For digital photography, I think this is the best option to revive the long-defunct Aerochrome (Kodak EIR). And best of all, it’s straight out of the camera, without any channel mixers, post-processing et cetera.
What are the ingredients?
1. a Sigma camera with Foveon sensor (!) that can use the FOV Classic Blue preset. This is essential. You can’t do it without it.
2. the Triple Bandpass Filter from Midwest Optics, which allows green, red and IR to pass.
3. a filter that reduces green a bit and leaves the rest unaffected. For example “Middle Rose” from Lee Filters.
4. optional: an orange filter (Tiffen 16 for example) that optimizes the look.
If you have this, you will achieve Aerochrome photos that are in no way inferior to the look of the original, including all color changes.
You need a custom white balance because the default WBs don’t fit. It’s a little difficult to get this and I only managed it with the TB and “Middle Rose” together, without the orange filter. But I think the difference would be minimal.
I pointed the camera towards the sky, slightly to the left of the early afternoon sun in the blue sky. I zoomed in about halfway (about 30mm) and used about f/6.3.
Here are some pictures with this combo. If you want to compare the look to the original, here’s William Klein’s guide.
You can also use a polarizer which does not influence the colors or only minimally:
Here is the most prominent color change, well, besides the pink-red vegetation of course. Bright red cars (and everything else red) become bright yellow:
Here is a self-portrait – once in the shade, once in the sun:
And this is how it looks in a cloudy setting:
8 Comments
Thank you for documenting your success with Digital Aerochrome, I am particularly fond of your water buffalo pictures. I have tried to replicate your success, but I cannot achieve any properly exposed results. I would like to see if you can review my equipment setup and see what mistake I am making.
Sigma SD1 Merrill
Removed the IR Filter
Industar 50-2 lens F3.5 M42 mount with M42 to SA adapter
Midwest Optical TB550/660/850 screw in filter at front of lens (35.5mm)
Filter Step rings to 49mm
49mm no name Pink filter
I set the SD1M to manual the in camera aperture setting to match the setting I have on the manual lens
My results are completely over exposed and I have tried using the lens with the IR filter installed and was able to achieve typical results
Thanks for your time in reviewing my issues.
Keep up the amazing work and IR adventure
Hi Glenn! It can’t just be a no name pink filter. The specific transmission curve of the Lee pink filter is important. Your pink filter can be completely different. So it could be the pink filter, it could be the lens as well. Suggestion: Try out without pink filter… only TB. What kind of results do you get? Can you achieve custom white balance?
Thanks Christoph for your response. Yesterday, I had the time to use my camera when there was plenty of light to reconfirm that the Russian lens operates ok with the IR filter installed. I then did retry the IR setup with the TB and establishing a custom white balance. I was able to do that successfully and achieve some results using the manually settings on the SD1 and the lens. The sharpness of the lens is questionable and I underexposed in camera and later adjusted in SPP. I would love for you to take a quick look at my result images if I could share some jpegs with you. Thanks again for figuring all of this out – it has given me the opportunity to add this interesting option to my workflow and creative process.
Glenn
glennfearon@mac.com
Sure, please send them. Or better: can you send original raw files? maybe via wetransfer if it’s too big? You’ll find the email address on the info page…
I’m glad to take a look at them… did you choose the “FOV Classic Blue” preset?
Cheers
Christoph – yes I used FOV Blue and the TB I just sent the 4 X3F files via wetransfer as suggested. Thanks for taking a moment to review the first results, I need to fine tune but was happy to get these color shifted images.
Hey Glenn. Thanks for sending it to me. I just looked at the photos via RawTherapee as I have SPP on another laptop and don’t have it to hand right now. But I can say one thing: they definitely shouldn’t look like this. Even without the pink filter you should get red trees and blue sky and fairly normal colors without the color shifts. I suspect it’s the lens if everything else fits. And we’ve ruled out the other factors. I’ll make you a suggestion: I have an 18-50mm lens with SA mount lying around that fits the SD1. I would send it to you together with the necessary pink filter. Write to me by e-mail if you are interested. It’s in good used condition. As I no longer need it and would like to help you out, I would offer it to you at a good price.
I don’t know any other solution. Your lens may just have some weird IR influx (maybe not enough in the 850nm range?) or some other problem… Do you only have the SD1 and no Sigma SA lens?
Oh, and just to stress this: This is the lens I’ve always used for all the images you see in the Aerochrome Foveon blog entries… Never used another Sigma lens. So you’ll have the exact same setup…
Thanks for your image review Cristoph – I sent you an email about your lens offer. Many thanks