Photo by reviewer: False Spirea Starburst, Cheshire, 2024.I loaded this film and went out looking for subtle infrared effects in plants and leaves. The photographs I took were in shade rather than direct sunlight. I used a 3-stop red filter on the camera lens and therefore a tripod was needed. I have found that photographs made with this film without a red filter look very similar to normal black and white film images, so a red filter is essential if you are looking for effects.This film should be handled and loaded into the camera in subdued light, although total darkness is not required. If you are developing the film at home, total darkness is required when loading the film onto the reel and into the developing tank, just as with regular black and white ... MorePhoto by reviewer: False Spirea Starburst, Cheshire, 2024.I loaded this film and went out looking for subtle infrared effects in plants and leaves. The photographs I took were in shade rather than direct sunlight. I used a 3-stop red filter on the camera lens and therefore a tripod was needed. I have found that photographs made with this film without a red filter look very similar to normal black and white film images, so a red filter is essential if you are looking for effects.This film should be handled and loaded into the camera in subdued light, although total darkness is not required. If you are developing the film at home, total darkness is required when loading the film onto the reel and into the developing tank, just as with regular black and white film.This photograph of a False Spirea plant (above) was my favourite. I was delighted with the gentle glow of the leaves in the image.Some previous testing with another roll of SFX film showed that, with my equipment, I needed to add an extra stop of exposure in addition to that determined by the through-the-lens metering (with the filter on the lens). However, I would advise bracketing in any case, because results can be a little unpredictable.The film was developed in Ilfotec DD-X for the manufacturer's recommended time. I printed the image on Ilford Multigrade RC Deluxe (pearl) at Grade 3. I applied some dodging to the centre leaves and a little burning to the leaves at the bottom of the image.The image uploaded here is a photograph of my print.

Ilford state that this film, while not being infrared gives similar results. Without having access to an infrared film we are never going to know for sure. It does, without doubt give dramatic results when paired with a dark red filter - I used an R29 from Tiffen. I had very satisfying results with the film in a Pentax MX and 24mm f2.8 A series lens. Ilford recommend bracketing shots by 2 stops. I found that 2 stops underexposure worked best compared with the Pentax MX meter reading through the R29 filter. I think this may also have been related to choosing primary subjects that were red or white, ensuring plenty of red light for the film to record.I found some of my shots at larger apertures looked a bit soft and I'm not sure if this was because of difficulty in ... MoreIlford state that this film, while not being infrared gives similar results. Without having access to an infrared film we are never going to know for sure. It does, without doubt give dramatic results when paired with a dark red filter - I used an R29 from Tiffen. I had very satisfying results with the film in a Pentax MX and 24mm f2.8 A series lens. Ilford recommend bracketing shots by 2 stops. I found that 2 stops underexposure worked best compared with the Pentax MX meter reading through the R29 filter. I think this may also have been related to choosing primary subjects that were red or white, ensuring plenty of red light for the film to record.I found some of my shots at larger apertures looked a bit soft and I'm not sure if this was because of difficulty in accurate focus through such a dark red filter or my lens being unable to focus the extended red wavelengths of light on the same plane as other wavelengths. My bracketed shots when stopped down look sharp.Shots with people in look ghostly, with dark skies, stark clouds, and ethereal vegetation all achievable. It pays to think carefully about composition and the colour of your primary subject.I developed the film in ID-11 to Ilford's instructions. All fine.Quite grainy for an ISO 200 film, but all in all very pleasing and great fun.

I went to Scotland armed with SFX and an IR filter, in search of dramatic skies. 2 weeks of 100% cloud cover later I gave up and shot it on a drizzly afternoon. Pleasing grain (to my eyes) and a nice range of tones. I develop in caffenol, and it works OK but this one seems to have a darker base than usual. The scanner dealt with that OK though.