The 14th Industrial Electronics Seminar 2012 (IES 2012)
Electronic Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Surabaya (EEPIS), Indonesia, October 24, 2012
Designing False Color Photography Effect using Filter Recycle Over-Exposure
Negative Film feature White Balance
Setya Chendra Wibawa
Surabaya State University
bowolee@yahoo.com
Abstract
Photography is fun, specially using DSLR camera,
we can try to resulting the best picture by optimizing
camera features. That is an inspiration for
modification DSLR camera become False Color
Photography effect. False Color Photography is a
technique to gives interesting results like Infrared
photography. Infrared photography involves
capturing invisible light to produce striking images.
To change a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera
to infrared, can add a filter and make minor
adjustments or can modify the camera permanently
by removing the hot mirror. Usually, photography
infrared, using very expensive filter, and has a risk
like scratched sensor. This experiment confirm the
effectiveness of insert recycle over-exposure
negative film (Filter re-ONF) infront of sensor
CMOS that without remove the hot mirror can
resulting the false color effect using feature White
Balance such as the color of object photography
change into reddish, purplish, old effect according
to the table of result.
Keywords: false color, photography, infra red,
recyle over-exposure negative film.
1. Introduction
Infrared photography (IR) is a technique that
gives interesting results, because the spectrum used
for the resulting image is composed of wavelengths
of light invisible to the human eye. In infrared
photography, the film or sensor of the camera is
sensitive to infrared light so the images obtained
through this technique will look very different from
the ones composed with visible light. Usually, in this
type of photography, an “infrared filter” is used.
This filter allows the infrared light to pass to the
camera and blocks most of the visible light.
Because of that, the filter looks black or dark red
and once attached to the lens it will make it
impossible for the human eye to see anything
through the viewfinder of the camera. This means
that the settings of the camera must be made prior
the filter attachment, unless a modified camera or a
camera with live view is used.
Infrared cameras usually only show images of
one color channel because they do not distinguish
between different wavelengths of radiation. Infrared
cameras can also pick up infrared light signals
ISBN: 978-602-9494-28-0
through dust, smoke, fog and some concrete
materials.
1.1 Imaging Sensor
a fact may not know that: The imaging sensor in
camera records only in black and white. Let that sink
in a minute. Each pixel on a digital camera's imaging
chip contains a light-sensitive photodiode that
converts light to electrical current in proportion to the
quantity of light that falls on it. Photodiodes can't tell
the difference between different wavelengths of light,
they only react to intensity. The typical way to add
color to the digital image is to apply a color filter
mosaic, using a red-green-blue pattern.
There are several ways to do this, but the most
common is a filter arranged in what is called a Bayer
pattern, which looks like a mosaic of red, green, and
blue squares. Half of the total number of pixels is
filtered with green (G), while a quarter of the total is
filtered with red (R), and the other quarter with blue
(B), in a repeating 2x2 arrangement. Rows of color in
a sequence of GRGRGR (etc.) alternate with a
sequence of BGBGBG. That's why this output is
called sequential RGB (or sRGB). The camera's
processor actually uses the information from the
Bayer pattern to interpolate the color of all of the
pixels.
1.2 False Color, Intended and Unintended
Have stressed that, for natural color
reproduction with subtractive color film, the
emulsion must be sensitive to red, green and blue,
respectively, and their complementaries, cyan,
magenta and yellow. Of course if do not insist on
natural color reproduction, then the emulsions may
be sensitive in any spectral regions and the dyes
formed by the couplers would not necessarily have
anything to do with the complementaries (if any) of
these emulsion sensitivities. Any such change from
natural color reproduction is called false color.[5]
2. Previous Works
2.1. Color Filter Arrays
A camera sensor is, in essence, monochromatic.
In order toacquire color information, the preferred
solution is to place a Color Filter Arrays (CFA) in
front of the sensor. This array is composed of a
mosaic of colored transparent material that allows
only a portion of the spectrum to pass through. In
general, a CFA can be represented by a triplet. [9]
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cfa[n] = [cr[n], cg[n], cb[n]]T ∈ [0, 1]3, (1)

