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Shooting infraed at night (with flash)

Don Libby

Well-known member
Everything I've read says not to (at least without some sort of filter). However I don't always do what others tell me not to do (just ask my wife).

Dusk last night I decided to see just what the Sony Nex-7 IR would do if I used the onboard flash. The good news is it works. The bad news is I'm hooked...


f/16 1/160 ISO 200 processed into black & white using NIK Silver Efex Pro 2


Original file, after running the false color action in CS6; f/16 1/160 ISO 200


Same file after processed into black & white with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2


f/16 1/160 ISO 200 processed into black & white using NIK Silver Efex Pro 2

My workflow now is to open the files in Sony Image Date Convertor, saving the files I want to work with to Tiff before opening them in CS6 where I'll run the false color action and Silver Efex if processing to black & white. Slightly longer workflow than with my IQ160 however I'm getting used to it.

Once again I have to thank Guy for selling his Nex7 and Life Pixel for the excellent service.

Don
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Don, gel your flash with an IR cut-on filter and you can take pictures in night clubs and no one will see the flash.

Looking forward to seeing more.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
We might try that the next time Ken & I do a get together in Carmel. Just need to find a place with a pole. Any ideas Ken?

(I figured I had to beat Ken to the response :ROTFL:)
 
V

Vivek

Guest
You seem to get a big hot spot with that lens which gets masked (only in the centered subjects) after the processing to monochrome.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
It may be less or may not be visible when the lens is opened up. Very few modern lenses do not show a hotspot at f/16.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Don,

Here is what I find (out of the E mount lenses I have):

1. Sony/Zeiss 24/1.8

2. Sony 50/1.8

3. Sony 30/3.5

4. Sigma DN 30/2.8

All really bad hotspotting lenses.

The least objectionable is the 18-55 kitzoom!!!!

There is a mild hotspot at 18mm (f/11-f/16) but is almost absent at 55mm.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
It may be less or may not be visible when the lens is opened up. Very few modern lenses do not show a hotspot at f/16.
Taking your advice I did a couple sample shots last night using f/8 and found I didn't get any blooming. I'll post a couple if I get the time.

Don
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
More testing; same image 3-times, the first is as is from the camera after conversion in Sony Image Data Converter. The second is after running a false color action and light level adjustment. The third is a duplicate of #2 then processed in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

I'm quickly finding that the end results are very subjective. I like the unprocessed version and the black & white slightly more than the false color in #2. I also see I really need to watch my background as it can cause unwanted surprises like the wall turning blue in #1 then a pale red in #2. I guess that's the reason for me flip flopping to liking #3 more...

Sorry about the copyright however I've found even with what I consider non-printable test images others see them as free to take and use at their whim - thus everything I post from now on will be marked (totally different story).

So - what have I learned? With loads of thanks to Vivek - the tests I did earlier were all f/16 ISO 200 1/160. This image was shot with the same lens (Sony 20mm pancake) however f/5.6 1/80 and ISO 100. The files are (to me) producing much better color than before. It's also such a huge PIA to shoot in the dark that I don't see this as much more than a passing hobby.

Don







And finally just to show how well this works in the daylight

 
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