I find it difficult to understand why in film days there was little demand for infrared film, and very few infrared photographs were made and fewer published, but since digital there is all this interest in infrared????? I think this especially dumbfounding and even perverse when there is insufficient interest in B&W photography to support a true B&W digital camera, which makes a lot more sense than infrared - and don't try to claim converting color to B&W from a digital capture, or setting a current digital camera to B&W if it is an option is a good solution the final resolution is too low to make images comparable to those made from B&W film.

In the film days, infrared was a tremendous hassle. I was never interested because of the logistics. But the immediacy of digital has made alternative processes like infrared easy for anyone to try. Another example of an alternate process that digital has brought is the LensBaby. I happen to have two of them sitting here but I only use a DSLR for studio work. Maybe one day I'll experiment with them.

Chris got me started when he read about the infrared sensitivity of the CoolPix 950. Then I started experimenting with different color filters. After reading about the services that could actually install infrared filters in cameras, I invested in an extra camera and had it converted.

One last thing about shooting digital infrared and I've posted this before. There is too much look what my camera can do and not enough really captivating images in infrared. That's why working on developing a body of work where you tend to push the limits is so important. Otherwise it's just more white tree and grass images.

Although my being somewhat older may be a factor, but the only hassle with infrared I experienced was with shooting 4x5 film as the focus compensation with any view or field camera was difficult to determine, with a Speed Graphic there were infrared indicator marks for the standard lens on the rail/bed.

Most 35mm and 120 MF lenses included infrared infinity focus compensation marks in the old days on the lens barrel.

Development of infrared B&W films was specific but essentially the same as other films other than the choice of developer, developing time were different.

The most interesting film however, was Infrared Aero Ektachrome, which was available for many years. It was primarily used for camouflage detection, which I became familiar with being assigned to the Tactical Air Command as a photographer when In the Air Force. With some special, but available Kodak Wratten filters the color results with Ektachrome Infrared were quite other worldly and usually unpredictable, making its most entertaining.

The best results I obtained from shooting B&W infrared film was with the Konica 120. They made a batch once a year, so you just about had to pre-order with a dealer who handled Konica, otherwise it would be sold out the day it was delivered to a store. The Konica 120 B&W had exceptional qualities of contrast and latitude and was responsive to different developers to make it adaptable to many different kinds of subjects. I found it was even useful in the studio using electronic flash for lighting to obtain very good image quality results - very ghostly skin-tones of course.