How it Works:

By utilising a little known fact, you can take Infrared pictures with your digital camera.  Most digital camera CCD and CMOS sensors are sensitive to infrared light in the near infrared spectrum.  (The near infrared spectrum ranges from 700-1200 nm.) If this IR light is allowed to saturate the sensor, it will cause miscolouration of the image, so digital camera makers employ an IR Cut Filter (ICT) to reduce the amount of IR light hitting the sensor.  The ICT filter is not 100% effective, but the affect on the image by residual IR is dealt with automatically by white balance, so the picture has correct colour.

The advantage to the IR photographer, is that blocking all visible light to the sensor allows the camera to make use of the residual IR.  The camera is not saturated by visible light and will raise iso and exposure levels to capture more IR light.  The end result is a decent near infrared photo.



Who cares how it works just show me how to do it:

To get started all you need is a couple of strips of film with an all black end piece.  This fully exposed black part of the film is transparent to IR light but opaque to visible light. 

Hold the two strips together in front of your camera lense.  Make sure you have some IR light around (see here)

If you are careful and are able to block out any transient visible light, you will get a good effect straight away.  Depending on the amount of IR light available you may need to use nightmode to improve the exposure.

Example of an IR Picture:





Going All Out and Modifying your Camera

The next step is to modify your camera and REMOVE the IR Cut Filter!

(coming soon)



Sources of Infrared Light

Direct sunlight
Incandescent Lighting
IR Remote Controllers
IR Leds

Note: Fluorescent lighting doesn't emit IR light, so a room lit by fluorescent lighting will bedark in the view-finder of your IR enabled camera.