Snakepottery Posted August 17, 2009 Share #1 Posted August 17, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi All, I am a new forum member although have owned various Leica's for some years! I now have just bought an M6 and absolutely love it! Anyway, whilst reading "Leica M photography" by Brian Bower, I was intrigued by him suggesting you can use infrared film in an M6. Now I have used a fair bit of Infrared film in the past and always assumed the camera had to have metal shutter blades to stop fogging. In fact I have an old Nikon FM just for IR. The M6 has a cloth shutter so surely it will fog? Or have I been mistaken? Anyone tried IR film in an M6? By the way, I mean B&W IR film not the colour stuff! Thanks and a great forum! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 17, 2009 Posted August 17, 2009 Hi Snakepottery, Take a look here M6 with infrared film.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
richam Posted August 17, 2009 Share #2 Posted August 17, 2009 I've had a number of rolls of B&W IR film through my M6TTL. This includes Kodak HIE, Maco 820c, and Konica 750. No problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted August 17, 2009 Share #3 Posted August 17, 2009 I've had a number of rolls of B&W IR film through my M6TTL. This includes Kodak HIE, Maco 820c, and Konica 750. No problem. ...hey, richam, I always thought focusing with an M would be an issue with because IR radiation differed from visible radiation in wavelength. Have I got this all wrong? What was your set-up and how did you focus? I understand that some APO lenses might not require any adjustment for IR photography but would very much appreciate your input. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 17, 2009 Share #4 Posted August 17, 2009 ...hey, richam, I always thought focusing with an M would be an issue with because IR radiation differed from visible radiation in wavelength. Have I got this all wrong? No you haven't got that wrong. With the M8 at least we can take a peek at the image and adjust focus. The lens I use mainly for IR is a Voigtlander 25mm. I've found that stopping it down to f5.6/8 and setting the focussing to 2 metres works most of the time for subjects from a few metres away to infinity. I've never taken any IR photographs with the APO lenses, so I can't comment on them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted August 17, 2009 Share #5 Posted August 17, 2009 No you haven't got that wrong. With the M8 at least we can take a peek at the image and adjust focus. The lens I use mainly for IR is a Voigtlander 25mm. I've found that stopping it down to f5.6/8 and setting the focussing to 2 metres works most of the time for subjects from a few metres away to infinity. I've never taken any IR photographs with the APO lenses, so I can't comment on them. ...Steve, thanks for that. Did you ever experiment with film Ms, and if so, how did you go about it? I infer from your post that the 25mm CV lens (not unlike Leica M lenses) does not have any IR markings. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 17, 2009 Share #6 Posted August 17, 2009 No, the Voigtlander lens doesn't have any IR markings. The only IR film I ever used on an M was a roll of the Ilford film that from memory wasn't even a true IR film. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted August 17, 2009 Share #7 Posted August 17, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) No, the Voigtlander lens doesn't have any IR markings. The only IR film I ever used on an M was a roll of the Ilford film that from memory wasn't even a true IR film. ...super stuff, Steve. I will await input from richam - perhaps he knows something we don't. Thanks. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 17, 2009 Share #8 Posted August 17, 2009 I'm sure he can add something. I'm no expert with IR, before the M8 as I say I'd only ever exposed one roll of 'IR' film - and that was free with a UK photo magazine. I could post an IR M8 shot, but I don't think it's relevant to the discussion at hand regarding film IR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richam Posted August 18, 2009 Share #9 Posted August 18, 2009 I'm sure he can add something. I'm no expert with IR, before the M8 as I say I'd only ever exposed one roll of 'IR' film - and that was free with a UK photo magazine. I could post an IR M8 shot, but I don't think it's relevant to the discussion at hand regarding film IR. Steve, you have it covered quite well. On the M6 with film and opaque IR filter (B+W 093), I focused with the rangefinder, moved the focus point over to the right f5.6 hyperfocal marker, stopped down as far as I could, and hoped for the best. On the M8 with the same filter, I ran tests on the lenses I normally use, and found out the best focus offset (with lens wide open) varied from the f2.8 to f8 hyperfocal mark. One would waste a lot of film doing the equivalent tests on the M6, but it may be worth it if serious about IR work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richam Posted August 18, 2009 Share #10 Posted August 18, 2009 Couldn't resist posting one. This is the chapel at Fleury, France near Verdun. The village of Fleury was completely destroyed by artillery in World War I, and this chapel was erected as a memorial. Taken with HIE and 093 filter. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/93727-m6-with-infrared-film/?do=findComment&comment=997091'>More sharing options...
