FEOOG / Ilford SFX, a match made in heaven?

[lumen]

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Good evening there; now the sun's playing a more dominant role in the day I'm looking forward to exploring some infrared photography- I love the look and have learnt that walking around shooting f18 at 1/1000s on iso 400 film isn't always the best idea.

 

So anyway, I've now acquired a suitable tripod, some SFX film, and today took delivery of a FEOOG filter (to use with a IIIc and '36 Elmar). I also have a couple of questions that I would like to air in the hope that I could tap into some of the experience and expertise on this forum.

 

As this filter is A36 can I assume that the infrared markings on the Elmar would lead to an appropriate compensation for the focus shift with wavelength? or would bracketing for focus be still advised?

 

Also- although I do plan to be making notes and learning from them- I would very much appreciate any suggested starting points on bracketing for exposure, as in maybe a number of stops and any guidance on how many and wide the intervals to bracket?

 

Finally, I would be particularly interested in any first hand experience with this filter- I was particularly surprised at how much more light it let through than my Hoya R72 filter (which I use on the D-Lux 4) as from reading around the internet I'd heard it was more a 820nm ish filter? I've attached a picture which I hope illustrates this a little better, and is plastic an expected part of the construction for these filters?

 

Thoughts and suggestions most welcome, thank you!

[tobey bilek]

SFX does not reach really far into infrared spectrum. Therefore it takes a really strong ir source to get really white whites. Skies will not go black.

 

Ilford made a filter for it that was close to B+W 092 which is close to the 072 Hoya. I used to use the 092 and it worked well. a Leica IR will also work.

 

Use the ir focus mark with deep IR filters like the Hoya. For less deep filters, the correct focus is somewhere between daylight and ir so experiment. Less deep filters will render like a red or orange on normal black and white film. X2 dark green make interesting effects on SFX.

 

Get an adapter to use regular 39 mm filters on the elmar, SOOGZ

or something close to that. That opens up any 50 mm lens shade also.

 

Do not expect much with your deep red. I would shoot most of the roll holding the 072 in front of the lens.

 

ONCE YOU decide on a filter, you can calibrate the meter using "wrong ISO" and expose time/stop you know to be correct. I never bracketed exposures. The speed you set the meter to will be rather high, but the SBC or CDS metering cells are over sensitive to IR so it works out.