Digital IR photography - experiences

ladgie353

Hi,

I'm currently looking into IR photography with digital cameras.
Has anybody here tried it?
If yes, what setup have you used?
Especially, what lens?
I'm currently using a IR filter on a Canon 10d but the 20-35 gives a nasty hot spot so I'm looking for wideangle alternatives.

Thanks

bovril

I've 'tried' it a few times, haven't gotten perfect results. I use a 50mm 1.8 and a hoya r72 filter.

The following link has some info on lenses and hot spots http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~gisle/photo/ir.html#lenses

Fenster has some absolutely amazing IR shots, he might be able to give you more info.

latchiko

I've just started trying digital IR photography. I got an R72 filter during the week and I tried it out on my 17-85mm (using a 400D) and thankfully there were no hotspots. I think the 50mm prime is another lens which doesn't give hotspots. I'm don't know what wide angle lenses are suitable.
Out of interest, what kind of exposure times did you get on the 10D?

ladgie353

Exposure was between 15 and 25 seconds to get what looks to be a usable picture.

helios

In fairness, you'll get much better results using a P&S. I do all my IR shooting using my Canon A710 , and you don't have to do exposures for more than 1/8 to get a good shot...

ladgie353

In fairness, you'll get much better results using a P&S. I do all my IR shooting using my Canon A710 , and you don't have to do exposures for more than 1/8 to get a good shot...

Interesting, did you test the camera to know if it worked with IR?
How do you attach the filter to the camera?

Nice IR shots on flickr BTW.

Thanks

Fenster

You can find my IR here.

There was a list somewhere of different lenses that are excellent for IR - for myself I prefer to use the Canon EF f/2.8 28mm lens, as it's never given me hotspots in exposures of even up to two or more minutes.

My current setup is with an unmodded 30D and a Hoya R72 filter, um, on a tripod.

Processing is a big thing too, as some people prefer to leave their photo alone, some prefer to twist it into a very surreal version of an everyday scene, and some prefer black and white. And so on. I've tried it all, and my current preference is for something dark, cool and blue:

helios

ladgie353 wrote:

Interesting, did you test the camera to know if it worked with IR?
How do you attach the filter to the camera?

Nice IR shots on flickr BTW.

Thanks

For P&S cameras, just point anything that emits IR i.e. TV remote control, and press the button while pointing towards the lens. If when looking at the screen you see a violet light, then the camera is sensitive to IR. To mount a filter though, I had to get an adaptor to put on the camera, but the camera was designed to take it. It's IR on the cheap, and I find the results are much better than an SLR. Doing B&W IR of people is fun too, the results are a lot more dramatic

ladgie353

Fenster, your shots are amazing, looks like it is worth stiking with the dslr idea.
Helios, thanks for that, looks like my wife's P&S will do the trick until I find a decent lens for the slr.

markconor

I shot my first ir photos today. It was done using a cheap cokin ir filter on a nikon d80.

even as bright as it was today this was shot at 105 seconds,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markconor/664134344/

Exposure: 105 sec (105)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 32mm

I also got a number of hot spots - but I think that might have been the result of this been a cheap plastic film filter

helios

EXIF says 1sec exposure, f/5, 5.8mm and -2EV...

Fenster

Hoya is definately the way to go for your IR fix

Hugh_C

hi Ladge,

I'm using a Nikon D70 plus Hoya R72 with a 50mm f/1.8, some examples can be seen here.

I used to use a digital ixus with ingenious attachment device.

with the D70 I'm getting much shorter exposures than others mentioned. dunno why but typically 1/30 and faster.

ladgie353

ith the D70 I'm getting much shorter exposures than others mentioned. dunno why but typically 1/30 and faster.

Nice shots, I love the cows !
What ISO are you shooting at?

Hugh_C

ladgie353 wrote:

Nice shots, I love the cows !
What ISO are you shooting at?

for the heifers:

Exposure: 0.333 sec (1/3)
Aperture: f/16
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/6 EV

PS it's important what time of year, the height of the sun etc etc. Best results happen when the sun is coming over your shoulder and low in the sky. obviously during the summer there's a lot of foliage about which reflects IR. I photographed the cows at 9.15am.

Fajitas!

One of mine from a while back.

Exposure: 3.2 sec
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 28 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Though this was my shortest exposure of the day - Earlier on was having way up into the 20 seconds.

ladgie353

Focal Length: 28 mm

Nice shot Fajitas, is that with a 28mm Canon?

Fajitas!

Yep, the Fensters 28mm 2.8 - Nice lens - Great value for money!