Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

[Andrew O'Neill]

If you are a carbon printer (or alt printer for that matter), who requires a negatives with long DR's, then stripping the emulsion away from the backside of xray film is not a good idea. I took a negative that had a DR of 2.20, stripped it ending up with a DR of 1.00. So to get more DR, I developed another sheet for twice the time getting a DR of 2.31. Not much of an increase in DR. After stripping the DR was 1.13. The stripped negative also had poorer tonal separation, especially in the highlights (worse for the film that received extended development) than the unstripped negative.
Contact printed, unstripped xray film in carbon looks pretty good. Not as sharp as TMY, but acceptable.
No stripping for me.

[jon.oman]

Two questions on development. Since x-ray film has an emulsion on both sides, should you use twice the normal amount of developer? (I'm thinking of developer exhaustion.) For replenishment in a deep tank, would you need twice as much replenisher?

Thanks!

Does anyone know the answer to these questions?

[WayneStevenson]

Yes. You've doubled the surface area to be developed so you need to factor that in for your chemistry.

As for replenisher, is it not based on how much film you have developed? In which case you would replenish sooner.

[mdm]

Sorry but just reading your question now...

Pyrocat-hd is diluted 10ml's part A + 10ml's part B + 1000ml's water. Film gets constant agitation for one minute, then about 5secs every 30 sec for remaining time. My development time is quite long as they are intended for carbon transfer printing.
I have also had success with a much stronger dilution (500ml's water instead of 1000ml's). Development time is cut from 17:00 to 8:00. My normal EI is 125.

Going down to the darkroom now to see what stripping of the emulsion on the backside of the film will do for me...

Thanks for your reply. Sorry, I dont seem to be subscribed to this thread and only read your answer now.

I have been having trouble with marks in the sky or wherever there is a large area of a paler tone, except with 1:1:200 Pyrocat M.

Anyway I need negs with a density range of +-log 3 so am going back to BTZS tubes and 1:1:50 as sugested in another thread with 12-15 min.

Thanks

[jon.oman]

Yes. You've doubled the surface area to be developed so you need to factor that in for your chemistry.

As for replenisher, is it not based on how much film you have developed? In which case you would replenish sooner.

Thanks!

[Tri Tran]

Here are few images from X ray film for your to preview. I process them in a 20x24 tray, 4 (8x10 ) sheets at a time. 6 min with D76. Great density for Carbon/ Platinum Print.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Tri, very nice. Good to see the other one. easy as can be!

[Randy]

TT, can you offer your type of X-ray film (green...blue?) and the ISO you are using?
Also, your agitation method and dilution in D-76?
I just got a 100 sheet box of the CSX Green sensitive but haven't opened it yet.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Randy, Tri and I shoot green sensitive x-ray film. I'm not sure what agitation he uses but in the tray we were rocking it while talking under the red safelight. I wasn't paying close attention. We were also doing some of my first 14x17 negatives. We both use ISO 80 metering the shadows to Zone IV. I'm not sure of his dilution but I'm sure Tri will chime in. Tray developed and I do mine in tanks in Pyrocat-HD.

[Randy]

Jim and Tri, in the tray, you didn't flip the film during agitation?

Also, was the tray flat on the bottom or did it have ridges? Some have said you must use the flat bottom trays to minimize scratching of the emulsion.