Reference
Filters
Everything filter-related in one place. The infrared cutoffs are compared below, then guides and interactive tools for filters of every kind. A filter is defined by its cutoff wavelength, the point above which it passes light: lower numbers let more visible color through, higher numbers push toward black and white.
Infrared cutoffs compared
| Cutoff | Also called | The look | Color | Light loss | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 470nm | Hyper color | Visible and IR mixed; near-natural skin tones | Most | ≈ +1 stop | Surreal portraits, experimental color |
| 590nm | Super color | Golden-orange foliage, blue skies after white balance | High | ≈ +2 stops | Vivid false-color landscapes |
| 665nm | Enhanced color | Strong color with more IR contrast; foliage brightening | Medium | ≈ +3 stops | Color IR with more punch |
| 720nm | Standard (Hoya R72) | Glowing white foliage, dark skies; channel-swap ready | Some | ≈ +4 stops | First filter; classic IR and false color |
| 850nm | Deep B&W | Essentially monochrome; darkest skies, whitest foliage | None | ≈ +5 stops | High-contrast black & white |
| Clear | Full spectrum | Passes UV + visible + IR; swap external filters to choose | All (filter-dependent) | n/a | Maximum flexibility from one body |
How to choose
- Want one filter that does most things? Start at 720nm. It's the reference standard, works for both monochrome and channel-swapped false color, and has the most tutorials written for it.
- After vivid false color? Go 590nm or 665nm for the golden-foliage, blue-sky look.
- Prefer black and white? 850nm gives the cleanest, most dramatic monochrome with the least editing.
- Want flexibility? A full-spectrum conversion plus a set of screw-on filters lets you shoot any of these from one body.
The aerochrome look
Aerochrome is not a screw-on filter, it is a film. Kodak Aerochrome was a false-color infrared film, first made in the 1940s for aerial reconnaissance, that rendered healthy foliage in vivid reds and pinks against deep blue skies. Kodak discontinued it around 2009 as digital infrared took over.
When people ask for "the aerochrome look" today, they mean that red-foliage, blue-sky false color. You get close to it digitally with a color-IR filter (around 590 to 665nm) and a red and blue channel swap in editing. Some converters even sell a purpose-built filter for it, such as Kolari's IRChrome.
Sources: Lomography, Kodak Aerochrome; Kolari Vision, IRChrome; LifePixel, emulating Aerochrome.
A note on cheap filters
Filters sold under the same label can behave very differently. Budget "850nm" filters have been measured passing more like a 720nm, showing uneven density (visible light/dark rings), or costing several extra stops of exposure. When the result matters, test against a known reference like the Hoya R72 before trusting the label.
A brand-by-brand comparison with sample images is planned.