No success with IR filter

[JSmith]

Hello, I received a 55mm Hoya R72 Infrared Filter for my Sony A300 DSLR today as a Christmas present.

I've been trying it out but have had little success.
When I try and take a photo indoors or outdoors I get nothing but blackness.

The only time I can see anything is when I have put it on 30sec exposure and pointed it directly at the sun or a filament bulb.

Can anyone help me?!


Regards,
JSmith

 

[Josh66]

I doubt you'll get much of anything indoors...

What's the weather like? If it's cloudy you're going to need much longer shutter times than a bright sunny day.

It's a little different from camera to camera, but I get shutter speeds around 10 seconds with a 350D (in bright sun)

 

[ann]

what was your ISO?

You may need to boost that as well.

And what has already been mentioned, a bright sunny day is needed to cut the exposure times.

 

[JSmith]

There was a weak winter sun, quite a few clouds.
ISO was 100 and shutter speed 30sec

Yeah, indoors was rubbish.
Outdoors I could just see the sky, sun and clouds :thumbdown:

 

[greyhoundman]

I use one on my DS. I start with iso 400 and a 80mm lens.
Some cameras have too good of an IR filter in front of the CCD cell. It can make using an IR filter almost impossible.

 

[reg]

You have to use a much longer exposure when using an IR filter on digital, unless you have your camera modified.

 

[Josh66]

Wait for a nice sunny day, with lot's of sun. You really need direct sunlight for IR.

 

[doenoe]

Like O|||||||O said, you really need sunlight, since thats a good source of IR. It wont work indoors, since you wont have any IRlight (or not nearly enough) So you're gonna have to wait for a nice sunny day, without wind if its possible. Cause due to the longer exposures the trees and whatever can be moved by wind, making it all blurry. You dont really have to crank up the ISO, cause that only will lead to noise. I had some great results with a 350D, F5.6, 4 seconds, ISO100.

 

[greyhoundman]

Here is a sample of IR with the DS.
1/15 sec, f4.5, 50mm, iso 400

 

[Garbz]

Yes and the counter example is this one:

12 seconds f/5.6 ISO200. Taken with the D200. The exposures on some cameras need to be very long, but taking the photo is possible on every DSLR released to date.

 

[bikefreax]

WOW Garbz, that is great. Here is the best I have done on my Olympus e-510. O love your bright white trees.