I personally recommend stripping if you are scanning or printing with traditional silver paper.
I have one, 7x11 holder. but it is 'mint' maybe unused. I will need to change film in the field. Not pleasant I am sure. There is one 7X11 holder for sale on the bay, but it has the wrong 'T' distance. Not sure why somebody would make new holders to a different dimension than the old Kodak 'standard'. I know, there is no standard, but Eastman 7x11's are the only old ones I know of.
My 11x14 contraption is a Levy copy camera conversion, I have two single sided, 'tape the film on' giant heavy holders. It's not leaving the house on my back... It needs 4 feet more bellows, which may soon be a big long box of foam core...I bet I can scare a sitter with that rig!
X-RAY Photography on my 'ART' cards.
Originally Posted by Jim Fitzgerald
Tin Can
Hi Corran, What do you mean exactly by stripping for traditional silver print? I might try xray film for my 8x10 soon! I can't wait. I do contact print with traditional black and white and will probably do alt prints from xray films.
I mean with standard fiber/RC paper, contact printing, stripping works very nicely. Scanning is also better when stripped, in my opinion. If you are doing alt. process work, don't strip (according to the experts on that topic, which I'm inclined to believe - I tried some Kallitypes with my stripped negatives and they never really turned out well).
On the other hand folks - just shoot two dang negatives and try it! Give the one you are stripping a little more exposure. It's not like the film is expensive enough not to want to try it!!
although, I have never even seen x-ray film, I think, it means to strip the back side emulsion, after fixing, and involves bleaching just the backside. I have no idea how to do that.
Tin Can
thanks corran!
Basically - you strip out side that you hate the most or one that you manage to "intentionally" scratch (*cough cough*).
Process itself is simple, all you need is decent glass / plexy surface, you tape it with painters tape or something by edges, then just use clorox or any other scary products. Using brush, using paper towel bit, whatever. Dry, then wash a bit, then might need a second go. Not a fun job, i will tell you. I gave up on doing it, but i keep bleacher and brushes for experiments with "darkroom dorking" anyway, b/c i sometime feel like doing weird things to negatives, without PS.
Peculiar side effect of xray scanning, btw, is that both sides of film in unstripped form are "matte" . Thus making it less prone to newtonian rings. Another weird thing i noticed - its super duper easy flat. I have to fight usual film sometime, while taping to ANR glass. With Xray - it just lays flat.
Although this thread has been dormant a while, I have a real "x-ray newbie" question (or two). I recently acquired a hundred sheet box of GE/Agfa Structurix D4 5x7 film. First I noticed that there is no notch code, and after research found that it has emulsions on both sides of the base (see attachment), but I'm not sure the film is completely symmetrical - the brochure says "To achieve a rugged surface, the top layer has received the matting agent." Which "top layer" - are there two top layers?
Anyway, should I assume that it doesn't matter how I load this in the film holders with the double emulsions?
Does anyone else have firsthand experience with this particular x-ray film? I haven't seen it referenced in any of the x-ray image threads, other than one mention and no actual shots. Any other newbie insights about handling this film would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Do I understand it right that you first make a picture, develop the film, fix, dry, and then tape it with the image side on a piece of glass to remove the emulsion on the other side ?
"Clorox" apparently is a brand name of some household products. What product is meant here (if I understand all this correctly) ?
Thanks,
Stefan.
Clorox is laundry chlorine bleach.
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