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

[Peter De Smidt]

Kodak has instructions for developing sheet film in hangers in a tank. Try finding those. I bet Vinny has some suggestions as well.

[Tin Can]

We had this discussion at Chicago's LFPF meeting last month.

You are following the suggested method.

Try way less agitation. I don't lift more than than an inch and never get the film out of the fluid.

I don't presoak. I rap once. I don't swish the film around.

Get rid of the unsafe light, unless it's X-Ray.

Pretty sure all the old guys cropped way more than we do these days.

Get a box of X-ray and practice. A lot. Use up 100 sheets of X-Ray that costs only $35. As we always say, YMMV.

Try different dilutions and developers.

[Randy]

Thanks Randy

Try way less agitation. I don't lift more than than an inch and never get the film out of the fluid.

I will give this a try

I don't presoak. I rap once. I don't swish the film around.

I presoaked when using trays with no problem...but will try not with tank.

Get rid of the unsafe light, unless it's X-Ray.

It is X-ray.

Try different dilutions and developers.

What direction is best for combating uneven development - shorter or longer development times (stronger or more dilute developer)?

[Tin Can]

Sorry! I forget we were talking X-Ray. In that case move the safe light closer!

Some of us like weak solutions. I use Rodinal of any type available, at 1/100 and 1/50, but some even go to 1/200. But always at least 10 ml per 80 sq". Again some use less...

Try stand development, which I have not, I just got four up 4x5 hangers for tanks and will get to that.

That said, I usually do 8X10 and larger in trays. I use hangers and tanks for 4X5 and smaller, lately a lot of 3x4.

I also use 3 tanks. First the developer, then a water stop tank no movement stand for 1 minute, then a fix and while fixing I wash out my #2 tank and use it for a wash with a submerged hose at trickle. Less pouring of chems than with a one tank system.

[premortho]

I don't think the safelight is the problem. I think the problem is in the agitation. Try Randy's technique. I never let the film come out of the developer, myself. I develop in trays with very gentle agitation. Try a dilute one shot developer. I use Rodinal 1-100. Then into a water bath with no agitation for about 2 minutes. This helps shadow detail somewhat.

Sorry! I forget we were talking X-Ray. In that case move the safe light closer!

Some of us like weak solutions. I use Rodinal of any type available, at 1/100 and 1/50, but some even go to 1/200. But always at least 10 ml per 80 sq". Again some use less...

Try stand development, which I have not, I just got four up 4x5 hangers for tanks and will get to that.

That said, I usually do 8X10 and larger in trays. I use hangers and tanks for 4X5 and smaller, lately a lot of 3x4.

I also use 3 tanks. First the developer, then a water stop tank no movement stand for 1 minute, then a fix and while fixing I wash out my #2 tank and use it for a wash with a submerged hose at trickle. Less pouring of chems than with a one tank system.

[Randy]

When I tray developed 8X10 X-ray film I have always used HC-110 1:63 with good results...except for the scratches. When I trayed Arista premium, 1:18 gave similar density to the HC-110 dilution at a similar dev time. Both I use as one-shot. For the tank development, following advice for agitation, would cutting my dev strength by say 50% and adding 50% to the dev time be a good place to start?

[Andrew O'Neill]

Hangers can be a PITA. If you don't agitate enough, you end up with mottling like in your example. If you agitate too much/too vigorously, you end up with developer surge marks. The only way I could make it work is if I used a much more dilute developer (pyrocat-hd 30ml each solution to 6 litres water), agitate for first minute, then up/down twice every twenty minutes. With this method (semi-stand) I have gotten very even development and very sharp negatives.
I rarely use the hangers and much prefer flat-bottomed trays. I have never gotten scratches in trays.
I use double-side green as well as kodak single-sided, preferring the former for it's smoother rendition of tones.
I processed a negative using semi-stand earlier today. When it's dry I'll post it here.

[Randy]

Andrew, do you process one sheet at a time when you process in trays?

[Tin Can]

When I tray developed 8X10 X-ray film I have always used HC-110 1:63 with good results...except for the scratches. When I trayed Arista premium, 1:18 gave similar density to the HC-110 dilution at a similar dev time. Both I use as one-shot. For the tank development, following advice for agitation, would cutting my dev strength by say 50% and adding 50% to the dev time be a good place to start?

Thats about what I did.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes, one sheet at a time in flat-bottomed trays. Constant gentle agitation, north/south east/west for the first 30 seconds, then 5 seconds every 2 minutes.