Rollei Infrared 400 Film
The films distributed under the Rollei Brand by MACO Products, Germany, include former film formula's of Agfa company. The Rollei INFRARED 400 would differs from the Retro 400S (which iis ndeed the formula of former Agfa Aviphot 400) version by increased sensitivity in the near-infrared band. The film is side-marked 'INFRARED" but the processing times are the same as the 400S version.
On July, 29, 2024, Lyon, France, I decided to test a roll of this INFRARED version in a photo session at Par de la Tête d'Or by a quite warm (36°C) and sunny day. The results are quite close to my person IR-photography sessions made past year with the 400S version.
I took the same camera I used past year for infrared photography with one of my two Minolta's X-700 (the one called « China » period 1993-1999)
The Agfa Aviphot 400 film was originally designed for aerial photography for its capacity to differentiate green tones and to give a good clarity reducing in part the atmospheric haze. The Agfa Aviphot sensivity curve starts to decrease at 670 nm to fall at zero around 820 nm. The band starting at 780 (up to 2500nm) is the beginning of the "near infra-red" band of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Minolta X-700 SLR camera was fitted with a normal lens Minolta MD 1:1.2 f=50mm. The lens was equipped with a 55mm screw-on IR filter with a cutoff at 720nm. Since the filter is so dark for a comfortable through-the-lens viewing, a FOCA "Universel" external view-finder (Made in France in the 50’s) was used for an easy framing. The X-700 has also a Multi-Function Back allowing diverse pricing modes. The date was manually printed before view 1 and the time of the end of film after the last frame.
The film was exposed for 40 ISO using my Minolta Autometer III external light meter equipped with a selective 10° finder. The X-700 light metering system was not used and the camera was operated in the manual mode using the exposure times of 1/60s or 1/125s for f/4 to f/11
Parc de la Tête d'Or, July 29, 2024
69006 Lyon
France
After completion, the film was processed using Adox Adonal developer (equivalent to Agfa Rodinal) at dilution 1+25, 20°C for 10min30. The photograms were then digitalized using a Sony A7 body fitted to a Minolta Slide Duplicator installed on a Minolta Auto Bellows III with a lens Minolta Bellow Macro Rokkor 50mm f/3.5. The RAW files obtained were then processed without intermediate files in LR and edited to the final jpeg pictures.
All frames of the film are presented in two different processing versions (normal or with the "clarity" parameter of LR reduced by -100% to mimic the traditional glow of former KODAK Infrared films)
About the camera and the lens :
Minolta X-700 SLR was manufactured in Japan and first released in 1981, and delocalized in China from 1993 to 1999. I bought them in early 2022 from eBay accompanied with their motor drive MD I and other accessories. The MD 1:1.2 f=50mm is part of my Minolta lens collection and was purchased as a vintage lens on line in the mid 2010's.
Rollei Infrared 400 Film
The films distributed under the Rollei Brand by MACO Products, Germany, include former film formula's of Agfa company. The Rollei INFRARED 400 would differs from the Retro 400S (which iis ndeed the formula of former Agfa Aviphot 400) version by increased sensitivity in the near-infrared band. The film is side-marked 'INFRARED" but the processing times are the same as the 400S version.
On July, 29, 2024, Lyon, France, I decided to test a roll of this INFRARED version in a photo session at Par de la Tête d'Or by a quite warm (36°C) and sunny day. The results are quite close to my person IR-photography sessions made past year with the 400S version.
I took the same camera I used past year for infrared photography with one of my two Minolta's X-700 (the one called « China » period 1993-1999)
The Agfa Aviphot 400 film was originally designed for aerial photography for its capacity to differentiate green tones and to give a good clarity reducing in part the atmospheric haze. The Agfa Aviphot sensivity curve starts to decrease at 670 nm to fall at zero around 820 nm. The band starting at 780 (up to 2500nm) is the beginning of the "near infra-red" band of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Minolta X-700 SLR camera was fitted with a normal lens Minolta MD 1:1.2 f=50mm. The lens was equipped with a 55mm screw-on IR filter with a cutoff at 720nm. Since the filter is so dark for a comfortable through-the-lens viewing, a FOCA "Universel" external view-finder (Made in France in the 50’s) was used for an easy framing. The X-700 has also a Multi-Function Back allowing diverse pricing modes. The date was manually printed before view 1 and the time of the end of film after the last frame.
The film was exposed for 40 ISO using my Minolta Autometer III external light meter equipped with a selective 10° finder. The X-700 light metering system was not used and the camera was operated in the manual mode using the exposure times of 1/60s or 1/125s for f/4 to f/11
Parc de la Tête d'Or, July 29, 2024
69006 Lyon
France
After completion, the film was processed using Adox Adonal developer (equivalent to Agfa Rodinal) at dilution 1+25, 20°C for 10min30. The photograms were then digitalized using a Sony A7 body fitted to a Minolta Slide Duplicator installed on a Minolta Auto Bellows III with a lens Minolta Bellow Macro Rokkor 50mm f/3.5. The RAW files obtained were then processed without intermediate files in LR and edited to the final jpeg pictures.
All frames of the film are presented in two different processing versions (normal or with the "clarity" parameter of LR reduced by -100% to mimic the traditional glow of former KODAK Infrared films)
About the camera and the lens :
Minolta X-700 SLR was manufactured in Japan and first released in 1981, and delocalized in China from 1993 to 1999. I bought them in early 2022 from eBay accompanied with their motor drive MD I and other accessories. The MD 1:1.2 f=50mm is part of my Minolta lens collection and was purchased as a vintage lens on line in the mid 2010's.