Easier Aerochrome: The Triple Bandpass TB550/660/850

[Christoph]

Some more pictures with the TB... but this time shot with a Nikon D70 -- same lens... CCD sensor seems to work better. 

[Christoph]

Some more video.. with more water

 

 

[colinbm]

Good video Christoph

[yann_p]

This is really great and technically very accurate to true Aerochrome render. Maybe trying to work in CMYK (or LAB why not) would allow you to achieve some even better results (the color emulsions of the Aerochrome film were CMY, not RGB). Great !

 

Yann Philippe

[Christoph]

Thanks for the tip and the encouraging words, Yann! The filter definitely works very well!

[yann_p]

Emulating "true" Aerochrome is really a never ending quest and we have all the limitations of the digital sensors (that's why IR Chrome is great on Canon but needs more post-processing with Nikon/Sony). And the channel swap thing is a turn off for many photographers as it's a "technical operation" that many struggle to truly understand. Your last results in video are really close to the original render of Aerochrome (I didn't shot many rolls though so I can't be 100% affirmative, but comparing to the numerous image I've collected when trying to make the prototype of what then becam IRchrome I think your results are very very close, more than the Tiffen 12 method ! )

[yann_p]

Hello
Is this filter a dichroic one ? Will it work evenly when used screwed at the outside (widest diameter) of the lens ?

It's not cheap indeed (837.75 € for 82mm)

 

[Christoph]

I think it is a dichroic filter because of the silvery rainbow like layer on one side. I have no idea about large diameters.... I have only used between 27mm and 37mm so far. Fact is that even with Nikon it depends on model and lens (!) if the image is clean, i.e. no color fringes etc.... CCD basically better, FX too. In terms of lenses, so far the old Nikon 50mm (2) is the best... then just behind it the ultra-cheap 28-80mm.

 

[Christoph]

More video impressions for all who are interested...

 

 

[colinbm]

You are having fun with this filter.
You are making me want to learn video too now.

[Andy Perrin]

Looks ready for your music video! (Or whatever you have in mind.)

[colinbm]

I have a triple band pass filter now & I am trying to emulate Christoph's Aerochrome look, with the
full spectrum Sigma fp & 40mm Canon pancake lens, white balanced in camera with teflon/PTFE film over lens.

First up is the original JPG from the DNG file.

Opened the JPG in Irfanview & chanel swapped & a bit of a hack at processing.....

[Stefano]

You are close, you just need to make the sky a bit bluer and the trees a bit redder, but I don't know how to to it.

[colinbm]

4 minutes ago, Stefano said:

You are close, you just need to make the sky a bit bluer and the trees a bit redder, but I don't know how to to it.

Thanks Stefano,
Yes more to try, but I don't remember the steps that got me here .... ?
I'll get some water in the shot tomorrow, if sunny.

[Andy Perrin]

Colin, can you try to reproduce Christoph’s steps exactly? That might get you close. I think he described it in the thread here somewhere. 

[Christoph]

I wonder why the trees are not more blue. But there are also striking differences in Nikons. Tip: Set the white balance to 2500 K or make CWB to healthy vegetation. Afterwards in the channel mixer like this:

Red: 0, 0, 100
Green: 100, 0, -40
Blue: 0, 100, -40 

 

The fact is: White balance is best done with the eye and not with the Eyedropper. The original Aerochrome was also not "neutral" in the gray and white tones, but had a strong cyan cast depending on the filter selection.

[Christoph]

 

Spring has finally arrived. A quick test with the TB filter and Orange 16. A bit dark, I know. But you have to be careful not to expose too much so that you don't see any "eroded" areas with reflections after the channel swap.

[Andy Perrin]

Needs “strawberry fields forever” as sound track. Why don’t you just brighten it up as the last step on postprocessing? It is too dark. I would think you could check the histogram for each frame and use that to do a carefully adjustment based on the brightest thing across all frames. 

[colinbm]

Excellent colours Christoph.

[Christoph]

I have come to the conclusion that it is best to leave out the subtraction of IR in the channel mixer (or keep it minimal) and just process the photos with correct white balance and normal channel mixer operation.

 

Because it is this subtraction that causes the colors to come out strange for me. Sometimes the sky is too magenta, or the trees are too pink. You can control it a bit by underexposing strongly and brightening again only after the channel mixer. You can also vary the amount you subtract from green and blue. But I’ve rarely been happy with the results.

 

So back to the simplest and fastest solution, which in my eyes also creates the best results.

 

I used a Nikon D700, a 50mm lens and the Triple Bandpass Filter. Without additional filter.

 

Step 1: Directly from the camera into the Photoshop Raw converter. Select Vivid as preset. Adjust white balance. Either manually (Temperature circa 3050, Tint +25) or by choosing a very dark neutral area, for example asphalt in the shade.

Step 2: Channel mixer, very simple. R (0, 0, 100), G (100, 0, 0), B (0, 100, 0).

Step 3: Back to the Raw Converter. Adjust the white balance again. Done.

 

 

[Andrea B.]

Christoph, those show a very good outcome, methinks.

 

As a photograph, I particularly like that first one with the vines growing on the building, the sawtooth shadows on the right, the mountains in the background. It is an interesting conjunction of the industrial with nature. 

 

Birna always taught us that an alternate light photograph needed to stand on its own as a good photo for which the alternate light was an enhancement, not the main feature. Of course, I know you are experimenting here trying to find the right filter mix and processing techniques so nobody is expecting Ansel Adams in Aerochrome. La!

 

Anytime you would like to write up a separate tutorial about your favorite Aerochrome processing, please do.

[Christoph]

Thanks for your feedback, Andrea! Yes, I especially like how the different vegetation takes on different shades of red and pink. And the color of the vines -- I like it especially. 

THAT is the best Aerochrome variation. In my eyes. But there's just a lot of things that are a matter of taste. I would argue that it is the closest to the original.

The problem really is that not every sensor responds well to it. Even among Nikons there are drastic differences. With newer DX like D7200 or D3100 the colors are not 100% correct and it has fringing. The D700 is the best. Then maybe D70.

I would be really interested to see how the filter performs with Canon and other brands. Colin seems to have no success with his Sigma.

[colinbm]

Thanks for these fabulous images.
It is not the case that the Sigma fp is letting me down, it is my lack of processing skills & at 70 yrs my brain is not up to the task easily.

[Christoph]

Thanks Colin! Would you be willing to post a RAW photo of your Sigma and TB? Would love to see if I can use the same process or your sensor reacts differently....

[colinbm]

11 minutes ago, Christoph said:

Thanks Colin! Would you be willing to post a RAW photo of your Sigma and TB? Would love to see if I can use the same process or your sensor reacts differently....

Thanks Christoph, I will do so as soon as we get a sunny day.
It has been very unseasonably wet, so hopefully within a week I can get a shot.
It doesn't matter which white balance is used, because the RAW doesn't use it, is this correct ?