Efke IR 820 in 4x5, how is the quality control these days?

I used the first version of IR820 in 120 about 5 years ago, I bought 8 rolls, shot 6 and the other 2 are still in a loose film box in my fridge. I had terrible issues with little flecks of the emulsion coming off no matter how I souped it, was terrible.

Now I also use 4x5 so I shoot Rollei IR400 in both 120 and 4x5 and *love* the stark contrast and sharpness, love it!!

But I have just got a commission to shoot a re-make of a historical photo that was made on 4x5 HIE in the early 70's. So I am considering either using one of my rolls of 120mm Aerographic HIE or Efke IR820 in 4x5.

I now soup all my 120mm and 4x5 in a Jobo CPP2 so that is what I will be using for the IR as well, in developer mixed with distilled water...

Any opinions on this film as of late?

you should buy a box of my frozen HIE, that is if it's for sale.


I use efke 820 all the time w/o issues.

The main trick with IR820 is not to use an acid stop bath as it can cause pinholes. Preferably alkaline fix too but I don't bother (just lots of water stopbath) and I have no problems. Try Xtol 1+1 for 13:00 rotary or 15:00 inversion-tank.

I'm not sure IR820 has the same deeper-IR sensitivity as HIE so since its a commission I'd be tempted to shoot both to be sure.

IR820 goes up to 820nm. Kodak HIE was sensitive to 900nm. Kodak was by far the best IR film. You could get excellent IR effects with only a #25 filter. The 820 stuff requires an opaque filter such as the #87, and exceptionally long exposures (like 22 sec on a sunny day at f/11 for me... EI .75!) But don't get me wrong, the 820 is pretty nice stuff.

Thanks guys, the HIE in 120 is nice stuff, but it actually might be a bit too "Glowy" for what I am after. I might just try a few sheets of Efke with the non-acid stop method, it's a shot I will be able to re-do if it falls short with IR820 and I can do a holder of IR400 to cover me.

Not only do I not have to replicate the shot exactly, it is to my benefit to bring my branding to it, perhaps with the newer films to aide in that...

The Efke in 4x5 is available in standard IR820C and "Aura." The Aura might have more of the glow that you're looking for if you're trying to be close to the HIE look. I find the difference between regular and aura in 4x5 to not be so strong (but it is stronger, more "glowy" in smaller formats), and the aura is a little more sensitive with the Lee filter, so that's what I use now. The Efke IR820, regular or aura, benefits from a hardening fixer (I use the standard stinky Kodak stuff). I just developed 4 sheets of aura last night, which I exposed with a Lee filter at ISO 1-ish (sunny f/16 at 1.5 seconds, to account for reciprocity failure at 1 second), and they all look fine, but I haven't scanned them yet. I use plain water for a stop bath, and it still scratches fairly easily even with hardening fixer, so be careful with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by polyglot

The main trick with IR820 is not to use an acid stop bath as it can cause pinholes.

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Just posting for clarification.

The spotting is caused by the fix?

I might just give it a retry if this is so.

Pinholes are (reportedly) caused by acid stop, perhaps due to a violent reaction with the alkali developer. By using a water stop to rinse the developer out of the film before fixing, this reaction doesn't seem to occur... though I have had one pinhole in about 10 rolls of 120 and none in 4x5 (half a box). I think an alkali fix is recommended for the film, but I don't bother because Hypam is about all that's available locally. It couldn't hurt to try if you had it on hand though.

i use to get those pinholes with efke IR film. Switched from stop bath to water and haven't seen them since. At about the same time I started using rodinal at 1+50. I haven't used any newer batches, so can't speak to QC recently. Please keep buying so it sticks around. I'm trying to use mine up to buy some more.