# Infrared with a Canon EOS R5?



## puffo25 (Jan 13, 2021)

Hello, I am a fortunate owner of a canon R5. I want to do sometimes also infred photography but not sure if using a dedicated infrared filter will work and what settings I might have to use because the complexity of the R5 and its several settings available? 

I was thinking something like the Hoya r72 infrared filter and to put the white balance around 2000K for a daylight landscape pictture and than try to make some color adjustments in photoshop or lightroom.

Is it all true? Any advice in terms of most appropriate and dedicated filter and maybe specific settings to consider with my R5?

TIA.
Andrea


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## PCM-madison (Jan 14, 2021)

I don't know about the R5 specifically, but most cameras have filters on the sensor that block much of the IR spectrum light. I had a camera converted to IR by https://www.lifepixel.com. Their website has a lot of information on IR conversion and IR photography. The conversion process removes the standard filter and replaces it with a different one which can be for IR only or full spectrum light. With the full spectrum filter, you would be able to put an IR filter on the lens to do IR photography and other filters to do standard photography.


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## puffo25 (Jan 14, 2021)

Thanks for the reply. I have not intention to remove my great sensor from the R5. So wondering if there is technically speaking a solution to make great infrared images using the R5 as it is and just adding a dedicated infrared filter in front of the lens. Is it possible or not and if true which filter to consider? In the martket there are several different type of IR filters and not sure considering my R5, which one is the post appropriate? Again just by looking around a filter like the Hoya r72 might do the job, BUT not sure if that is 100% correct.
Any help much appreciated.


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## jprusa (Jan 14, 2021)

FWIW https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-infrared-filter


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## Greywind (Jan 14, 2021)

puffo25 said:


> Thanks for the reply. I have not intention to remove my great sensor from the R5. So wondering if there is technically speaking a solution to make great infrared images using the R5 as it is and just adding a dedicated infrared filter in front of the lens. Is it possible or not and if true which filter to consider? In the martket there are several different type of IR filters and not sure considering my R5, which one is the post appropriate? Again just by looking around a filter like the Hoya r72 might do the job, BUT not sure if that is 100% correct.
> Any help much appreciated.


Firstly, it's just the removal of a glass in front of the sensor. The sensor is still great, but if you still want to do other general photography, this approach might not be optimal. Yes, you still can do normal photography after full spectrum conversion but it's quite inconvenient.
Second, yes, you could still do IR photography without conversion by using IR filter but the exposure time will be much longer. You would need a tripod with you.


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## puffo25 (Jan 14, 2021)

Dear @Greywind, thanks for the reply. I understood that latest dsrl have (sadly) better ways to filter those IR lights so indeed to make highly effect infrared photos without modify the sensor is it not an easy operation. But this is indeed the way I want to proceed. So in principle, if I buy a dedicated infrared filter to make b/w and also color infrared photos is it better to use a filter that block up to 700-800 nm or up to 900-1000 nm? (I think for color and b/w photos better to be near 720nm, is it true?).
And to make good picture is it correct to set during the daylight, on my tripod, a white balance around 2000K and start with compensate exposure by around 6 stops and still keep iso low to reduce noise (exposure might go up to couple of minutes)...?

Last, do you know any good square 100x100 infrared filter to buy? The Lee 87 IR is sadly made by polyester and I am looking for a decent but not expensive glass quality or near glass quality filter like the Hoya R72, but sadly this is NOT available as square filter:-(

Thanks for your consideration.
Andrea


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## stevelee (Jan 14, 2021)

If all you are going for is the look of an infrared picture and not doing something documenting health of forests or something, there is a lot said for just faking it. this video will give you some ideas of how to go about it. The guy makes it seem tedious, but you can experiment on your own and set up presets and Photoshop actions to automate. Perhaps better yet, YouTube brings up a list of other videos about both real and faux infrared photography. I remember using infrared slide film fifty years ago, and got some fun shots. I think I developed them myself. I also tried some black-and-white infrared negative film. The advantage of faking it, besides money, is that you can adjust to taste how false your false colors are.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 18, 2021)

Hi Puffo. 
I think the issue with a square IR filter is light leakage, you don’t really want visible light spectrum going round the outside!

Cheers, Graham. 



puffo25 said:


> Dear @Greywind, thanks for the reply. I understood that latest dsrl have (sadly) better ways to filter those IR lights so indeed to make highly effect infrared photos without modify the sensor is it not an easy operation. But this is indeed the way I want to proceed. So in principle, if I buy a dedicated infrared filter to make b/w and also color infrared photos is it better to use a filter that block up to 700-800 nm or up to 900-1000 nm? (I think for color and b/w photos better to be near 720nm, is it true?).
> And to make good picture is it correct to set during the daylight, on my tripod, a white balance around 2000K and start with compensate exposure by around 6 stops and still keep iso low to reduce noise (exposure might go up to couple of minutes)...?
> 
> Last, do you know any good square 100x100 infrared filter to buy? The Lee 87 IR is sadly made by polyester and I am looking for a decent but not expensive glass quality or near glass quality filter like the Hoya R72, but sadly this is NOT available as square filter:-(
> ...


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## puffo25 (Jan 19, 2021)

@Valvebounce, understand. So in theory none shoukd use square filters for infrared photos? Or I have to make sure that the filter is placed as closed as possible to the lens in order to prevent possible light leaking? And maybe putting black scotch tape around the edges of the filter to avoid again light leaking?


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## Valvebounce (Jan 20, 2021)

Hi Puffo. 
I can’t really answer this as I use screw on filters, but it has also been a very long time since I used them due to the very long exposures needed.

Cheers, Graham. 



puffo25 said:


> @Valvebounce, understand. So in theory none shoukd use square filters for infrared photos? Or I have to make sure that the filter is placed as closed as possible to the lens in order to prevent possible light leaking? And maybe putting black scotch tape around the edges of the filter to avoid again light leaking?


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## puffo25 (Jan 23, 2021)

OK, I will make some tests with both 100x100mm squared and rounded IR with screw and let you know results....


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## motorhead9999 (Jan 26, 2021)

puffo25 said:


> OK, I will make some tests with both 100x100mm squared and rounded IR with screw and let you know results....


The best way (hands down) to infrared is by getting your camera modified. There's no two ways about it.

In theory, you can simply use an infrared filter (like a Hoya R72) over your lens, and do a long exposure image, and you'll somewhat get an infrared image like is classically seen. Obviously though, you're at the mercy of it now always being a long exposure. If you don't modify your camera, there's no way around this.

Also, be aware that Canon RF lenses can cause infrared image quality issues due to some components in the lenses.

One advantage that Canon users have over others is their new EF-RF adapter with the drop in filter built into the adapter. Several companies (like Kolari) are now making infrared drop in filters specifically for this adapter which makes things a lot easier.


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## puffo25 (Jan 26, 2021)

Thanks motorhead9999 for your interesting comment. I think I will give a try using my olympus pen-f 4/3 camera (without modify the mirror) and maybe with my canon R5 too (maybe using at first my EF 28-70mm f2,8 lens). I wll give a try with both 100x100 squared IR filter and than with the lens ring rounded IR (indeed the Hora R72 is the main filter I will use).
As soon as I will complete my tests I will share some samples. If things are encouraging I might buy a used olympus pen additional body to have the mirror eventually modified.... We will see. IR is NOT my main photography genre although I like it quite a lot so I do not want to be crazy for that. I am much more interested and focused on travel photography, street photography, landscape/pano and astro/star trails.


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## YuengLinger (Jan 26, 2021)

I've only known one photographer friend personally who converted to infrared, and she used an older body, not her newest!


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