Response to Kodak HIE problems

Erin, what is the effective ISO of a film that is set at ISO 50 in the camera and then metered through the lens with a red filter? If you set the camera ISO to 50 and "then" metered through the lens with a #29 red filter your real ISO becomes 400. That is why you set your film speed to 400 with a red filter so that it then becomes effectively ISO 50. And again are you sure that none of the negatives contain an image? I have negatives that have "NO" apparent image even when viewed with a 150 watt bulb but yeild beautiful images at rather long exposures under a 150 watt bulb in a Besseler 45. Just try and make a contact of them. 10 minutes should tell you the truth. They will be grainy as heck but try them. I also routinely load 4x5 IR sheets a month or more in advance in my holders with no fogging. I've been to Death Valley shooting IR and left the film in camera for a month with no fogging. I use IR film to test my holders and camera for light leaks. I still think the problem was in some mechanical problem like the wrong ISO or developing scheme. IR isn't the mysterious film veryone makes it out to be. I shoot it in a Canon Reble G with IR sprocket hole counter, load it outdoors in the middle of the day under my shirt, use all sorts of old 35mm plastic film tanks, leave it loaded for long periods of time. Calibrate it once and that's it for normal shooting. I still think it was either in the darkroom or in the exposure system. Go into your darkroom and close the door. Stay in there for at least 10 minutes with the lights off. Is it pitch dark? There is your problem. James

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