Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/26

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica M's and High Speed Infrared Film
From: John Collier <jbcollier@powersurfr.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 17:05:04 -0600

A message from the archives is found below:

PS: Real names are polite as this is not a chat room

John Collier

> From: "Leica" <leica@miltonstreet.com>
> 
> Is it possible to shoot Infrared Film (Kodak HIE) in a Leica M?  I own a M6.
> It is my understanding that infrared waves CAN get through cloth and the M
> does have a cloth shutter.  I was also wondering about the IR dot, or lack
> there of.  All the other 35mm lens I have seen or owned have some type of
> dot to show how to adjust the focus for IR film.  Neither my 35 nor 90
> lenses for my Lecia have such a dot.  Why not?  Is it necessary to adjust
> the focus?
>

- ----------
From: "Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 10:58:20 -0700
Subject: Re: [Leica] It has been asked a million times Focusing Infrared
Film with a M6

At 8:53 AM -0700 8/27/00, Jerald Rosenfeld wrote:
> I am sure that this topic has been hit a million times. I looked in the
>archives and  only found sketchy information.
>1. What is the procedure in focusing Infrared Film using a M6TTL.
>2.  IS there a problem with infrared leaks with the cloth curtain?
>3. Must I forfeit and just shoot at at small apertures?
>Thank you for the information in advance?

I shoot IR film quite often in my M4, and it is quite easy. I don't usually
shoot wide open, but if necessary, I'll still do it. With newer lenses I
set the focus point approximately at the closer f/2 depth of field mark,
with older (70's) lenses I set it at about the f/4 mark. This is all with
the Kodak HIE film, which has sensitivity further into the IR than other
readily available films. With others (Konica 750, the E-6 film and the
Ilford film) I don't do any adjustment at all. Especially the more recent
lenses are so well corrected, and the IR sensitivity is so limited, that
refocussing rarely brings any benefits.

The shutter has no light leak problems.

For the Kodak HIE film I have a Leica 39mm IR filter, which is equivalent
to an 89B, and otherwise I use gels cut to size behind a UV filter; mostly
89B or 87. The 25 filter doesn't do quite enough with the HIE.

The main problem with IR is that you have to bracket a lot, and the film is
expensive, but if you are going to use it, Leica-M's are ideal.