Comparison of standard black and white and infrared

My newest obsession is clearly black and white infrared film. It has totally blown my mind away.

And for comparison, I dragged my Wista out for a walk in the woods a day last week. It was a warm and sunny day, but as you can see, the sun does not reach to the deepest green. And that was what I was curious about. How would infrared film cope with that?

I think it did a glorious result. How can I not fall in love with infrared…..

What do you think? Which of the two is your favorite?

And help me now, HOW can we together shout so loud that the producers of film will again take this amazing film in production?

Is that at all possible? Let’s hope so…

Enjoy! 🙂

Wista 45DX field camera
Ilford FP4+
Kodak Tmax dev 1:4

Wista 45DX field camera
Efke IR 820
Kodak Tmax dev 1:4

Tags: analog photography, analogue photography, art, blackandwhite, Discontinued film, Efke IR820, film photography, Ilford FP4+, Large Format Photography, nature, photography, Wista 45DX

26 thoughts on “Comparison of standard black and white and infrared”

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skink74 on July 30, 2013 at 14:54 said:

I too mourn the loss of Efke IR820. I have a few rolls stashed in the fridge waiting for a special occasion. However, I have been getting good results so far shooting Rollei IR400. It’s not quite as dramatic as the Efke but it is slightly faster, sharper and much finer grained.
For example:

It is I believe available in 4×5.

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 15:28 said:
  
  Thanks a lot!
  Yes, Rollei IR400 is available in 4×5 too, and I have bought a box of it. I do like it, and I have got quite good results when I overexpose it a bit, then it s close to Efke. I expose it too at ISO 3, with the IR filter, just as for Efke. But it is a pain to develop… The sheets are so thin they flop out from the mod54 holder. You have to develop in either a tray, or as I do, in a Jobo 3010 I so luckily found rather cheap….
  Efke sheets are thick and lovely to handle. 🙂
  
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jesús joglar on July 30, 2013 at 15:05 said:

gorgeous, gorgeous and gorgeous!!!
I am just curious about the filter that you used for the IR shot (if any).

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 15:34 said:
  
  Thanks Jesus!
  Yes, I have a IR720, a round filter that fits the lens.
  For my pinhole IR, I use a Wratten 89B, that I cut to fit in a holder.
  I have found out that both Efke IR and Rollei IR gives me wonderful results when I expose at ISO 3, and develop with Kodak Tmax developer 1:4 for 7 minutes.
  
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ilargia64 on July 30, 2013 at 15:46 said:

Beautiful!!!!

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 15:59 said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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pjbrez on July 30, 2013 at 16:39 said:

I love that infrared glow. Magical! I too wish that Efke would still produce their IR Aura films…so sad they went under ~.~

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- Marie on July 31, 2013 at 21:53 said:
  
  Thank you Patrick!
  Yes, it is really sad… I wish someone will take it up and continue the production…. Wish… wish… wish…
  
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Malin H on July 30, 2013 at 18:20 said:

Underbara bilder – jag tycker om båda, fast IR är speciellt!
Har aldrig fotograferat med IR film, men däremot började jag som
analog med svartvit film som T-max, Tri-x, Ilford HP5 mm mm…

Idag har jag IR-filter i min digitala Pentax K20D, vilket jag ofta använder för att få
mer effekt.

Ha en fin kväll!

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 22:28 said:
  
  Tack Malin!
  Ja visst är det något speciellt med IR, som du säger, det förstärker effekten.
  Jag tänker ta mina IR negativ med mig in i mörkrummet och göra lith kopior, men det får vänta lite tills fram emot hösten, men jag ser verkligen fram emot det.
  Hoppas din kväll var fin också!
  
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  - Malin H on July 31, 2013 at 08:25 said:
    
    🙂
    
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K C Eames on July 30, 2013 at 18:27 said:

There you go again making beautiful images………… (:- D

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 22:28 said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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Aware of the Void on July 30, 2013 at 22:02 said:

Both beautiful to my eye but the ethereal feel of the IR version just pinches it for me. Makes me very sad that I am down to my last two rolls of the Efke820…

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- Marie on July 30, 2013 at 22:31 said:
  
  Thank you!
  I totally agree with you!
  Have you searched eBay and places like it? I recently did, and found an amazing amount of Efke IR, so it is still possible, if not from the factory. The film I bought is fresh until late 2015. It’s in my freezer now! 😉
  
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  - Aware of the Void on July 30, 2013 at 23:01 said:
    
    I was using a mixture of the Rollei and the Efke so I sort of mentally moved on….sort of….I might just have a quick look on the bay.
    
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    - Marie on July 31, 2013 at 21:56 said:
      
      I have tried Rollei too, and it is actually quite good.
      It is not Efke though…. 😉
      
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lomoherz on August 1, 2013 at 09:00 said:

I like the infrared one way better, too! What a fantastic and dreamy atmosphere! Let’s hope the producers won”t continue this discontinuation streak 😦

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- Marie on August 1, 2013 at 16:31 said:
  
  Thank you very much! I can just agree with you, I really love this with IR, it is a great great joy! 🙂
  
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lautal on August 1, 2013 at 14:41 said:

The second one for me is more real. I remember that kind of light in the wood from my childhood. In the early morning there is kind of light fog in the forest and sunrise is looking absolutely similar like on your picture. Great!

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- Marie on August 1, 2013 at 16:33 said:
  
  Thank you very much for your kind words! It is my opinion too, much more “feeling” in the IR photos, compared to regular b&w. And that is what I’m after… 😉
  
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jdtphotography.co.uk on August 6, 2013 at 11:30 said:

Absolutely wonderful Marie, the IR image is hauntingly beautiful. I am just curious as to whether you need to use a filter as I have to admit I am in awe of your images and he process of IR. Regards, James

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- Marie on August 6, 2013 at 20:00 said:
  
  Thank you very much James!
  Yes, I do need an IR filter. For my Hassie and Wista 45, I use a IR720 filter, there is many different ones on the market, and for my pinhole cams I use a Wratten 89B, that I cut to fit the camera.
  If you don’t use filter, you gonna loose the IR effect, it’s gonna look as a regular bw film.
  Thanks again for your kind words! 🙂
  
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  - jdtphotography.co.uk on August 7, 2013 at 13:15 said:
    
    You are more than welcome Marie and a huge thanks for the info regarding the IR Filters……off to do some shopping for a filter.
    
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    - Marie on August 7, 2013 at 14:02 said:
      
      Thank you, and good luck! 😉
      
      Reply ↓