IR Googles

[Alan9940]

Over the years, I've seen various posts on this and other forums talking about the use of an IR google in the darkroom; specifically, the ATN Viper unit. Tried one...didn't like it...returned it.

Recently, I became aware of the Laserware folks over in the UK and their range of Nightfox IR googles. Specifically, I started looking into the Nightfox 120R, but was concerned about the 3x magnification and I didn't need video recording. After several e-mails relating my concerns, I was told that they were introducing the Nightfox 119V which is the same as the 120R, except 1x magnification and no video. I was intrigued by this news and waited two months for the unit to show up on Amazon. It arrived today!

I've played with it in the darkroom for only about 30 mins, doing various tasks that I normally do in the dark, but so far I'm really impressed. If anyone is looking to try out IR googles in the darkroom, I'd highly recommend taking a look at the Nightfox 119V.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Goggles? ;)

[Tin Can]

Looked em up.

No way to use them with my goggles....

[Alan9940]

Goggles? ;)

Oops! LOL!! :D

[Tin Can]

My glasses won't work with it

[Two23]

$180? A bit more than I wanted to spend, but if I did a lot in the dark I might be interested.


Kent in SD

[Peter De Smidt]

Do they need an IR light source?

[Michael Kadillak]

Nearly all of them come with an IR light source but my observations have always been that it your external light source "glows red", the odds are pretty good that the film can see this light source as well. I tested this theory to prove that is in fact the case.

I ditched the integrated IR light source that came with the monocle (ie removed the batteries) and acquired an external 24 LED light blank that I bounce off an adjacent wall in my darkroom so only IR comes into the viewing area. I also added an identical IR light source on the other side of my darkroom sink (under a frosted $1 globe) and put it on a foot switch. Great for film development by inspection. I have had my IR head set for over 12 years and it still works great, It is an invaluable piece of my analog process in loading sheet film and development by inspection.

[reddesert]

I haven't ever used IR goggles, but my experience from other areas is that some common materials that are opaque in the visible are not completely opaque in the near infrared. Often black electrical tape is like this. So if you wanted a modest IR source, black tape or other thin material over red LEDs might work. Of course, you would want to test to make sure it didn't fog film.

[Alan9940]

My glasses won't work with it

My reading glasses fit just fine inside the "eye cuff", but I found that I can see the screen just fine without glasses.

[Alan9940]

$180? A bit more than I wanted to spend, but if I did a lot in the dark I might be interested.


Kent in SD

Way cheaper than the $400+ unit I bought off eBay and had to return; and, the 119V is brand new.

[Alan9940]

Nearly all of them come with an IR light source but my observations have always been that it your external light source "glows red", the odds are pretty good that the film can see this light source as well. I tested this theory to prove that is in fact the case.


I contacted the distributor with this very question and was told that the IR light in the 119V runs at 850nm. In theory, that range is beyond what ordinary panchromatic film will respond to, but I haven't tested it, yet. I plan to very soon.

[Duolab123]

I've been using Spynet (toy) goggles for several years now. I would be in trouble without them. I'm definitely interested in this unit. My biggest question is will it have sharp focus at Arms length and is 1x translate to a wide field of view.

[Alan9940]

I've been using Spynet (toy) goggles for several years now. I would be in trouble without them. I'm definitely interested in this unit. My biggest question is will it have sharp focus at Arms length and is 1x translate to a wide field of view.

I guess it depends on what you call sharp focus... It will easily focus on something at arms length, but the resolution is limited by the internal screen--320x240. Not exactly iPhone resolution, but I find it very acceptable. For my use, the 1x magnification is certainly better than the 3x of the 120R, but, again, your mileage may vary. To give you an idea of the field of view, at arms length I can see about 2/3 of an 8x10 film tank and film holder sitting in my darkroom sink. I would like to see the entire tank top, but my arms just ain't that long. ;)

My only criticism of the 119V, at this point, is that it would be nice to be able to adjust the brightness of the internal screen. With the unit mounted on my head, there is just a wee bit of light, from the screen, that escapes around one side of the eye cuff. At this point, I don't know if it's enough to cause any issue with film, but, since the point was raised that these IR units can fog film, I have two test sheets ready for development. If you're interested, I'll pass along my findings.

