Konica Infrared Film – Second Try a Year Later

Last year I used some Konica Infrared 750mm film that was given to me along with a collection of other 25+ year old fridge-stored films. The film turned out to be perfectly OK for its age, and I had fun using it but the results were variable because I struggled to get the exposures correct, and I found it tiresome to have to use a tripod. Here is that post

Summer 2026 came with brilliant blue skies, heat (too much for my liking!) and white fluffy clouds. This inspired me to try the IR film again. This time though, my approach changed a bit. I was advised to try using a standard red filter (R25) rather than an IR filter, as this would make composing the images easy and enable shooting handheld due to the exposure times being manageable for that. Rather than buy a cheap unbranded filter, I went for a Hoya one. I thought maybe there’s a reason they aren’t cheap..worth trying anyway.

I used the same lens, a Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8. The ME Super has been less reliable of late, suddenly losing the light meter despite new batteries, and sometimes the mirror locking up after having taken a picture. Rather than seek to get it repaired (again), I found a great-condition P30N on Ebay which I purchased and quickly found its way into my affections with its solid 1980s styling, reassuring weight and chunkiness, and enjoyably positive controls. However..it reads DX-codes and cannot be set to manual ISO; and, the Konica film doesn’t have DX codes. Sigh. So I did actually use the ME Super for this trial, and it thankfully performed fine all the way through the roll.

The first set of pictures came from around Bradfield, South Yorkshire, specifically Bradfield Edge overlooking the reservoirs and the Peak District beyond. It was a bright sunny day with scattered fluffy clouds, perfect for high-contrast IR photography.

These next three were from a walk I often take near Rivelin Dams and Wyming Brook.

These next few pictures are from a walk I took from Tinsley Locks (Sheffield) to Rotherham centre on a bright sunny day along the canal path. I’m sorry to say the destination was disappointing (apologies to any residents of Rotherham reading this but I found it unremittingly grim; no one looked happy to be there despite the bright sunshine and blue skies). However the canal walk was pleasant enough.

This trial was much more successful than my previous one. The images came out rich and contrasty, with bright white foliage in abundance. It was what I wanted from IR photography, without the hassles. I wonder whether the Hoya filter helped, because I’ve used cheap filters before to boost contast and the images didn’t look as good as these. Just my impression and many factors could be at play.

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