Digital Infrared

[naturequestphoto]

Has anyone done it, and how is it done?

[Barefoot]

At our club meeting this past Tuesday night, we had a speaker by the name of Mark Hilliard that went into some detail on IR photography. Very informative.

Although he had the ways and means to have the best offerings from Canon converted to shoot IR, he recommended the Canon G9 and G10 to us as a reasonably priced means by which to enter the field of IR. He also spoke about filters that can be used if one wasn’t ready to bear the expense of conversion.

I’m going to have a D70 converted. When we saw some of Mark’s work, I was immediately hooked. I have a roll of Efke 820IR that I haven’t loaded yet. Just waiting until I think I’ve boned up on it enough to get started.

http://www.infraredatelier.com/top1024x768.html

Probably the biggest benefit of IR is that you shoot in the mid-day sun for the best results at a time when you wouldn’t dream of shooting the visiable color.

[jjeling]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Converted-Pentax...3%3A1|294%3A50

Here is a camera I was also looking at. Unlike film, digital cameras must be converted to IR and once the procedure is done, that is all the camera will ever capture. Barefoot is right, the more sunlight(IR light) the better.

It would be a great venture to get into. There does not seem to have been much experimentation in this field yet other than your standard landscapes from what Ive seen.

[Marko]

I look forward to this topic and I can contribute....but it's a large topic.

Basically digital infrared can be accomplished in MANY ways.

- A modified DSLR camera (the best way but then the camera can ONLY be used for infrared)
- A camera already capable of infrared (I don't believe these include any DSLRs)
- Using filters with DSLR
- Software in post

Each of these ways requires a lengthy explanation but if we keep adding to this thread it can be done.

Barefoot's link has loads and loads of this basic info
Keep in mind there IS a learning curve here - but the results are great!

I used to do A LOT of traditional infrared - so I'm happy to contribute as well as learn in this thread.

[Marko]

Not sure why you mentioned that roll of efke film barefoot

We are talking bout digital infrared....no film is used.

[jjeling]

Marko I was unaware that you could produce an IR image simply through PP. It has always been my understanding that digital IR could only be produced through a converted camera.

[Marko]

The easiest way (and least satisfying IMO) is software.

LOADS of infrared software filters/actions/pluggins around; LOADS. Just google it.

There are also tons of people doing fantastic digital infrared work all over the place. It's one of my favourite alternative techniques.

[jjeling]

It is my favorite alternative as well.

You mention that PP is the easiest way, but IMO, a conversion is the ONLY way. I have seen many IR images but now wonder how many were done through PP.

Like other techniques, it seems that IR is a type of light that must be captured correctly in order to be displayed correctly. No justice really can be done to the technique if handled in PP instead of the raw IR capture. A standard sensor is not made to capture IR light specifically so it seems the IR range would be skewed not geared directly for this application. Not only that, but the IR range is a completely different range of light than the eye or standard sensor in a camera is capable of handling.

I have no formal education on this stuff, basic thoughts on this really. If this is wrong let me know, Im all for learning about this technique.

[Marko]

JJ - you are wrong.....sorry.

There are loads of simple filters/actions/pluggins that will give an infrared look some with conversion some without conversion.

They won't be as good IMO - but plenty exist.

You should also know that there is B/w infrared and colour infrared. Both in traditional and digital.

here's just one link that lists several of these effects (I haven't tried these though)
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchang...sort=0&Submit=

Hope that helps
Marko

[Barefoot]

Not sure why you mentioned that roll of efke film barefoot

We are talking bout digital infrared....no film is used.

I only mentioned the Efke in passing although it may be an affordable alterative to Digital IR for some that doesn’t involve conversion of gear. I say affordable, but I’ll let you know if that rings true after I’ve shot a few rolls.

As far as being able to buy a IR sensitive camera new and out of the box with the warrantee, Fuji makes the IS-1 for forensics purposes that the average joe can get his hands on with only a little difficulty. It's not a DSLR, though.

My understanding from what our club speaker indicated is that all CCD and CMOS sensors will capture the IR spectrum, but you might not like the results. That’s why they employ what’s known as a “Hot Mirror” in front of the sensor to reflect the IR wave lengths while allowing the light that you and I see to pass. I’ve seen discussions where people have removed this mirror themselves from Sony compact digitals, but don’t recall what the results were.

Anyway, I really interested in all aspects of IR so lets keep this one going.