Notice! This post is part of a series about shooting an Olympus XA2 with Infrared Flash. If this is the first page you are visiting on the subject of infrared blash, it may be beneficial to start with the summary post of the series.
Finally, the results of my first real world outing with my Olympus XA2 modified for infrared flash use. The methodology for this test was simple. I waited for it to get dark, then I walked an area in town most likely to be packed with people on a Friday night and started shooting as I normally would.
From the control tests taken inside my house, I made an assumption that my typical working distance, might not work so well as the illumination from the flash didn't seem to extend much further than ten feet. The photos created during this photo walk backed that assumption up. Anything I shot where the subject was around ten feet away or more result in very thin negatives.
While working with this infrared conversion, I reasoned that in the end, it would be more about courtesy, then it would be about stealth. This outing proved that point to me. I didn't get usable negatives unless the subject was closer than ten feet. At these close distances, the red pulse from the infrared covered flash is very noticeable, and many of the people I used it on did notice. At that working distance, a typical non-infrared flash pulse would also be very annoying to the subject, and outright blinding if it is dark enough that their pupils are wide open. So, don't expect to do this conversion and be invisible ninja with a camera, do it because you love the aesthetic of full frontal flash and black zombie eyes, and don't want to blind unsuspecting people in the process.
Of the few images where I was close enough to get a good exposure, these two ended up also having the benefit of not completely sucking.
Aside from the two for mentioned points, I also learned something else about infrared flash photography. Something which was completely unexpected. What I learned is as follows:
Infrared Flash makes the police believe that you are a rapist.
That's right, read the rest of the story right over here.
The Infrared XA2 Experiment – Round 2
The Infrared XA2 Experiment - Round 1
Olympus XA2 – Infrared Blackout Edition
Infrared Flash Photography
Infrared Flash Photography With An Olympus XA2
October 19th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hi,
It was a very informative experience for you and the reader, I guess. I came across this infrared-conversion via the cop-incident in the first place.
I have to say I somehow envy you for your reaction torwards the harrasing cop. I think your calm, polite and most of all patient answering of his b/s qurstions busted his 'scheme' for interogating perverts or whatever. At least his style of dealing with you as a potential offender sounds very much like rote-learning.
To go back to the XA2's infrared feature. I'd be curious what his reaction would've bee if you would have told him about your weakness for zombie-like black eyes, hehe.
I have to say I own a (can I say 'proto'?) XA without any digit and I've shoot some rolls but not yet developed any of it. At the moment it's my main film camera and I would hesitate to give a IR treatment a try
Nevertheless your curiosity for technical modification (I'd expect this was one motivation for you?) inspired me to contemplate about some 'minor' hacks which would be within my limited horizon of technical skill. Thanks for that K.
maybe you are also interested in the legal situation for (street)photographers in other countries (by 'other' I mean some without anglo-saxon legal-tradition). In my case the German laws for personal rights apply and in a similar case like your encounter the policeman probably would have a legal base to act like an a/hole.
http://watercooler.markushartel.com/street-photography-in-germany-what-a-bummer-judicial/
Cheers man and keep up the good work!