR image is by definition out of focus, so there is some impairment of microcontrast and sharpness. too.

 

[MCTuomey]

most of my M8 files I convert to B&W. when i first started shooting with the M8 I had not yet obtained the IR filters. once i had filters, i noticed a difference in my conversions - among other changes, the files seemed to need more mid-contrast boost, not less. i didn't think much of it, but apparently my experience is the the reverse of the black-to-grey implication makten mentions.

but under tungsten - well, shooting without filters is not much better than a roll of the dice.

 

[Makten]

...but apparently my experience is the the reverse of the black-to-grey implication makten mentions.

Nah, I think you misunderstood what I meant. The IR is affecting the overall exposure, and the tonality will be different. That could mean increased contrast in "blacks", instead of everything being just black. But it depends very much on what the black surface is made of.

Also, the whole spectrum will be affected, as jaapv said. The main reason blacks is often the only thing mentioned, is because it's the only obvious shift where you can be sure that something has happened. There's no visible purple in black cloth, yet it will be seen in the picture, no matter what white balance you use. But a slight tint in something with a real color, could as well be because of WB or color management.