Infrared shooting

[tataencu]

I have never tried shooting in infrared but I would certainly like to...
So i have a question...

I own a Sony DSC-H2. If I will buy an infrared filter will I be able to shoot in infrared or the sensor on the H2 isn't capturing the infrared spectrum?

George.

 

[Garbz]

No sensors capture infrared spectrum. They have a low-pass filter infront of them to remove infrared. That said often you can get some through regardless. A simple test is to photograph a TV remote while pushing a button. You should see the transmitter lightup slightly. The trick then is buying a filter which kills more visible light than the infrared kills infrared. Using a non-exposed developed negative may not work, a Hoya IR filter probably will but comes with added price.

 

[shorty6049]

it should work , most digital cameras can capture the near-infrared light, it just might mean keeping the shutter open longer

 

[osirus]

Before you go out and buy a filter,
may i suggest what i tried today?
make your own IR filter, takes 10 mins.
Not as good as the ones you buy.. but its free and easy.. and a good way to see if youwill enjoy it before spending $$ on a filter you may not use.
worked 100 times better thatn i thought it was going too.


and heres my first test pic with it today (shot from in my kitchen, through the door)

what you will need

carboard (like a shoe box), tape, old film negitives


Take a piece of cardboard
make a tube that fits around your lens
cut a circle piece that fits on the end
cut off the end of a strip of film negs, (where its all black)
double layer it
cut a hole in the piece across the end of the tube that fits the negitives.
tape them on
presto

i didnt go the cardboard route
i used a macro section to one of them fisheye adapters
removed the glass
cut the negitives to fit in there

had a light leak in these pics. (used paper and scotch tape instead of duct tape at first, but light still got through)
havent had a chance to try it after i think i fixed it

 

[BernieSC]

Nice shots osirus. You got the infared look for sure. I love infared theres no other look like it. I have tried the ilford spx 200 simulated infared and its ok, but nothing gets that look like true infared film.

 

[theusher]

I'm a big fan of IR, this is the best one I've taken yet, my hoya filter and my old canon s3is.
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=254397994&size=Large
(Larger version, on black)

 

[Mufasa]

In terms of infrared photography the Nikon D50 is the way to go. It is cheap and fairly sensitive to infrared light. In broad daylight yu will be shooting like ISO1600 f/3.5 1/20, so you need a fair bit of light to enter the camera.

I don't know about your camera but like Garbz said the TV remote test should do the trick in terms of seeing how good your camera is for IR.

If you feel like spending a little bit of money there are places you can send cameras to and they will take of the IR blocking filter but this is expensive and can screw up normal Visible light pictures.

 

[burtharrris]

Usher, that looks awesome. It almost looks like a fake landscape!

 

[rmh159]

I have a D50 and could never get the remote trick to work. Not sure what the deal was but I've tried it countless times and never saw the light yet I know the cam gets IR shots.

Like others mentioned the low-pass filter blocks IR light but not 100% of it (correct me if I'm wrong). So you can get IR shots with the right IR filter and a long enough exposure to soak up light. For me, it's usually around 4 seconds in midday sun.

While we're all showing off our IR shots... here's a link to one of mine.

 

[ann]

i use a nikon d100 with an wratten 89 filter, works like a charm