INFRARED QUESTION

blackbear518

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i am a film photographer who is looking to get into the world of D-SLRs
in a few months i am going to purchase either a Canon rebel XTi or XSi.
i am very interested in infrared photography for these cameras. I need to know how to go about taking infrared photos. I have heard of two methods. I know of the Hoya R72 infrared filter, and i also know that you can mod out your camera to shoot only in infrared by physically removing the built in UV filter.

MY QUESTION: is it possible to shoot infrared pictures only with the lens?
like can i just pop on the R72 and take infrared pictures? or do i have to irreversibly tweak my camera..
thanks in advance
 
you can shoot IR without modding the camera, jstu with the IR filter

but the shutter times are longer.
so i tripod is almost always needed.
and its more cumbersome as you cant see to focus when the r72 filter is on, so you have to prefocus and meter, then screw the folder on and take the picture.
 
Yeah , you don't need to mod your camera to take IR shots.You just need the R72. The Wratten 89b filter is even darker red than the r72 but cost more.
 
Overall you will not get the same response as you do with film on an unmodified camera. You can write off shooting handheld, something which is perfectly possible using the discontinued Kodak HIE film. A standard exposure on the D200 in daylight shooting vegetation is around 10 seconds f/5.6 ISO100. Compared to a shot on Kodak HIE (ISO400) would produce something along the lines of 1/30th at f/5.6

Also the key differences are because you are fighting two filters against each other the effect is greatly reduced. Where Kodak HIE with a Hoya R72 filter would reduce the sky to blackness on a digital camera the sky just ends up considerably darker. Vegetation doesn't appear to self illuminate quite as much either.
 
If you're really interested in digital IR, I'd consider buying a used body and getting it modified (I'm planning on that when I can afford it). The filter over the sensor cuts out alot of the IR sensitivity. It is also my understanding that the Canon sensor is less sensitive to IR than the Nikon.
 
if you're really serious about digital IR get a camera converted, I have a converted 300D and love it to death. Some interesting exposures can be had using just a filter, but it's very limiting due to the length of exposure. I used Lifepixel for my conversion and can recommend their service. I have a gallery of IR images on my website if you want to see what the results are.
 
Roger -- can you put a filter on your lens on the converted camera if you want to shoot non-IR images? BTW, your gallery is beautiful.
 
Yes though they are not as common as other filters, but they do exist. Both IR cut and optical visible bandpass filters are for many common lenses, but you won't get the same result you used to because often the IR cut filter is selected for a specific sensor.
 
i have a fuji camera that was professional converted and uses a filter but allows one to hand hold the camera and see the image vs when i use my d100 with a wratten 89 which is on a tripod and has to be focused before adding the filter and with longer exposure times.
with the fuji camera i have to change out the filter and use another that will allow a normal looking file.

check out maxmax.com as one source for IR cameras and conversion.
 
It might be worth pointing out that the filters used for passing only the visible spectrum are usually 'interference' filters rather than simple absorption filters. Without going into too much detail, interference filters are angle-dependent - they work differently at different angles. This isn't such a big problem with a filter immediately in front of the sensor on an SLR, but it can be a problem for a filter in front of a very wide angle lens.

Like ann, I use an IR camera with live view - it has an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that permits easy use even when a visibly opaque filter is over the lens.

Best,
Helen
 
There are a few rather old Olympus point and shoot cameras that dont need modification as there is no hot mirror in front of sensor. Ebay price about 20$ Google for IR freindly models I think there were 2 or 3 of them.
 

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