OK, nice system! I was going to offer you the use of a UG1 but I only have it in 58mm. Sorry!

Sorry for the delay in an answer, I have been in Italy for the past 2 weeks and just got back.

The XDP and the UG1 are the same basic filter, a dual passband that allows UV and IR to pass and blocks everything else. They give deep purple skies and bright white leaves. Very etherial images. BUT they ONLY work on cameras that have had the hot mirror (ir/uv blocking) filter removed and replaced by glass (full spectrum).

If I recall the other postings you liked the effect of the UG1. I would try to borrow one to try on your camera first before you purchase one! Tell me about your IR camera system, what conversion and what lens? What is the filter size?

Very nice image!

It depends upon the filter that you are using. For 590nm and higher (lower freq) I simply zoom in on the grass in bright light then tell the camera to do a custom wb. Make sure that you have the custom wb selected when shooting and not auto. For each lens or filter change you need to do this.

When done, the grass and leaves will take on a blue/monochromatic color and the sky should blend into a bronze shade. The image with a correct wb should NOT be red.

Some cameras simply do not wb correctly in infrared, so shoot in RAW and fix the wb in the raw conversion is a distant 2nd choice!

For filters in the strange arena, like the 047, UG1 & XDP you have to wb on something different than green leaves. The blue sky usually works quite well but you will have to try different things to wb on and see what works best on your camera.

IF YOUR CAMERA CAN ACHIEVE a proper ir wb you will improve your shooting. It will equalize the cameras histogram and exposure system and give more accurate exposure verse a camera that does not wb in ir or if you forget to do so. This can be seen in 590nm by shooting in auto wb then when post processing you find that the red channel is way blown out!

Like I said not all cameras can wb in ir. The Nikon 40d and the Sony Nex 3 and 5 are some that fail. The fuji is1 will wb but not display it correctly on the lcd or viewfinder but when you get it back to the computer it looks good. Photoshops and Elements ACR (Raw converter) cannot handle IR wb and will FORCE it to something that it thinks is right. This is why I suggest using Capture 1 version 6 (around $100) for IR raw conversions. It simply works and gives the BEST raw conversion that I have ever seen.

Actually, your images are very good! Hmm, 2 issues:

1) 047 and WB. You need to try the 047 again and this time try to do your WB on the BLUE SKY!! You will be surprised to see that the image will shift more towards blue skies again with more yellow/gold leaves! Also try a WB on green grass. The 047 is funny about its WB for in camera Faux!

2) Hot spots. ALWAYS shoot with a lens hood in place. This will stop light from striking the objective lens at extreme angles which intern causes it to bounce around inside of the lens in strange and destructive ways like specular highlights. BUT, hot spots are caused by light striking the image sensor and bouncing back and forth between it and the rear lens elements. Coatings like black paint on the inside of the lens barrel also affect this. Usually ( your camera is one of these) when you notice this failure you can retake the same image again and by changing the aperture to reduce or totally remove the hot spot! Sometimes the spot is so mild that you will not notice it until you get the image back onto your computer.

This is such a small price to pay though for such a capable camera as your fuji! Remember, vary the aperture to reduce or remove the hot spot!

The UG1 can be difficult to use as well. It too is subject to a good WB. BUT when you get it right, the images are so striking that they will take your breath away! Look for ultra stark white leaves and deep purple skies! Experiment with WB, try a grey card, green grass and the sky. See which gives the results that you like the best.

Processing in Elements... Tough but doable. The lack of a channel mixer makes it difficult. Which add on mixer are you using? You might wish to consider the Nik Viveza plugin for Elements also. It will change the way you post process totally and shorten your computer time!

Thanks, I have been doing this a LONG time, 45 years now including a career at Kodak. I was pretty burned out a while back but found IR again and got recharged!

If you are looking at the maxmax page there is none. They treat the XDP as some sort of trade secret. But in truth it is exactly the same as the ugh. For detailed information look at the chart in my previous post here or do a search for XDP our UG1 on my blog for more examples.

