After some months of teasing, Kolari Vision has officially launched the new infrared Candy Chrome filter, and customers are starting to use it. But what makes the Candy Chrome filter so special?
In this article, I will explain how the combination of a specific optical formula and advanced post-processing LUTs offers a unique infrared effect for multiple applications.
Optical formula of the Candy Chrome filter
As for their previous innovation, the IRchrome filter, Kolari Vision has developed a specific optical formula for the CandyChrome filter. Whereas traditional infrared filters are made of one layer of glass, working as high-pass filters, the Candy Chrome filter is made of several layers of different scientific glasses. This combination makes it a bandpass filter with precise spectral bandwidth transmission.
However, to keep great optical performances in photography, the thickness of the Candy Chrome filter must be reduced. In optical research with laboratory tools, it is not a problem to use 5 or 6 centimetres of glass with different technologies: polarized filters, dichroic filters… Because most of the time you want to analyze a signal, not create a sharp image.
In photography, optical expectations are not the same, and you cannot use such combinations without drastically impacting the quality of the image. The Candy Chrome filter has been specifically designed to offer the best optical performance for infrared photography with modern sensors.
This means that if its optical formula is more complex than traditional infrared filters, it is not as complex as some homemade combinations of glass and gel filters. But contrary to these home-made filters, their mechanical and optical quality is guaranteed, and their durability is unmatched.
Advanced post-processing capabilities
Optical formula is not everything, and to achieve the best results with the Candy Chrome filter, you must apply the correct post-processing recipe. This is why this filter comes with a pack of LUTs developed to reveal its full potential.
These LUTs contain several RGB channel swaps and RGB channel adjustments. When they are applied to a RAW file (with white balance previously set on a grey chart), you obtain a corrected image with proper colours, and you can then continue your post-processing journey regarding your own tastes. See by yourself the number of colour shades you can catch in the following images compared to classic 595nm or 550nm infrared filters.
A unique infrared effect for multiple applications
So, what makes the Cancy Chrome filter so special is not only its optical formula but its combination with optimized LUTs. And this combination offers a unique infrared effect that can be applied to multiple applications.
Alternative landscape photography: as the luminance of the foliage remains the same as in visible, you can now enjoy beautiful light at the beginning or the end of the day in infrared photography the same way as in traditional photography. No need to shoot exclusively in the middle of the day under a bright sun.
Aerial and farming analysis: the Candy Chrome filter allows to obtain various shades of color directly linked to the nature and the health of vegetation. A good way to analyze fields, forests and natural spaces.
Artistic and psychedelic photography: taking up the logic of Kodak Aerochrome film and its specific development in the darkroom, the Candy Chrome filter and its LUTs offer vivid colors beyond the only natural environment. Skin, cloths, buildings, artificial light… Now appear in a brand-new way.
Conclusion on the Kolari Candy Chrome filter
In conclusion, the CandyChrome filter offers a lot of flexibility for advanced photographers, with a complete solution, from the photo shoot with the filter itself to the digital post-processing with dedicated LUTs.
