p.11 #2 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Douglas L wrote:
Well, I bought the new Sony PZ 16-35 F4, put in on my IR A7III to run a quick test for hot spot. It's there at 16mm, 24mm and 35mm. No go.
Douglas, thanks for testing that lens. I'll stick with the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8.
p.11 #3 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
TGPhotography wrote:
I use an a6000 with an 850nm IR filter. I bought it used from Douglas. He had it already setup with a custom white balance so it shows as B&W in camera. I haven't touched those settings. When shooting, I ensure the insure the images looks good in camera and the whites aren't blown.
For processing I use LightRoom. In LR the raw files are not B&W but monochrome reddish/pinkish/purplish. I usually use the LR B&W presets as a starting point. Specifically I use the "Landscape," "High Contrast," or "Punch" presets are the best in my opinion. Often that is all that is required. Sometimes I make some minor adjustments after that.
For colour IR you'd usually need a channel swap as probably the first step - do you do this with 850nm or not? If so does it make any difference, as you didn't mention in the processing routine that you take this step.
p.11 #5 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Douglas L wrote:
Well, I bought the new Sony PZ 16-35 F4, put in on my IR A7III to run a quick test for hot spot. It's there at 16mm, 24mm and 35mm. No go.
Thanks for that test Douglas - I think you've just killed my desire for it ! Voigtlander 15/4.5 v3 it is then.
p.11 #6 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
So I'm due to pick up my converted A6000 that I bought last week solely for an IR Full Spectrum conversion.
So far I have the Kase 720 magnetic (pity it's the only one they make), plus two Zomei at 680nm and 850nm. I'll find a hot mirror filter for normal use.
This will mean I can leave the A9 behind on long hiking trips or travel using my A7r4 for visible spectrum and the A6000 for IR and as my redundancy and video camera.
It was important for me to have another Sony as I want all my lenses to do triple duty, not having to buy separate lenses only for IR and for use on both FF & APSC cameras.
So far that means the Samyang 45 (highly rated for IR across all spectrums and apertures), Samyang 85/1.4, Sony 100-400.
I'm still trying to find out how the Tamron 70-180, Samyang 24/1.8 & Samyang 18mm work for IR. these are two of my most used travel/hiking lenses. Anyone tried any of them?
As Douglas' tests above prove the Sony 16-35 PZ unfortunately is a total blowout for IR for UWA, so I'll be looking at the Voigtlander 15/4.5 v3 which Bob Israel showed works beautifully. For a 15/24/45/70-180 hiking / travel kit.
p.11 #8 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Frogfish wrote:
Thanks for that test Douglas - I think you've just killed my desire for it ! Voigtlander 15/4.5 v3 it is then.
I bought a cheap Tamron 17-28 as Joe suggested. It's pretty decent in terms of hot spot. The 16-35 PZ will be for other usage. I do have the Voigtlander 15 but I don't usually shoot that wide. For me the Tamron 17-28 is more versatile. The tiny and cheap Sony 28-60 seems to be decent with hot spot too. I may bring that with me in case I need longer than 28mm. But I need to test it more for sure.
p.11 #9 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Douglas L wrote:
I bought a cheap Tamron 17-28 as Joe suggested. It's pretty decent in terms of hot spot. The 16-35 PZ will be for other usage. I do have the Voigtlander 15 but I don't usually shoot that wide. For me the Tamron 17-28 is more versatile. The tiny and cheap Sony 28-60 seems to be decent with hot spot too. I may bring that with me in case I need longer than 28mm. But I need to test it more for sure.
The relatively inexpensive Sony 24-70mm f/4 is pretty good too for IR. The Tamron 17-28mm, Sony 24-70mm f/4 and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II are my IR lenses at the current time. It doesn't hurt that each of these lenses is good for color work as well.
p.11 #10 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Frogfish wrote:
For colour IR you'd usually need a channel swap as probably the first step - do you do this with 850nm or not? If so does it make any difference, as you didn't mention in the processing routine that you take this step.
I only do B&W IR. 850nm is too high a cutoff for color IR because it essentially renders monochrome. I don’t know what color swaps are or how to do them.
p.11 #11 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
TGPhotography wrote:
I only do B&W IR. 850nm is too high a cutoff for color IR because it essentially renders monochrome. I don’t know what color swaps are or how to do them.
Colour swaps are really easy almost all good software can do them in just a couple of clicks (otherwise IR shots will stay pink for example). In IR swap the red and blue channels around (in PS I think it's called colour mixer? I don't use PS).
