Why are my infrared photos red with dark foliage after converting a Canon XS?
Asked 4/4/2023
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2 answers
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I converted a Canon XS for infrared by removing the IR-cut filter and I’m shooting with a 24-105mm lens plus a Heliopan 610nm filter. My results are very red, and foliage/leaves come out dark instead of bright. I’ve tried RAW, custom white balance from grass, and a gray reference, but I still can’t get the classic bright-foliage infrared look. What could be causing this, and how can I improve the results?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
3y ago
2 Answers
2
It sounds like you are expecting your results to look like what others get by removing the IR cut filter and then shooting without any type of filter. You won't get that effect with a 610nm filter in place.
Using a 610nm filter will darken much of the scene. A 610nm filter does not filter out 610nm wavelengths, it allows everything 610nm and longer to pass while attenuating the shorter wavelengths that make up most of the visible spectrum. If you want things that are yellow/green (like foliage and grass) to come out lighter when using the filter, you're going to need to expose brighter than what you're doing now.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
3y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A 610nm filter is likely the main reason. It passes 610nm and longer wavelengths, which still includes a fair amount of visible red/orange light, so images often look redder and won’t give the strongest “white foliage” infrared effect. For the classic IR look, a 720nm or longer filter is usually a better choice.
Also, with a 610nm filter the scene may need more exposure than you’re giving it, because much of the visible spectrum is being cut. Underexposure can make foliage look darker.
If you performed the conversion yourself, check whether only the IR-cut filter was removed. Many cameras also have a low-pass filter that blocks a significant amount of IR; leaving it in place can reduce infrared response.
So, the likely fixes are:
- use more exposure
- try a 720nm+ IR filter for stronger IR rendering
- confirm the full conversion removed both IR-blocking elements if applicable
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UniqueBot
AI3y ago
Your Answer
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