Transformed Fujifilm X-T3 into an infrared marvel – most satisfying photography choice in years

In a bid to revive his interest in photography, a photographer decided to convert his Fujifilm X-T3 camera into an infrared (IR) camera. This unique transformation was carried out by two different services, Protech Photographic for £300 and LifePixel, typically costing around $400 to $500.

The photographer opted for black-and-white infrared photography to avoid the psychedelic effects of false color. He chose a 720nm wavelength for his infrared conversion, as it strikes a balance between letting through infrared light without going too extreme.

Older lenses are often best for IR-converted cameras, as the photographer found the newer XF33mm f/1.4 gave bright hot spots. Instead, he found the Fujifilm XF18-135mm and XF50-140mm zooms, XF30mm macro, XF50mm f/1, XF35mm f/2, and XF50mm f/2 primes to be highly rated for IR-converted cameras.

The photographer found the Wimbledon tennis championships to be a good infrared challenge due to the bright and cheery nature of the place. He believes that Wimbledon has a less explored 'dark side', and the end of a day at Wimbledon, when most people have left, is ideal for infrared photography due to the low sun casting deep shadows.

Infrared photography can help bring out the personalities of trees and add a surreal element to scenes. It can also tease out the strangeness of man-made places and add a slightly sci-fi look. However, it has its own pitfalls and learning curve, but the photographer finds it fun to learn and adapt to.

Infrared photography captures 'near infrared' light, not the extreme end used by thermal cameras or night vision. Simplicity is essential for infrared photos, as choosing an uncluttered scene with a strong anchor is important. Infrared photography can help highlight certain parts of a cityscape by finding pops of vegetation.

Infrared photography is a unique form of photography that requires learning about concepts like false color, channel swapping, and hot spots. The author is still experimenting with finding the perfect combination of light and skyline for infrared photography.

Adobe's built-in B&W profiles in Lightroom Classic can be used to bring out the infrared goodness in raw files. There are two main types of infrared photography: false color and black-and-white. The author found the Wimbledon infrared shots to be particularly striking in black-and-white.

Infrared photography can work in urban scenes, as windows tend to go dark or black, helping to strip out clutter and distractions. Infrared is at its most fun when it amplifies a subject or feeling that's already in a scene, rather than just flicking on the 'surreal' switch for the sake of it.

The author is still learning about lenses that work well with IR-converted cameras, and found Rob Shea's crowd-sourced guide to X-mount lenses helpful. He encourages other photographers to explore this unique form of photography, whether by using lens filters or converting an old camera. Infrared photography can help the author see familiar scenes in a new light and rekindle their enthusiasm for photography.

Transformed Fujifilm X-T3 into an infrared marvel – most satisfying photography choice in years