Remembering Konica Infrared 750 Film (Fiji, Cook Islands, 1995)

[lonesome_dave]

In the 1990s I decided to revisit IR photography using my medium format Pentax 6x7 SLR. It was a clunker of a camera weighing several pounds with an additional lens. I took it on only two or three major trips due to its size and weight. I found a new film in 120 size called Konica Infrared 750nm. It was also available in 35mm. From what I can find now it was discontinued in 2005.

 

 

Here's a couple pics from a stopover in Fiji on the way to New Zealand in 1995. I was using an SLR so I decided to use a #29 dark red filter so I could frame and focus through the lens normally for bright daylight shots.

 

 

 

Next stopover was in the Cook Islands.

 

 

 

 

The red filter didn't yield the black sky I prefer with B&W IR but using opaque filters with an SLR sorta needs a tripod which I didn't have. I never did try the 35mm version of the film but I did like the better tonal range than was possible with Kodak High Speed Infrared film.

 

(Had to change the dimensions of the fourth by one pixel to get it to upload.)???

 

[KhanhDam]

dont' feel bad I got a Pentax 67II right before the Nikon D1x came out. I think I put 20 rolls of film through it. I used to splce 70mm HIE film and reroll in 220 rolls. 

[colinbm]

Great photos, thanks for sharing.

[photoni]

@lonesome_dave  Beautiful photos !!!

Now the only IR film in production is Rollei Infrared 400
It is produced in 135, 120 and 4x5 inch flat film formats
Works well with Hoya R72 filter (>720 nm)
I haven't tried it with darker filters, but I imagine it doesn't see beyond 800 nm.
This is an interesting post  LINK
.
A cheaper and more versatile film that sees UV and also IR well is Rollei Superpancromatic 200 and Ilford SFX 200

[OlDoinyo]

I shot a leftover roll of this a year or two ago. It was many years expired and not refrigerated---just sat in a drawer for years. Yet the results were surprisingly good; it seemed to have lost little if any IR sensitivity.

[Doug A]

Lovely B&W IR film results. I miss shooting IR film. @KhanhDam  getting the Pentax 67II was a great move. Look at what it is worth now vs the Nikon. 

Thanks for sharing,

Doug A

[photoni]

If there is anyone interested in 20 rolls of Kodak HIE (High Speed Infrared) kept in the freezer

format 135 - 36 exposures of black and white - they are on sale for 1200 euro  - Link

[lukaszgryglicki]

whaaaaaat? 1200 EUR, LOL.

 

[lonesome_dave]

Thanks for the comments.  The only live roll of IR film I still have is this one from Germany. Expired in 2005.

 

[OlDoinyo]

That Macophot roll may be either Efke or Rollei--they were both rebadged under that label.

[Andrea B.]

Thank you Dave for film IR photos!! We get so few film images on UVP. (I added a film tag to your topic.)

What great IR memories to have from your trip to Fiji and the Cook Islands! Thanks for posting these. 

 

[I have no idea why there was a problem uploading. A while back I spent a lot of time uploading different sized images to see what dimensions made for the best display. I really didn't reach any firm conclusions. But do note that we have no size restrictions on uploads. If you want me to test the size that failed your upload, please let me know what it is, OK?]