Infrared Photgraphy Question

StandsOnToes

Senior Member
Hey guys new to the forum..So i'm sorry if I post this in the wrong section...

My question is about IR photography. I've been wanting to try this out for awhile now and I was even thinking of getting my old D5100 modified for IR, but I figured before I dive in with the cash for that i'd try the poor mans way of just getting a IR filter and using it with my unmodified D7100.

I've ordered a Cokin IR filter, and its on its way..

My question is regarding the WB setting for IR photography IN CAMERA.
While I'm a definite newbie to this type of photography I've been researching it a bit.

My understanding is... Once I snap a pic using the IR filter on my lens, that it will show up as a mostly black or red image in the Image review on the camera Right?

I then have to use Photoshop to change around the color channels to get a correct WB to where I can actually see the image, or at least get a pleasing 'non-red" image?

The reason I posted this in the D7100 forum is...Is there anyway to set a up a custom WB in the camera so that shots can be reviewed on that camera...lol so I can chimp my IR shots? Or does the image just show up mostly red???

Thanks for any advice!!!







Only reason i'm asking instead of just waiting till the filter arrives and playing around, is that i'm heading on vacation deep into the mountains so I won't have my computer to PS my IR shots and check the results...I hope the filter arrives before I leave... If theres no way to check the IR shots on camera I guess i'll just have to stick with my normal fair until I get the IR technique down.

Thanks again, looking forward to joining the discussion on the forum.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
IR post-production involves channel swapping, so simple white balance adjusting won't get you there.

Not sure, but the D5100 may not convert well. I was seriously considering doing it with my D90, or maybe even the D7000, but there seems to be something with Nikons that makes getting a proper WB adjustment difficult.
 

StandsOnToes

Senior Member
IR post-production involves channel swapping, so simple white balance adjusting won't get you there.

Not sure, but the D5100 may not convert well. I was seriously considering doing it with my D90, or maybe even the D7000, but there seems to be something with Nikons that makes getting a proper WB adjustment difficult.

Yeah you have to load it into PS and do a bunch of stuff to get a nice IR black and white, from there you can do the channel swaping to change the "colors" so you can get those really cool looking IR pics.

Is there anyone who does this stuff with an un-modified camera? Is it possible to "check" your work on the camera? Even if its all red? My understanding of it is you have to do a lot of PP to even "see" the photo. The cameras sensor and WB obviously isn't made to see IR so i'm wondering if i'd be able to even check exposure etc on the LCD
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
nice shots, and exactly the stuff I hope to get.... So your camera is unmodified? Your just putting a IR filter infront right?

Yes....Just a cheap one from china...I think it's an IR NB720...The higher the number the less colour...I think from memory these were 5 seconds or more at F8 or so..
 

StandsOnToes

Senior Member
Thanks for the insight.
I've found a pretty decent site that walks you through the PP.
i was just a bit unsure on the technique for a unmodified camera. All I knew was you'd need longer exposure times and maybe higher isos to catch the little bit of IR that makes it through the hot filter.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
I started playing with this last year but then got side tracked,i bought a Olympus c-2000 z of ebay for about £5 they are old and only 2.1mp but they dont block much IR light so can be used hand held with a filter in good light.
In a lot of cases the older the camera the better as the IR filtering has improved over the years.

mike
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Thought i had dumped all my images but found this one, its straight from the Olympus with no work done on it,complete with dead pixels:)

right-a.jpg
 
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StandsOnToes

Senior Member
I was checking out lifepixel.com and try say the newer dslrs (d5100 era) with live view make for good conversions.

why is it that you guys think the newer ones aren't very good for IR?
 

pedroj

Senior Member
When i researched it the feed back was the later cameras had better IR blocking filters built in.

mike


Isn't it removed and replaced with an IR filter the same as the older cameras....Plus the camera has to be recalibrated for focus
 

StandsOnToes

Senior Member
Isn't it removed and replaced with an IR filter the same as the older cameras....Plus the camera has to be recalibrated for focus


When you get your camera converted They simply take out the IR blocking filter (aka "hot filter") and put in a UV& Visible light blocking filter. (some still let a little visible light through)
But the way I under stand it is that with any(or most) cameras you can still do IR photography with just a "IR filter" (the kind that block out UV and Vis.) on your lens. This is possible because a Stock camera with its stock hot filter still lets in a tiny portion of IR light. So with a un modified camera you just have to boost up your exposure via long shutter speeds or cranking up the ISO value.

At any rate I just checked my inbox and DHL says my package is due for delivery today!?!?!? (I thought it was going to more like a week) So after I get a chance to play with it a bit i'll post my results with my un modified camera....hopefully the sun is still out when it arrives.
 
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StandsOnToes

Senior Member
heres my first try... I found the more over exposed it looks on the cameras lcd the better it goes in the PP.

I didn't have a lot of time to play around with it yet I think I only snapped 5 or so pics...

i'll include a link to the IR tutorial I used... I didn't get into channel mixing yet still figuring out a good way to do the WB

DSC_2926_069DSC_2926JPEGforum.JPGone_068oneJPEGforum.JPG
http://photo.tutsplus.com/tutorials/post-processing/an-in-depth-guide-to-infrared-photography-processing/
 
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