[Alan9940]

To the forum moderators: It would be nice if you could edit the title of this thread to properly spell goggles. This would make it easier for anybody interested in this information to find it via a search.

[Pere Casals]

I made mine for $9 in 5 min, using a car Dash Camera and a old-cheap VR goggles for smartphone. The Traffic dash cam has IR illuminators, the camera, the screen and a battery lasting some 15min, a little power bank in the camera usb connector lasts for hours.


192785

192787



Search ebay ($9): HD 2.4"LCD 1080P Car DVR Vehicle Camera Video Recorder Dash Cam Night Vision

192786


Enough for an sporadic usage, very low weight, I'd use a better thing (that pointed by OP) for frequent usage, just I post this solution to show how cheap it can be.

As it works nice I'll print a 3d part to attach the camera nicely to the goggles.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Goggles, man! Goggles! :D

[Alan9940]

Goggles, man! Goggles! :D

Sorry, I started it by typing it wrong! ;)

[Alan9940]

I can now confirm, via densitometer, that there is absolutely no fogging with the Nightfox 119V and Fomapan 100 film. Postulating here, it's probably safe to assume that the 119V would not fog any normal panchromatic film stock. Any film with extended red sensitivity may be an issue and, of course, IR film is out of the question.

[Duolab123]

If someone would make a stereo, real BI-noculars, two tiny HD screens from a EVF camera, two cameras with sonar auto focus 900nm illumination. That's Cool!

Or like the Marvel heros use echo location to build a 3-D image that we could view on Googles NO Goggles :eek:

[Duolab123]

I can now confirm, via densitometer, that there is absolutely no fogging with the Nightfox 119V and Fomapan 100 film. Postulating here, it's probably safe to assume that the 119V would not fog any normal panchromatic film stock. Any film with extended red sensitivity may be an issue and, of course, IR film is out of the question.

My Spynet thing doesn't fog any non IR film color or black and white. And I've had the illumination as close as arms length. The IR floodlights emit some visible very very dim red light, bouncing off a white wall, illuminates my entire darkroom. I look like an idiot but no one can see me :D

192801

[Duolab123]

I guess it depends on what you call sharp focus... It will easily focus on something at arms length, but the resolution is limited by the internal screen--320x240. Not exactly iPhone resolution, but I find it very acceptable. For my use, the 1x magnification is certainly better than the 3x of the 120R, but, again, your mileage may vary. To give you an idea of the field of view, at arms length I can see about 2/3 of an 8x10 film tank and film holder sitting in my darkroom sink. I would like to see the entire tank top, but my arms just ain't that long. ;)

My only criticism of the 119V, at this point, is that it would be nice to be able to adjust the brightness of the internal screen. With the unit mounted on my head, there is just a wee bit of light, from the screen, that escapes around one side of the eye cuff. At this point, I don't know if it's enough to cause any issue with film, but, since the point was raised that these IR units can fog film, I have two test sheets ready for development. If you're interested, I'll pass along my findings.

I attached a wide angle auxiliary lens from an old VHS camera I found on Ebay for 5 bucks. My setup has a manual focus wheel. As long as you keep still, it's sharp, I can read "British Made" on my Hewes reels. If you move around the frame rate is too slow to keep things sharp.

[Duolab123]

Here's a recording I made with one of my toys, no wide angle

https://youtu.be/bXUck5VphcA

[Alan9940]

My Spynet thing doesn't fog any non IR film color or black and white.

I tested specifically for fogging because someone mentioned in an earlier post that these IR goggles fog film.

[Duolab123]

I tested specifically for fogging because someone mentioned in an earlier post that these IR goggles fog film.

I sent a email nightfox. Sounds like a nice unit. I look forward to hearing more on how these work.