Hello from Ottawa, Ontario

[grey-not-gray]

Greetings to all! I am a newby on this site, although I have been on APUG/Phototrio since 2008, under my name, Terrence Brennan.

I recently bought a 191mm Wollensak lens and shutter, and so am bringing my Graphic View camera back to life, it having been dormant for some 25+ years. My main interest is in documentary photography, for which I use 35mm and medium format cameras, but for some of the self directed projects I am working on, LF will be the way to go for me.

I am interested in using X-Ray film, mainly because of its ortho sensitivity. I would love to have any--indeed, ALL--information anybody has on this subject. While I have an extensive photographic background (Undergradute degree from Ryerson, granted in 1979, 40+ years experience in labs and the field, my last gig being 21+ years at the National Gallery in Ottawa, well versed in sensitometry, et cetera), I have no experience with X-Ray film.

The film I am considering using at this time is Fuji HR-U, but there seems to be some concerns with the double coated emulsion, and image sharpness. Can any members enlighten me on that subject? Also, are there any single-coated films available (I beleve that is the correct nomenclature). And I would like to find out about sources for these products.

[Tin Can]

Buy oodles of both now

It is disappearing

I have cases of 500 sheets

None for sale

With your bonafides, it will be easy for you

[Michael R]

I think I recall your name from APUG/Photrio. I haven’t been in a while though.

Here are my two cents on the subject based on what I’ve seen presented, and as a non-x-ray film user. It stands to reason a single sided film would be preferable for a variety of reasons, however this might be more difficult to find. I doubt typical sensitivity is ortho in the “traditional” sense, so sensitometry including exposure index will likely take a little experimentation. These emulsions seem to lean toward relatively high contrast/short exposure scale, so would benefit from a low contrast/high speed developer.

If one is interested in the ortho or even unsensitized look, the x-ray film draw would seem to be cost. You haven’t indicated whether or not that is a motivator in your case, but I mention it because if the price of sheet film is not a major problem for you, you would be better off using a film such as Ilford Ortho, or any other regular panchro film with some filters on the camera lens to simulate ortho response/sensitivity.

Greetings to all! I am a newby on this site, although I have been on APUG/Phototrio since 2008, under my name, Terrence Brennan.

I recently bought a 191mm Wollensak lens and shutter, and so am bringing my Graphic View camera back to life, it having been dormant for some 25+ years. My main interest is in documentary photography, for which I use 35mm and medium format cameras, but for some of the self directed projects I am working on, LF will be the way to go for me.

I am interested in using X-Ray film, mainly because of its ortho sensitivity. I would love to have any--indeed, ALL--information anybody has on this subject. While I have an extensive photographic background (Undergradute degree from Ryerson, granted in 1979, 40+ years experience in labs and the field, my last gig being 21+ years at the National Gallery in Ottawa, well versed in sensitometry, et cetera), I have no experience with X-Ray film.

The film I am considering using at this time is Fuji HR-U, but there seems to be some concerns with the double coated emulsion, and image sharpness. Can any members enlighten me on that subject? Also, are there any single-coated films available (I beleve that is the correct nomenclature). And I would like to find out about sources for these products.

[grey-not-gray]

I think I recall your name from APUG/Photrio. I haven’t been in a while though.

Here are my two cents on the subject based on what I’ve seen presented, and as a non-x-ray film user. It stands to reason a single sided film would be preferable for a variety of reasons, however this might be more difficult to find. I doubt typical sensitivity is ortho in the “traditional” sense, so sensitometry including exposure index will likely take a little experimentation. These emulsions seem to lean toward relatively high contrast/short exposure scale, so would benefit from a low contrast/high speed developer.

If one is interested in the ortho or even unsensitized look, the x-ray film draw would seem to be cost. You haven’t indicated whether or not that is a motivator in your case, but I mention it because if the price of sheet film is not a major problem for you, you would be better off using a film such as Ilford Ortho, or any other regular panchro film with some filters on the camera lens to simulate ortho response/sensitivity.

Yes, price is an issue...but isn't price an issue for everybody, in everything, these days?

I fear that, given current economic trends, traditional photography will revert to what it was before George Eastman made it an untertaking for everybody, that anybody could afford.

[Kiwi7475]

It all depends on what are you trying to achieve and what expectations you have. HRU will give you higher contrast, maybe not as great tonality, and lower resolution than “standard” film — the result of a double sided, no anti-halation emulsion. It’s a delicate film so you’ll have to go out of your way to not scratch it. It’s definitely doable but an important consideration. Don’t get me wrong l, it is a fine choice but just not comparable to Ilford or Kodak or the others. Depending on what you are aiming to achieve, you’ll be happy, or not.

You don’t say what you’ll be shooting but I assume 8x10? Consider how many images you think you’ll take in this format - 25 in a week? In a month? A few months? Once you factor in all the other costs and if the shots are important, shooting regular film may be affordable and yield a result closer to your expectations.

It is also perfectly fine to learn the ropes with HRU and then move onto regular film, or straddle the two depending on the importance of that day’s shooting.

Finally I think single sided x-ray film is gone — no longer offered by the usual channels (zzmedical, etc).

[sharktooth]

There have been many threads regarding x-ray film here. You can do a Google search on this site easily now using the Google site link on the top bar. The link below was done this way.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%5B+...t=gws-wiz-serp

[Tin Can]

BTW

KODAK screwed itself

I think they made the first useable DIGI, but buried it so they could gouge with film

and they missed their own boat

and I bet a decade we lose all wet film, we will badly need it again

but Humpty Dumpty will be...

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm also over at Photrio... and I shoot a lot of double-sided, green latitude XRAY, up to 14x17. No worries about double-sided, if you are able to work with trays. Flat-bottomed trays, that is. I've been doing it this way for quite a while now. As far as image sharpness goes, you cannot see a difference unless you lay it down beside one that was shot on single-sided film. We're contact printing them so no biggie!