where the three components denote the relative

ercentages of the R, G, and B information retained at
pixel location n. Note that we enforce the range of
CFA values to be within [0, 1] to ensure physical
realizability (via subtractive color layers). Let [n],
g[n] and b[n] denote the ground truth R, G, B values
of the scene (i.e., the ones we would obtain from a 3-
CCD camera); the sensor reading after the CFA can
then be modeled as

yvis[n] = cr[n] r[n] + cg[n] g[n] + cb[n] b[n]. (2)

Recent work [3],[4],[6] has demonstrated that

the joint processing of visible and NIR data results in
image enhancement and analysis capabilities beyond
what can be achieved using visible information only.
2.2. Near-Infrared Acquisition
The research [8] propose a camera design for
the simultaneous capture of high quality visible/NIR
images, which requires no modification of the current
imaging sensors. In fact, standard siliconbased
sensors, both CCD and CMOS, are intrinsically
sensitive o wavelengths from roughly 200 nm to
1100 nm. Thus, if one removes the hot mirror from
the camera, the sensors will have the capability of
imaging both the visible and NIR bands. One
component of the camera that does need modification
is the CFA. Without the hot mirror, the CFA filters
are partly transparent not only to their respective
color wavelengths, but to NIR as well [4]. This fact
makes the acquisition model in (1) no longer
applicable.
(c) Enhanced Result
Figure 3. Enhanced Result from Xiaopeng Zhang
The electromagnetic spectrum (NASA, 2000) as
divided into types of radiation by ranges of
wavelength and frequency (waves per unit time) with
the CIR section shown in red shading. Due to the
order of magnitude difference in wavelength, the
spectrum’s wavelength axis is presented
logarithmically using the meter (m) and the following
meter-based units: [7]
Centimeter (cm) = 1 x 10-2 m
Micrometer or Micron (μm) = 1 x 10-6 m
Angstrom (Å) = 1 x 10-10 m
Wavelength can also be expressed in nanometers
(nm), which is 1 x 10-9 m. Thus, Visible light can be
described as extending from 0.4 to 0.7 μm or from
400 to 700 nm CIR can be described as extending
from 0.5 to 0.9 μm or from 500 to 900 nm, like figure
below :

Figure 1. The block diagram for the visible/NIR

acquisition processin the proposed camera design.

Figure 4 : wavelenght of light

3. Experiments and Result

Figure 2. A generic example of a 2 × 2 periodic This experiment using DSLR Canon 7D. First,
CFA. camera using natural color for comparison, the
second camera has modified by inserting filter
Photo result for [7] like images below : recycle over-exposure negative film and then using

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feature of White Balance (WB) like Manual, Shade, White Fluorense, Flash, kelvin Temperature). The
Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorense, Flash, kelvin range of Kelvin temperature using between 2500 oK -
Temperature. 8500oK.
According to the picture below,
Results below are shown only as needed :
No Result Technical Informatio
n
1 F 5.6 Normal
S 1/125 camera
ISO 1600 setting

Sensor Hot Filter Lens

CMOS Mirror re-ONF
/ CFA 2 F 3.5
S 1/50
Figure 5 : Camera body by inserting filter re-ONF
ISO 1600
Filter re-
The picture can be explained, in the body of camera ONF This
that Photography Object capturing by DSLR camera. WB Manual image as
DSLR Camera has modified by inserting filter Manual
recycle over-exposure negative film (Filter re-ONF). WB
The hot mirror on the camera without removed. Only 3 F 3.5
put Filter re-ONF in front of CMOS sensor and hot S 1/50
mirror. ISO 1600
Filter re-
ONF
WB Manual This
image as
Manual
WB
+
Filter Red
Color
Plastic
Figure 6. Filter re-ONF
Regular

