I got into Digital Infrared very early; over tens years ago. I still remember wandering onto this amazing looking image online and going “Whoa, . . . .what is that?” I’ve always loved the look of digital IR and the way it can make almost anything look more interesting.
Up until a year ago, if you were to ask me what Infrared conversion I liked, there was no hesitation, it was Super Color Infrared. In fact, I even put together a Youtube video on the subject.
Properly captured and processed, Super Color offers up so much opportunity to create the look of pretty much all the other types of Infrared.
The reason Super Color has so much to offer is the color tones. In a properly White Balanced RAW file, you have Red & Yellow in the sky, and Blue & Cyan in the foliage. With those four colors, you can go in whatever direction you want. I even wrote a set of simple Photoshop Actions we give away to people getting a new conversion that creates three different looks from a Super Color image.
Yes, Super Color Infrared was exactly what I needed.
Then, . . . . something happened. Hyper Color
Summer of 2017, Life Pixel decided to test a couple of new types of Infrared for possible inclusion into our filter choices. I was asked if I wanted to test them. (Like I was going to say no) So, I started off with 3 filters, and after the first day of shooting 2 filters got voted off the planet and 1 stood out; Hyper Color.
Hyper Color was unlike anything I had worked with. Hyper Color made everything look different from other IR, pretty much like the other types of IR made everything look different from color photography.
It was truly fascinating.
Here was an IR image that didn’t need a channel swap and had all these exciting colors.
And with people, it was equally amazing. Super Color will give you the classic china doll look with the smooth white skin tones, but Hyper Color gives a subject a slight rosy tone to their skin.
So, there’s my problem. Super Color gives me the ability to create the looks of every type of Infrared, except for Hyper Color. Hyper Color is its own unique creature. I tried carrying around another camera, but that got annoying.
Then I found a solution; my perfect conversion.
My perfect conversion is ……. both.
Hyper Color Infrared is 470nm, Super Color is 590nm. You can filter up the nanometer scale, but not down. So my solution was simple.
I converted my New Canon EOS R to Hyper Color and I carry a Super Color filter. I just carry one filter and every lens has a step up ring to accommodate the Super Color filter.
With this, I can get everything by using one camera and carrying one filter.
Now the real fun begins.
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Dan Wampler
Dan Wampler is a digital artist from St Louis, MO. Having been interested in art and photography since childhood, he spent most of adult life working for Kodak and in the portrait photography industry. A student of the works of Ansel Adams, Any Warhol, and David Hamilton, Dan attempted to keep a wide range of artistic style.
As an early adopter of digital imaging, he found it gave him a way to completely incorporate art and photography. Began shooting Digital Infrared in 2004, and had first camera converted in 2006. His work has been seen in numerous gallery shows, is featured in an iTunes app. He produces Infrared and natural color digital art for sale and teaches his post-production techniques online.
Dan is LifePixel's Creative Director, social media manager, lead blog author, main workshops and training sessions instructor. His images appear in this gallery and throughout the website.
If you have a topic suggestion or request feel free to shoot him an email at danwampler@lifepixel.com
Otherwise all LifePixel customer service inquires should be directed to service@lifepixel.com or by phone at 866-610-1710.
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Hi, Dan. My camera was converted to Hyper Color. I don’t do a lot of portraiture, so am curious if the Super Color is still what you would recommend as an additional, all-around filter?
Hi Joey,
Super Color is great for creating the look of all the other types of Infrared, except Hyper Color.
You need a Hyper Color filter for that.
Hyper Color also makes the best (in my opinion) Black and White Infrared images.
Those two filters make a great pair.
Hi great overview of this filter. But for portrait and also getting big blue sky.. Is the SuperBlue filter can give a better look vs the Hypercolor ? thanks
Hello Jeff,
Super Blue is a good filter, but in my personal opinion, the combination of shooting Super Color and Hyper Color can’t be beaten. I would suggest trying Super Blue and see what you think.
I want to convert a Olympus OM-D EM1 II for use as a normal imaging and IR
Super Color & hyper color & IR BW. I have many lenses.
Is this camera a good choice?
What filters do I need?
What is the best solution to not having to have multiple size filters?
Hi Sam, For what you are looking to do, a full spectrum conversion would be your best choice.
Thanks Dan for this great post! I received my camera conversion today and I’m trying to process all the information I can find to help me get started with IR photography. I am totally new to this but had my camera (Olympus omd em1) converted to the hyper color and bought the super color filter. I would love to have the Photoshop Action set you mention and soon I will be scheduling my one-on-one session with you.
Thanks and looking so forward to getting comfortable in the world of IR photography!
Thanks for the article. I shoot a lot of models in addition to fine art work. Sounds like the Hyper Color would be great for my purpose. What is the value shooting with the filter to get to super color? I think you state that you use the hyper color w/o filter to do B/W also. Why use a filter to get to Super Color? Also, what filter would I need to buy to go from HC to SC?
Thank you!
Hi David,
Hyper does make people look interesting, so does Super Color. In my experience, I have found I can get great Monochrome from Hyper Color. There is a Blog piece on that, here’s the link. https://www.lifepixel.com/photo-tutorials/turning-hyper-color-to-monochrome The reason to use a filter to capture Super Color Infrared is that it is different from Hyper Color. To get Super Color Infrared from a Hyper Color converted camera you just need to use a Super Color filter on the lens.
Thanks, so if you are wanting to capture the look of hyper color and black and white only, then no need for the SC filter?
David,
That is correct.
My name is Giorgio from Italy. New in IR photography. Looking for the right conversion to buy, I found very useful your article ‘My perfect conversion’ and I am asking if it’s a good choice for my Fuji X-T1 or what you suggest better. I am also asking if can have the set of Actions for Ps.
Thanks very much, Giorgio
Hello Giorgio,
I just sent you those Photoshop Actions; I hope you find them useful.
Funciona o contrário? Um filtro Hypercolor sobre uma câmera convertida Supercolor?
Sim, funciona muito bem.
About that set of presets. Is that available to previous customers from years ago? The magenta super color looks awesome.
Bruce,
Email me danwampler@lifepixel.com and I’ll get you a set of Actions.
Newly looking at IR so not yet knowledgable. Hopefully questions will make sense
1. I presume you place a filter in front of lens to “convert” from hyper to super color. Why does shooting a bracket of 7 ( presumably with same filtration during the shots) help/relate?
2. If one wanted max flexibility but was *most* interested in IR black and white, what would be best choice of IR FILTER ?
Thanks
1. Yes, you put the Super Color filter on the lens to shoot Super Color IR with a Hyper Color camera. I shoot 7 bracketed images, each a 1/4 stop each way. This gives me the opportunity to capture the exact exposure I want and also gives me the ability to create an HDR image if I want.
2. I have found I get the best monochrome from Hyper Color infrared images.
When you put the 590nm filter on your hyper color converted camera, does it lengthen the exposure time? If so, by how much? Thanks!
That’s a good question. If it does, it isn’t by much. I shoot a set of 7 brackets, each a 1/4 off. I don’t have to change from Hyper Color to Super Color because they are so close together on the nanometer scale and one of the bracketed shots will work.