Rangefinders and Infra red film

AJQS

AJQS

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Just an idea that popped in my head, anybody done this? Thinking out loud the rangefinder could easily be recalibrated to IR, and it would mean composing easily without having to take filters on and off all the time.

Do any go low enough in the ISO scale to be used succesfully, or have OTF metering perhaps?

:thinking:
 
I've used a Leica M6 with IR film. Leaving the IR filter on all the time means the camera is metering through the filter, so you can set the ISO to something like 25 and in bright sunlight you get hand-holdable shutter speeds. I didn't recalibrating the rangefinder as I wanted to use it with normal film still, and the lenses I have don't have IR marks so I had to just guess how much focusing adjustment to make which is a bit trial-and-error.
 
I Didn't think rangefinders metered through the lens? that might scupper plans!
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I Didn't think rangefinders metered through the lens? that might scupper plans!
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Depends on the camera - MF rangefinders like the Mamiya 6 and 7 don't meter through the lens, but Leica M6, M7 etc do. Why does it scupper your plans - I'd have thought it made it easier?
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I Didn't think rangefinders metered through the lens? that might scupper plans!
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Some of them do, I think most of the Leicas after the M4 meter TTL. Something like a Zorki or a Fed would probably be free of a meter.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I Didn't think rangefinders metered through the lens? that might scupper plans!
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It's not quite as simple as "rangefinders meter through their lenses", period. For instance, a Leica M5/6 meters TTL, but a Yashica Electro 35 doesn't. Almost all the 1970s compact rangefinders don't meter through their lenses, but because the light sensor is often within the filter ring, it's almost like they meter TTL (for your purposes).

An example of that sensor is between the "LTD." and "RIKENON" on the lens:
ricoh-500g.jpg
 
Interesting. Didn't know that! Guess it doesn't actually matter one jot where the meter is really, I'm being a bit blonde today!
 
I quite fancy one of those little Ricohs as it happens...
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I quite fancy one of those little Ricohs as it happens...
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I may be putting up my resealed Ricoh 500GX up for sale in a couple of months? :shrug:

I have to say, IR photography sounds like a bit of a pain really...!
 
Some of the older meters were pretty much just basic photoelectric cells, I'm not sure these will respond properly to IR light.
 
freecom2 said:
I may be putting up my resealed Ricoh 500GX up for sale in a couple of months? :shrug:

I have to say, IR photography sounds like a bit of a pain really...!
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There's a lot of luck involved :D

swanseamale47 said:
Some of the older meters were pretty much just basic photoelectric cells, I'm not sure these will respond properly to IR light.
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Precious few meters do!
 
swanseamale47 said:
Some of the older meters were pretty much just basic photoelectric cells, I'm not sure these will respond properly to IR light.
Click to expand...

Ooh yes - can of worms right there! Meter sensitivity to IR light is very variable, but using IR film is all trial and error anyway so that just adds another unknown variable!
 
freecom2 said:
It's not quite as simple as "rangefinders meter through their lenses", period. For instance, a Leica M5/6 meters TTL, but a Yashica Electro 35 doesn't. Almost all the 1970s compact rangefinders don't meter through their lenses, but because the light sensor is often within the filter ring, it's almost like they meter TTL (for your purposes).

An example of that sensor is between the "LTD." and "RIKENON" on the lens:
ricoh-500g.jpg
Click to expand...

That was the camera that got me interested in photography in the first place many years ago (35 perhaps?). I was kindly lent one by a relative for a few months and really enjoyed using it. Haven't used one since then though, so I might also be interested if one comes up on the sales area ;)
 
Richard, not sure which infrared film you are using My various meters only go down to 3 ISO at the most.
As far as I am aware no built in meter allows ISO at 1.5. Which is what I use for Efke 820 Aura.
The I-Phone and Ipod etc. have an APP for exposure which will go down
to 1 ISO with a semi spot reading.
Mind you most of the time 3-5 seconds at F11 is what I use anyway.
When my stock of Efke runs out it seems the the only available film is Rollei.
Much cheaper usually from Maco in Germany who always seem to have stock.

C
 
What ISO setting you use depends on whether you're metering through the IR filter or not. With a Leica with TTL metering, we've been setting ISO 25 with the Efke 820 which has been fine. With the Rollei film in a MF rangefinder with non-TTL metering we get good results setting the meter for ISO 6.
 
I'm using Rollei IR400, I don't much like the Efke.

What do we reckon to a meter as above, so it's through the filter but not the lens? Think I've found an ideal candidate on fleabay...
 
I think I'm going to have to discontinue this exercise as shutter priority and IR don't mix, that's one thing I failed to notice.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I think I'm going to have to discontinue this exercise as shutter priority and IR don't mix, that's one thing I failed to notice.
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You can use IR with shutter-priority as long as you are either metering through the filter, or can adjust the ISO setting to take the filter-factor into account.
 
Since the 6 doesn't meter ttl, it is easier to just calculate.
Shooting Rollei 400IR iso is 12 with an R72 filter, so I just set the meter on the 6 to iso 25 and doubled the indicated shutter speed...:D.

My test roll is in the show us your film shots thread somewhere.
Rollei 400IR is fairly forgiving, you just have to remember you are choosing a scene from reflected IR off the greens, air on the side of over exposure for a strong IR effect.

edit...here's one, I remember the shutter speed was so slow, (probably about 2sec) I had to balance it on a bridge handrail, not one of my best planned shots...lol

33or3ug.jpg
 
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yashica 44 fits in my coat pocket :p, even my hoodies pocket. but it is 127film...

isnt ir film painfully expensive?
 
pingu666 said:
yashica 44 fits in my coat pocket :p, even my hoodies pocket. but it is 127film...

isnt ir film painfully expensive?
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Nope - £4.60 for a 35mm roll, or £5.07 for a 120 roll from ag-photographic.co.uk for the Rollei film. Doesn't come in 127 though!
 
€3 a roll for Rollei when you buy 10 or more from Maco....So I did :)
 
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