MM IR sensitive?

[jbl]

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I was just reading Steve Huff's review and it appears to show that the MM is IR sensitive with an 89B filter. Am I reading this right?

 

-jbl

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[photomeme]

I didn't see the ISO or aperture (doesn't appear to be super low shutter speed).

 

i'd be cautious.

 

This chart of the MM's spectral sensitivity:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/attachments/leica-m9-forum/317355d1337922930-m9m-spectral-sensitivity-spectral-sensitivity-leica-m-monochrom.pdf

 

shows some continuing sensitivity past 650 and even 700 (although note it's declining , and this is a logarthmic chart..

 

this chart shows the 89B blocking most light below 700

 

Infrared Photography 2 - photo.net

 

although the marketing blurb on amazon says it blocks below 650

 

Amazon.com: B + W 55mm Infrared Filter # 092 (89B): Electronics

[brill64]

you could try cranking up the iso & fitting a 0.72 on an m9 & see what you get. not exactly infra-red or even entirely usable. since you can push the iso up even further on an mm, it's feasible that you could fit an 0.73, a true infra-red filter, & see some trace of effect on your image. you may need a tripod & a lot of patience, though & it may be a lot easier with a modified dslr or, dare i say, ir film.

[01af]

I was just reading Steve Huff's review and it appears to show that the M Monochrom is IR-sensitive with an #89B filter. Am I reading this right?

Yes, you are. But the sensitivity is pretty low so it's hard to take advantage of it in real-life shooting. With a Wratten #88A or Schott RG 715 filter in bright sunshine, you'll shoot at, say, f/4 and 1/125 s at ISO 10,000/41°. When using a tripod then you'd shoot f/5.6 and 1/2 s at ISO 320/26°, for example. So for hand-held shooting you'll need to crank up the ISO setting up to or near the very limit. For best image quality at moderate ISO settings you'll need a tripod.

 

With a Wratten #89B or Schott RG 695, you'll gain a few stops, but you'll also get less pronounced infrared imaging effects (haze penetration, Wood effect etc).

 

The M9's IR sensitivity is approx. one or maybe two f-stops higher than the M Monochrom's, and the M8's is even higher.