Rollei Infrared

photong · Mar 10, 2007

I have some rolls of Rollei BW infrared. Does anyone have any experience with this film they can share with me?

I'm trying to read up on how to generally focus and expose for film, but im getting mixed messages since apprently this film is not as sensitive as other IR BW films.

Some day I can focus without a red 25 filter, other say you have to and to use DOF to focus. Which I dont know how to do. I tried and I couldn't tell what I was doing.

Needless to say, I am very confused.

photong · Mar 13, 2007

selmerdave · Mar 13, 2007

I don't know about the Rollei film specifically, but generally you "can" use an IR film without a filter, but you just get less of the effect. The filter is to block out other light and let only IR light through, which gives the "glowing" effect. My guess is that without a filter the visible light spectrum will focus as normal, but with the filter you need to adjust the focus for the IR spectrum. This is normally marked on most lenses. Decreasing the aperature (higher f-stop) will increase your depth of field making critical focus less important since more of the scene will be in focus. For example, let's say you were shooting with a 28mm lens, and you had a tripod and could take a shot at f16. Pretty much everything from 3ft to infinity will be in focus, so whether you focus for normal light or IR light becomes irrelevant. Hope that helps.

Dave

terri · Mar 13, 2007

I've not personally shot any Rollei IR, so this is coming from watching the few rolls my husband has tried with the stuff. He has only shot it in his Rolleiflex, so he could use an old Rollei Agfa 83 filter - which I think is the equivalent of a #87 red filter. He's not had to worry about adjusting focus using this particular filter, as it apparently comes factory-calibrated for focus shift.

That said, from all the HIE I've shot, focusing has never been an issue. Most modern lenses will have a small red notch which indicates the focus factor for IR film - check yours out. And as selmerdave was saying, unless you're shooting very close range, you shouldn't have a problem.

I don't think you'll get near as pronounced an IR effect using a #25 filter as you would with the near-opaque 87. This film just doesn't have as high a red sensitivity as, say, HIE - or even a *faux* IR film like Ilford SFX. You could try coupling that #25 with a ND filter. Get your tripod, set the ISO anywhere between 12 - 25 ISO and bracket for a test roll, making careful exposure notes for every frame.

I do know he likes to develop this film in a similar fashion to the HIE: using TMax developer 1:4, room temp or around 75 degrees, 6-7 minutes with MINIMAL agitation, one inversion a minute.

Hope this is somewhat useful - sorry I can't be more helpful.