Today I'm taking you on a trip to Sweden and Norway. In my luggage are my trusty Canon EOS 600 and RT models. But that's not all! The cameras contain various infrared films. I loaded two models with the Kodak High Speed Infrared Film H I E, which is no longer available, and in the third camera a Rollei Infrared Film is waiting to be exposed.
I've already visited Sweden and especially Norway five times since 2018.
I`m fascinated by this unique landscape every time. The far north in particular, beyond the Arctic Circle, has cast a spell over me.
You see a Canon EOS 600 loaded with Kodak High Speed Infrared Film.
To protect against IR radiation, the rear panel is covered with black foil and brown adhesive tape.
There are some differences between the two types of film used.
While Rollei infrared film is still produced and can be bought without any problems, this is no longer the case with Kodak HIE film.
You can only buy superimposed films on the second-hand market.
Another difference is the sensitivity in the infrared range.
While Rollei film can be used for normal pictorial black and white photography and can be used in combination with an I R blocking filter in the infrared range from 650 to 750 nanometers, whereby the range from 715 to 730 nanometers is recommended, the KODAK High Speed Infrared Film is a high-speed film with moderately high contrast that is sensitive to light and radiant energy up to 900 nanometers wavelength, depending on the filter used.
I used a Hoya IR 72 filter for the pictures shown here. It is a filter that blocks visible light up to a wavelength of 720 nanometers and only allows infrared radiation to pass through.
Infrared photography in general utilizes the phenomenon of absorption, reflection and natural emission of infrared radiation. Therefore, spectacular effects of the filter can be achieved when photographing vegetation and bodies of water, where the effect of absorption and reflection of infrared radiation is strongest.
I would like to give you a few tips on analog infrared photography.
In general, you need to correct the distance setting. To do this, focus on your subject as usual, either manually or with autofocus. Then correct the distance setting manually. To do this, look at your lens and look for the infrared mark, usually a red dot or line. Then set the distance you have just determined to be congruent with the infrared mark.
The reason for this is that most lenses do not focus infrared radiation in the same plane as visible radiation. Because infrared radiation is longer in wavelength than visible radiation, the focus point further away from the film plane.
Determining the correct exposure is easy with the Rollei infrared film, as you can screw on the filter and trust your camera's light meter as usual. To be on the safe side, take three pictures per subject at ISO 100, 200 and 400. If the camera does not offer exposure metering through the lens, please use the exposure corrections mentioned in the technical data sheet.
Kodak, on the other hand, does not specify a film speed for its film. As a guide, Kodak recommends ISO 25 when using a Kodak Wratten Filter 87, which is roughly equivalent to my Hoya IR 72 filter. In addition, a total of 5 shots should be taken for each subject. One with ISO 25 and one with one step more and another with two steps more, as well as one with one step less and and finally with two steps less. This corresponds to the following ISO values: 6, 12 and 25 as well as 50 and 100.
It should also be noted that superimposed films usually have a lower sensitivity. I therefore did not use ISO 100 for my photos.
For camera meters that measure through the lens, take your measurements before placing the filter on the lens. Then ignore the measured value after attaching the filter.
In other words: the required time and aperture combination is determined without the filter and must then be set in the camera's manual mode.
Like other films, Rollei infrared film can be inserted and removed from the camera in daylight. However, as with all films, it must be processed in complete darkness.
The Kodak H I E film is somewhat more delicate. Kodak recommends that this film should only be removed from the film canister in complete darkness. This advice is also clearly marked on the film canister.
The Kodak HIE film must be handled in complete darkness.
I had therefore already inserted the two Canon EOS 600s into the camera at home in the dark bathroom and in the change bag and transported them in the change bag. In addition, as already mentioned, I covered the back with black foil and adhesive tape.
Better safe than sorry.
After spending three wonderful weeks in Sweden and Norway with my youngest son, I naturally wanted to see the results of the infrared images as soon as I got home.
So I went straight into the darkroom.
Spooling the Kodak H I E film in the change bag and in the dark bathroom proved to be somewhat difficult. The rather thin ester-based backing layer didn't want to go into the film spool easily, so it took me several attempts before the beginning of the film got into the spool safely and the film could be wound from the cartridge into the spool.
The Rollei film could easily be fed into the spool in the light for the first few centimetres and only then had to be wound in the changing bag in complete darkness. Then both types of film went into the Jobo Unitank 1520.
I used the tried and tested Kodak D 76 developer for both types of film. The processing temperature was 20 degrees Celsius.
In addition to the developer, other chemicals are required for black-and-white development. A stop bath is used so that the development process can be interrupted immediately. Here I use a stop bath with an indicator, the color change shows when the stop bath is used up. The film material is then stabilized with a fixer.
All chemicals must be brought to the correct temperature, in this case 20°C.
I use a water mantle bath for this.
When the correct temperature is reached, the developer is poured into the can. The can is then tipped directly. Many old lab hands then tap the can vigorously on the table to release any air bubbles. The tilting rhythm is 3 seconds. Even if the developer instructions say something different, I have always used this rhythm, now for thousands of films. This tilting rhythm was originally specified for Tetenal developers.
After the development time has elapsed, the developer is poured back into its container and the stop bath is poured in. This is tilted for one minute and then refilled. The fixing bath is now poured in. I tilt continuously for the first 30 seconds, then again at three-second intervals. At the end of the fixing time, it goes back into the bottle. Finally, all chemicals must be removed from the film. To do this, the film is watered. The water should be at the same temperature as the chemicals used. Rinse the can three times with fresh water, then let the water run in so that the water is changed approximately every 30 seconds. The watering should take about 15 minutes.
Jobo also offers a film cascade for quick watering. With the cascade, archival-proof watering is achieved with minimum water consumption. The film cascade reduces the required watering time to three minutes. It can be connected to almost all taps thanks to the universal adapter.
If you want to see the black and white development process in detail, I recommend my video on YouTube Ilford HP 5 Development:
The final step in film development takes place after rinsing. A wetting agent is added to the final rinse water. This wetting agent prevents stains from drying out, has an antistatic effect and prevents fungal and bacterial infestation. I have been using Mirasol for decades.
After drying, I sent the films to a photo lab, On Film Lab, for scanning.
And now I present you the results in the gallery on this page.
Have fun looking at them.
You can find my YouTube video on infrared photography here:
