RD-1 IR Sensitivity Test

[JonasYip]

So with all of this ranting and raving about the M8's IR sensitivity, I figured I'd test my various digital cameras to see how they handled it. So I did a quick test of the RD-1 along with a D1x, D2x and a Sony P&S. Just so you know I fully expected them all (except maybe the D2x) to fail to some degree (i.e. turn some blacks to magenta) based on what I knew of their IR sensitivity. And indeed they did... I posted the results to a page here:

http://www.underexposure.com/irtest

Make what you will of the results. It's hardly scientifically conducted, but it's pretty clear. So please don't flame me for my non-rigorous test procedures. In any case it's certainly not a problem that has affected my normal shooting with any of the cameras.

I don't have a Leica M8, else I'd test it... but I'm assuming that it's doing the same thing, just much worse? It looks pretty bad in the examples I've seen.

j

 

[jlw]

Interesting results, but I think you own too many black shirts!

 

[Athena]

I don't own any black shirts. Here is a shot of a pair of my wife's black jeans taken with my D-70.

 

[MarkM6]

Interesting results, but I think you own too many black shirts!

Now that's funny...

 

[ampguy]

hi

hi

IMHO, 70kb JPG's of 600x400 shots is too highly compressed to tell anything.

The way I test for IR on my digicams is to set a long exposure and wave some tv/dvd/vcr remotes in front and see what kind of patterns I get. If bright, then the camera's good for IR use 😛

So with all of this ranting and raving about the M8's IR sensitivity, I figured I'd test my various digital cameras to see how they handled it. So I did a quick test of the RD-1 along with a D1x, D2x and a Sony P&S. Just so you know I fully expected them all (except maybe the D2x) to fail to some degree (i.e. turn some blacks to magenta) based on what I knew of their IR sensitivity. And indeed they did... I posted the results to a page here:

http://www.underexposure.com/irtest

Make what you will of the results. It's hardly scientifically conducted, but it's pretty clear. So please don't flame me for my non-rigorous test procedures. In any case it's certainly not a problem that has affected my normal shooting with any of the cameras.

I don't have a Leica M8, else I'd test it... but I'm assuming that it's doing the same thing, just much worse? It looks pretty bad in the examples I've seen.

j

 

[msadat]

so r-d1 has the same problem, yet none of are jumping up and down!!

 

[Athena]

so r-d1 has the same problem, yet none of are jumping up and down!!

That's because no one ever expected Epson to be a Leica!

If you set a high bar you have to jump over it!

 

[willie_901]

Thanks for doing this. This is a very informative test.

 

[JonasYip]

Interesting results, but I think you own too many black shirts!

Too many black shirts, true. Though now at least they're magenta shirts...

IMHO, 70kb JPG's of 600x400 shots is too highly compressed to tell anything.

Well, neither the small size nor the jpg compression affect the overall color of the clothing in the images... but again, make of it what you will...


j

 

[JonasYip]

so r-d1 has the same problem, yet none of are jumping up and down!!

I think any of the digital cameras that have been found to be good for IR would exhibit this behavior to some degree. I'm guessing that the M8 has taken it up a notch... but I don't have one to compare.

If anyone in the LA area has an M8 and wants to try this, I've got the black shirts... 🙂

j