Rollei infrared film test results

[Jonathan Brewer]

I promised I would upload the results of my tests w/the new Rollei infrared film, I've been desperate to try to get this film to work with using an 89B, and since David Romano's machine wouind Aerographic equivalent of 120 Kodak HIE will eventually be going 'belly up' soon, I fortunately think I've something positive to report.

I planned out shooting a test w/Alan Wedertz souping what I shot, he cut the negatives to develop @ different times in an attempt to come up w/something usable. I shot 2 rolls of Rollei 400 infrared w/my Silouette 612 and my 250mm Apo Tele-Xenar, I used a Harrison & Harrison 89B since these are the easiest and most economical infrared filters in 95mm, and shot the test film on a very clear and cloudless/hazyless day arould 1pm.

I've uploaded only part of a 6x12 neg because of a malfunction I caused w/my Horsaman 612 back, which overlapped the first 3 frames, FYI, after winding up to the first frame, you have push the wind lever all the way in from its 'standoff' position, and then advance to the next frame, if you advance the film starting w/the wind lever in its standoff position, you'll get a malfunction. Even w/the overlap, Alan was able to get some satifactory results.

Alan souped the negatives in x-tol, @70 degrees, anywhere from 12-18 minutes, and we came up a combination which is at least a starting point for tweaking this film toward a look I prefer. The uploaded image was shot @F8, 1/30sec, using the Harrison & Harrison 89B, and was souped in x-tol for 14 @ 70 degrees. This shot isn't exactly where I want it, the grass among other things, is too hot(and I don't care about the concrete), but I got plenty of the 'wood' effect, and the sky is in the right ballpark, it's much sharper than Kodak Hie, and I like that, Alan and I are agreed, that for at least what I prefer, the above exposure and development will be a good starting point for using this film.

I'll shoot the next few rolls of this film, bracketing each shot @ F8-11 using 1/30 of a sec.

[Marko]

Thanks for sharing, Johanatan.

Looks like you're getting there... I thought I would pass this film, but now I'm going to give it a second look.

If you don't mind a comment, I'd close another stop judging by the grass. Concrete should also show detail. It reflects IR, but not that much, shoud be somewhere around zone VI - VII.

[Jonathan Brewer]

Yes, thanks, actually my mistake, this is the F5.6-1/30sec frame, which is the first frame, I can't up upload frame 2 which is F8 @1/30sec because it's almost completely overlapped, there's detail in the concrete @F8 in frame 2, frame three, shot @ F11-1/30 is too dark for my taste.

I don't believe I need any more tests, I'm going to bracket each shot between F8-11@1/30, which I believe is right for this film, also Alan is going to play around w/development times, this is a start, before, I was getting nothing @F8-11 and 1/125sec,.................I agree w/a stop down may end up just right per frame 2.

If I hadn't gotten anything appreciable from this test(my third w/Rollei infrared), I would've given up on this film, since I prefer the look U get w/an 89B, it's not Kodak Hie, but I believe it's going to be close enough along w/being sharper.