Rollei Infrared 400

Kodak HIE was the standard for serious infrared work until Kodak discontinued it in 2007. HIE had a spectral response extending to about 900nm and, crucially, no anti-halation backing, which produced the characteristic halation glow around highlights that defined the aesthetic of infrared landscape photography for decades. Nothing has replaced it exactly.

Rollei Infrared 400 is the closest current option without the halation. It reads to approximately 750nm in the near-infrared with an R72 filter in place, which is deep enough to produce the infrared effect: foliage goes white or light gray, sky drops to near-black, clouds glow with reflected IR, and haze in the distance burns off. What you do not get is the spreading halation glow that HIE produced around bright windows and backlit subjects. Whether that is a loss or a feature depends on whether you shot HIE for practical or aesthetic reasons.

Rating is tricky with IR work. The manufacturer lists ISO 400, but with an R72 filter in daylight the effective working speed is closer to ISO 3 to 6 depending on the light. Bracket heavily until you know your camera and filter combination. The film is not DX coded in all cartridge versions; check before loading a camera that reads DX codes.

Grain is pronounced at working speeds when the filter factor is compensated. That is expected at effective ISO 3 to 6 and should not be treated as a defect.

The reciprocity exponent is 1.31. With the R72 filter in place and effective speeds in single-digit ISO, you will regularly be in reciprocity territory even in midday sun. Zone Light Meter folds in the correction automatically past the one-second threshold, which saves considerable guesswork when you are already dealing with filter factor adjustments.