Starting with Infra-Red Photography Part 14: Testing old enlarger lenses with IR

I had bought a couple of old ‘Wray’ brand enlarger lenses for use with Infra-red photography. I have 2 lenses: a 3.25inch (83mm) f4.5 and a 4.25inch (108mm) f4.5inch. This post shows some of the results:

Close-up IR false colour using 4.25in Wray lens
Close-up IR 950nm monochrome using 4.25in Wray lens
Photographer view of the setup for the above 2 photos – you can see the true colour of the flower
Side view of the setup for the first 2 photos
Garden flowers in IR false colour using the Wray 4.25in enlarger lens
Garden flowers in 950nm monochrome using the Wray 4.25in enlarger lens
Setup for the previous 2 photos

I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of these old (vintage?) lenses. I did note that contrast was low in the monochrome image of the flower petals but this is not surprising as the 950nm filter showed almost all the plant material as white.

Author: Paul L.G. Morris

I am an amateur photographer whose photography is mostly of gardens, nature and the rural environment. My specialities are close-ups, panoramic views, or a combination of both that I call 'Nearscapes'. I work mostly for my own interest having closed my business PM Studios Ltd.