No Result Technical Informatio

n
4 F5 WB White
S 1/200 +
ISO 160 Filter
Filter re- Purple
ONF Color
WB Manual Plastics
Regular
Figure 7. Hot mirror infront of CMOS sensor

5 F 4.5
S 1/125
ISO 1600
Filter re-
ONF This
WB Manual image as
Figure 8. Filter re-ONF in front of Hot mirror and Manual
CMOS sensor WB
+
During capturing image, to get false color like Filter Red
the goals this work, using feature White Balance Color
(WB) like (Manual WB, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Plastic

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Regular 4. Conclusions
In this paper, an effect of false color photography
using over-exposure negative film as filter not only
depend on it, but also feature White Balance (WB)
specially manual WB. The manual WB can use any
6 F 4.5 Without picture to get a variety of effect. The advantage this
S 1/125 added any experiment was not open the camera or remove the
ISO 1600 filter
hot mirror, because scratched sensor could be at risk.
Filter re-
ONF The disadvantage is the excessive use of the ISO,
WB Kelvin resulting in noise. Overall, this experiment confirm
2500oK the effectiveness of insert recycle over-exposure
negative film (Filter re-ONF) infront of sensor
CMOS camera that without remove hot mirror can
resulting the false color effect using feature White
Balance according to the table of result

7 F 4.5 Without 5. Future Works

S 1/125 added any The future work might try to remove the hot
ISO 1600 filter
mirror filter and replace it with UV Filter as IR Filter
Filter re-
ONF with λ 120-210 nm, and then capture image for
WB Kelvin fashion photography.
6000oK
6. References
[1] Joe Farace, "Complete Guide to Digital Infrared
Photography",
[2] Angel M Felicisimo, Vase Rollout Photography
Using Digital Reflex Cameras, Technical Briefs
The Following explanation : In historical archaeology, 2011, 6: 28–32.
Result 1 : [3] C. Fredembach and S. S¨usstrunk, “Colouring the
This an original image, without filter re-ONF, so near-infrared,” in Proc. IS&T/SID 16th Color
there is no effect of false color. Imaging Conference, 2008, pp. 176–182.
[4] C. Fredembach and S. S¨usstrunk, “Illumination
Result 2 :
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance estimation and detection using near-infrared,” in
manual and image as WB. Look the leaves turn Proc. SPIE Electronic Imaging,Digital
slightly reddish. Photography V, 2009.
[5] David Falk, Dieter Brill, David Stork, "Seeing
Result 3 :
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance The Light Optics in Nature, Photography, Color,
manual and image as WB and added filter red color Vision, and Holography", Harper & Row
plastics regular. Object perspective look slightly Publishers New York, 1986.
purplish. [6] D. N. Semi, ''An Article She Wrote in a
Result 4 : Conference'', Proc. 14th International Conference
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance on Pattern Re-cognition, vol.1, pp.120-130, 2000.
manual and white image as WB and added filter [7] The Statewide Mapping Advisory Committee,
purple color plastics regular. Object look more cool, "Using Color Infrared (CIR) Imagery : A Guide
with an old photo effect. for Understanding, Interpreting and Benefiting
from CIR imagery", July 2011
Result 5 :
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance [8] Xiaopeng Zhang, Terence. Sim, and Xiaoping
manual and image as WB and added filter red color Miao, “Enhancing photographswith near infrared
plastics regular. Object model look slightly purplish images,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on
and smoothy. This effect is as glamorous photo. ComputerVision and Pattern Recognition,
Result 6 : Ankorage, US, 2008.
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance [9] Yue M.Lu, "Designing Color Filter Arrays fot
Kelvin 2500oK. Object model look slightly bluish The joint Capture of Visible and Near-Infrared
purple. Almost similar to number 3 Images", School of Computer and
Result 7 : Communication Scienses, Switzerland
This image using filter re-ONF feature white balance
Kelvin 6000oK. Object model look slightly purplish.

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