tgray Posted August 18, 2009 Share #11 Posted August 18, 2009 I find it much easier to shoot IR on a rangefinder than on an SLR. You can easily find your focus since you don't have to look through an opaque filter (or remove it). Just leave the filter on and go shoot. Run a test roll for determining the focus of your lens in IR and you should be good to go. Though I've heard that using the f/5.6 DOF mark (on the far side) on many lenses is sufficient for IR focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakepottery Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted August 18, 2009 Thanks all for your responses! Looks like I can get rid of the Nikon and start shooting IR with my lovely new M6!! I have a couple of rolls of Kodak IR film in the fridge all ready to go! Thanks Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted August 18, 2009 Share #13 Posted August 18, 2009 IR film works perfectly with the M6. Load in proper conditions which means total dark with the old Kodak HIE. Exposure in summer sun is 1/250 f6.3. or Set the meter to 800 and meter off an area that is supposed to be middle grey or do grass and "overexpose" 1 stop. Meter right thru the filter. Center the focus at 5.6 instead of the center of debth of field scale. This works with any Leica lens I ever tried and I tried them all, old and new, except Summilux models. Leica stopped using IR focus points because it was the wrong point for psuedo IR film or if you do not use at least a B+W 092. The more daylight, the more you need to shift back to the center. With 092 or 093 filters and true IR, 5.6 is the correct point. Same if you use 092 and Ilford IR SFX although it does lack some deep IR sensitivity. Connifer trees will not go white like they did with Kodak. I think I set the meter to 400 and metered thru the filter. SFX is interesting with a green filter also. Altering the ISO meter setting works because meters are less sensitive to IR than if they were made for IR work. One you figure the multiplier and meter middle grey or white and compensate, you will not need to bracket. I don`t bracket even on vacations. This works with most all meters including my Pentax digital spot and the old clip on Leica meters. The old clip on required me tape an IR gel over the cell glass though. Watch the developing tanks as some plastics are not IR opague. Stainless is fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick De Marco Posted August 18, 2009 Share #14 Posted August 18, 2009 The M6 works beautifully with IR film, far better than an SLR I believe Here's one I took at Angkor, during my first experiments with Kodak HIE film During that trip I sued IR film in the M6, M4-P and Minolta CLE. Worked fine in all of them, although slightly harder to load the Ms in pitch dark I think they were more reliable than the CLE, and with the M4-P you had to remember to change the meter reading by 2 stops whereas with TTL metering you don't This is my gallery of IR photos in Cambodia using the bodies. Infra Red Photo Gallery by Nick De Marco at pbase.com It's a shame they have discontinued Kodak IR film. I am going to experiment with Ilford SFX (I know not true IR but at least it's not such a hassle to load and easier to develop). Anyone have any egs with SFX and M? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakepottery Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted August 19, 2009 Cracking IR pix! Thanks for the tips especially on the focusing. I used to bracket but get reasonable results first time now with Kodak film. I'd post a pic but as I am new, not sure how to do it yet!! And I'm an IT Network Manager, ha ha!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted August 19, 2009 Share #16 Posted August 19, 2009 ...this is simply awesome, folks. Thanks for all the nuggets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 21, 2009 Share #17 Posted August 21, 2009 Understanding & Using Black & White Infrared Film I am using IR film in my M7. In the past Maco IR820C (iso 100) now Rollei IR820/400 (iso 400). I am using Heliopan RG715nm filters (#88A). Except for some small focus corrections no special precautions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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