It's basically the first step for converting IR colour shots to the 'correct' colours (not pink) !
It seems that the 850, as opposed to say 950nm, isn't so extreme, so I'm just interested in how this would affect 850nm shots. If at all. Would it create darker blacks and whiter whites for instance. I'll have to try - I just received my 850nm filter (for my FS camera) today.
p.11 #13 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Frogfish wrote:
Colour swaps are really easy almost all good software can do them in just a couple of clicks (otherwise IR shots will stay pink for example). In IR swap the red and blue channels around (in PS I think it's called colour mixer? I don't use PS).
It's basically the first step for converting IR colour shots to the 'correct' colours (not pink) !
It seems that the 850, as opposed to say 950nm, isn't so extreme, so I'm just interested in how this would affect 850nm shots. If at all. Would it create darker blacks and whiter whites for instance. I'll have to try - I just received my 850nm filter (for my FS camera) today....Show more →
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Joe Colson wrote:
I use Photoshop's Channel Mixer (Image>Adjustments>Channel Mixer) to swap the Red and Blue channels using the following settings:
Red Channel: Red=0%, Green=0%, Blue=100%
Blue Channel: Red=100%, Green=0%, Blue=0%
Green Channel: Red=0%, Green=100%, Blue=0%.
Thanks. I guess I don't see a point in color swaps for 850-950 nm filter range since it is already monochrome. I can see a point for shorter wavelength IR.
A couple recent shots with the 850 nm converted a6000 and 18-135 lens:
p.11 #14 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Here are a few taken yesterday with the Sony 10-20 PZ on a FS Sony A6000 with a Zomei 680nm filter. All taken at f4, various SS and all at either 10mm or 20mm (15mm or 30mm on FF).
I have not come across any hotspots whatsoever with the 10-20 PZ. It seems really really good in fact !
Note the shots below have been reduced from around 26MP each to ca. 1.0 to 1.5MP for online posting. They do seem a little darker after posting here than in 'real life'.
p.11 #15 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
Has anyone tried the new Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 zoom for IR? Any hot spots? I'm tempted to try it. I have the Tamron 17-28mm and it performs very well on my IR-converted a7IV.
p.11 #16 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
I've been a complete stranger to IR photography but seeing this thread is getting me interested! Can anyone recommend a direction I start in? I'm a sony shooter with an A7, A7ii, A7Sii, A74, and soon to be A1. The A7 or A7ii I'm not attached to and could be happy to convert, or to sell for a converted camera. Which cameras are best for the conversion?
I have a good number of voigtlander and sony lenses (too many really!) plus the Tamron 35-150 and sigma 85 dn, plus a rokinon 45 and 75 1.8, and zeiss Loxia 21 and Batis 40.
In sure it would not be the primary form of my photography, but having something to take on hikes in the midday sun, and something that produces somewhat otherworldly images could be really nice and inspire me to shoot more.
p.11 #17 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
StoneCrop wrote:
I've been a complete stranger to IR photography but seeing this thread is getting me interested! Can anyone recommend a direction I start in? I'm a sony shooter with an A7, A7ii, A7Sii, A74, and soon to be A1. The A7 or A7ii I'm not attached to and could be happy to convert, or to sell for a converted camera. Which cameras are best for the conversion?
I have a good number of voigtlander and sony lenses (too many really!) plus the Tamron 35-150 and sigma 85 dn, plus a rokinon 45 and 75 1.8, and zeiss Loxia 21 and Batis 40.
In sure it would not be the primary form of my photography, but having something to take on hikes in the midday sun, and something that produces somewhat otherworldly images could be really nice and inspire me to shoot more....Show more →
Check both Kolari's and Lifepixel's websites for lots of information (esp. re. camera coversions and filters) and do a Google search for Infrared Photography for tons of information - far far more than a forum could ever offer despite the many kind hearts on here !
p.11 #18 · Is Infrared Photography a Fad (for you)?
BTW I've created an Infrared Page on my website (plug plug) for anyone that fancies a gander - OK I tried to add a link but FM is giving me that silly 'link invalid' error again
So it's at thedragonsfather dot com /infrared-photography. Or via the FM link to my website below.
It's from several years ago and about a converted a7R, but the principles still apply.
Both Life Pixel and Kolari have databases of lenses that work well and don't work well when shooting IR.
Rather than buying a camera that's already been converted or selling one of yours for a converted camera, I'd recommend just sending your camera to either Life Pixel or Kolari to have them convert it. That's the cheapest route and will give you a camera that you're already familiar with.