Here are some:

http://infraredatelier.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/exploring-the-bw-403-ug-1-filter-for-ir/

http://infraredatelier.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/infrared-filter-tests-bw-090-099-and-the-xdp-dual-pass-band/

Yes, but ALL of those images are shown without the proper white balance! To give you an idea of how IMPORTANT the proper white balance is to us as IR photographers take a look at the images below. The first is a properly white balanced image out of the camera. Notice the bronze colored skies and the monochromatic leaves. Having the proper WB will equalize the color channels and insure that the histogram is proper enabling you to judge good exposure! Be aware, some cameras like the Nikon D40 will NEVER WB in IR, but most others do a great job getting the proper WB! The 2nd image is the same but converted to B&W!

So the images on the maxmax web site are accurate, but raw and without a good WB. The finished ones after proper post processing will be VERY different and VERY interesting!

RAW image out of camera with a GOOD WB!


The same image converted to B&W

Old wooden barns and houses, look for ones falling down.

Shrimp boats or commercial fishing boats.

Wrecked or sunken boats.

Abandoned buildings.

Creeks and rivers

Storms!!!

OK, well the XDP from maxmax.com or the ug1 (amazon) is just what you need. The 047b super blue is also open on the uv side and that is what helps create the in camera faux but it it HIGHLY dependent upon getting the correct white balance...

Be warned though, these filters are on the expensive side!

Yes, your camera IS a full spectrum conversion direct from the factory!

Which filter interests you?

Sure, the company is LDP the web site is maxmax.com and they live in NJ.

XNiteXDP58: X-Nite XDPFilter in 58mm Diameter x 2.2mm Thick $86.00

This is a dual passband filter in the UV/IR range that gives ultra white leaves and purple skies! It can be a lot of fun but REQUIRES a camera that has the FULL SPECTRUM conversion ONLY....

Here is the web site:

http://www.maxmax.com/aXNite58mmFilters.asp

I have a post or 2 on this filter on my blog (below in signature) which will show you how it works and what the results are like but you will have to go WAY back into the older posts by clicking at the bottom of each page on Old Posts

Here is a chart of the pass bands, and as you can see, it allows light thru in the upper UV area which poisons the 2nd passband which is in the 700nm region. By poison I mean that it affects the camera sensor where it will combine the UV/IR spectrums but kills the WB which can generate some wild shots!

This is an expensive filter...

OH!! You are shooting an IS-1! That camera is known for its hot spots! I also had one and really liked it except for that. I did discover that you could lessen them by opening up the aperture but you will have to experiment with it on yours. Even with hot spots it is a REALLY nice IR system. I had to sign my life away to purchase it because it was intended for CSI only. I have a post somewhere on the blog about it I think....

Thanks Eric, but point in fact it is indeed an addiction for me! 15 converted cameras says that I am one sick puppy. All I can do now is feed the monster.

As for your hotspots it is likely an issue with light bouncing back and forth between your lens elements and the filter. Which filters cause the problem and who makes them? I have the LDP version of the UG1 called the XDP. While an interesting filter it actually holds little interest for me.

Have you tried the Tiffen 047B Super Blue filter yet? What a need and interesting effect. IN CAMERA faux color (quality is dependent upon a good WB). This only works on full spectrum conversions like the UG1. Hmm, lets see if I have a test image from it....

OK, remember that this is a TEST shot and it is right out of the camera! It is a try-band color correction filter and who would have thought that it could have a use in IR photography!

All very nicely done images to be sure!

I have been getting a LOT of traffic on my IR Educational BLOG infraredatelier.wordpress.com from here so I thought that I would drop by and see what is up! Surprised to find another active IR group working out the kinks and moving forward in IR! NICE! So I decided to register and hang out for a while if that is OK with you all.

I am very active on Google + and on Facebook in the Infrared Photography Group as well as in CNPA. Basically anywhere that there is an active IR community!

I guess that I should post one image, but which one? Where are your interests? It seems like most of the posts (in fact all that I have seen so far) are done in B&W. So I think a Faux Color image done in 630nm of the ruins at Mycena in Greece where the legond of Helen of Troy started! Lets see, it was an Olympus E-PL1 converted to the Full Spectrum UV/IR at Spencers Camera. The lens was the 14-150mm Oly with a B+W 091 630nm IR filter installed. When I travel, I like to travel very light and the Micro 4/3 camera systems make the best IR systems that I have ever used (15 different IR conversions so far!). Did I mention that I am addicted to IR?