IR filter can be used for improving visibility through certain kinds of fog or haze. This property is particularly important for long-distance photography on the ground where the detail of distant objects is often obscured by haze. It is also useful for high altitude, and especially oblique photography from the air like when landing an airplane in a foggy airport. Actually, the PF does not always result in a very striking increase in the range of vision, but it generally increases the contrast of the distant objects and thus the amount of detail that can be seen.

All Sony Digital Video Cameras and Sony Digital Still Cameras with the Super Nightshot/Nightshot features are capable of achieving the X-Ray effect when used with this high quality infrared filter. Seeing really is believing!

This infrared filter will filter out 99% of light seen by the naked eye only allowing infrared light through so that technically the naked eye can see 100% black when the filter is in place. With the Nightshot function on, the naked eye cannot pick up the high contrast black, so with the infrared filter and Nightshot combination, it will help you see the title of a book with a piece of cloth placed over it - thus the x-ray effect!

This is an excellent filter for filming indoors and in overcast weather conditions and if you already have a Sony Cybershot digital still camera with the Nightshot feature and are interested in experimenting with the X-Ray effect, this is by far the least expensive method to give it a go.

What are you waiting for? This filter will give you hours of photographic fun!

Compatible with 37mm Camera or Video that have the Super Nightshot and Nightshot function.

The X-Ray Effect

All Digital Video Cameras and Digital Still Cameras with the Nightshot & Super Nightshot features are capable of achieving the X-Ray effect when used with this high quality infrared filter. Sony has changed the Nightshot feature a few times during production. The first Sony camcorders could shoot Nightshot in the day. Then Sony found that people were using the camcorders to see through some clothing, so they changed the camcorders to have a fully open aperture in Nightshot mode. This meant in bright light, the picture is overexposed. Some of the most recent camcorders from Sony are somewhere in-between. One recent camcorder we have tested limits the minimum aperture but still adjusts the aperture wider. Interestingly, the result is that in Nightshot mode during daylight, the picture is overexposed without a filter. But, using Nightshot in daylight with an IR filter works! Perhaps Sony has realized that this feature helps sell cameras.

This filter will filter out 99% of light seen by the naked eye only allowing infrared light through so that technically the naked eye can see 100% black when the filter is in place. Multi-coating prevents light reflection, ghost light...etc, making images clearer and sharper. With the Nightshot function on, the naked eye cannot pick up the high contrast black, so with the infrared filter and Nightshot combination, for example, it will help you see in the image below, that we 'accidentally' spilt some permanent ink on this document and the text is now impossible to read. However, when we attached the filter to our Sony 'TR250PK' camcorder, the writing is clearly legible through the ink - thus the x-ray effect!

Without Filter

With Filter

This filter can help you to see perfectly through sunglasses and dark, tinted car windows.

Let's imagine there's a man walking the street. He fits the description of a known murder suspect, but he is wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, so no-one can see his eyes. Yet there is a way to check he identity without even having to approach the man - a video camera equipped with a Opteka IR filter will allow you to see straight through the dark sunglasses. To the viewer, they now appear totally transparent, like standard glasses. The man's face would be identifiable even if he was in a car with tinted windows!

Voyeurism (not encouraged!)

The Opteka IR Filter is able to see through some types of clothes, for example, thin clothes, tight clothes, sundresses, swimsuits and so forth. Be aware that this means that you can see a person's body or underwear through the external garment. In other words, this filter allows you to "see through" someone's clothes. It is also possible to see through a woman's made-up face as if no lipstick and foundation had been applied.

Detection

IR filters used in conjunction with an IR sensitive camera can sometimes see things completely invisible to the human eye. This filter can even be used in the textile field for detection of irregularities to the fibers, particularly where the material is dyed a dark tone and visual examination is difficult.

Some other applications where the PF can be used include: environmental studies, natural resource studies, monitoring geographical and geological changes, investigating coastal erosion and identifying marsh land vegetation, archaeological exploration, surface mining and mined land disturbances, hydrological studies and channel mapping, monitoring oil spills, irrigation studies, medicine, mineralogy, philately, art history, entomology, etc.

Thus, the imaginative user should have little difficulty in recognizing this filter's potential and expanding its use, and the uses are unlimited. Even though it can't totally penetrate all surfaces, in many cases it can provide some degree of "see-through" ability. You will be amazed with the power if you take the time to experiment and experience its capabilities for yourself.

This is an excellent filter for outdoor filming and is considered to be a dark filter which is used to capture the highest quality pictures in typical outdoor lighting. If you already have a digital camera or digital camcorder with the "Nightshot" feature and are interested in experimenting with the X-Ray effect, this is by far the least expensive method, giving you the results you are looking for. Just screw on the filter, switch on the 'Night' feature, and you are ready to go!