Question about X-ray film, and a lens for 8x10.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I am just about finished acquiring a 8x10 camera and I have heard that a good way to start is by using X-ray film.

http://www.zzmedical.com/zencart/8x1...ilm-p-384.html

ZZ medical has several types of X-ray film. Blue or green, different brands, single sided emulsion or 2-sided.
Which is best, and why? How good is X-ray film? I've heard it has more contrast than regular film. I've heard it scratches more easily.
Are there any advantages other than cost? What are the disadvantages?
What process do you recom to develop X-ray film.

I do not have a lens/shutter for the 8x10 yet. What would you recom as a good all around lens? I believe I would like a shutter but I am open to what the board has to say.

Thanks,
Bill

[ic-racer]

Check out the x-ray film thread.

300mm lens is nice if I only had one lens.

If you can afford a shutter I'd go that route.

[joselsgil]

Bill,

Look into the x-ray postings.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...and-comparison

The disadvantage of using X-ray film is that it scratches very easy. It doesn't respond to B&W filters, like panchromatic film. One advantage is that you can load the holder and develop the film under red safety light.

For processing, use what ever you are comfortable with. I believe some folks have even developed the film in Dektol paper developer.

For lens recommendations, 300mm is the "normal" size lens for an 8X10. After that, it pretty much what kind of photography you plan on using the camera for.

I have a Turner-Reich triple convertible on my Kodak 2D. It is heavy, old, but you get 3 different focal lengths in the combination. The price of these vintage lenses is starting to get crazy. Like everything else with large format photography, a good deal sometimes falls in your lap when you least expect it.

Good luck,

Jose

[Drew Bedo]

I used to get an 8x10 film, "Ektascan", a Kodak film used for Ultra-sound imaging. I worked in a clinic and ran the exposed negs through the automatic processor in our darkroom. The same processor was used for the X-Ray films and the marketing boys ran their
Tri-X in the same machine without changing anything.

If you can find a clinic that atill processes X-Ray FILM . . . .this may still be a option.

Th

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Thanks guys, I'm up to page 20 on the x-ray thread. Wow there is a lot to it. Still confused though. I can shoot B&W on a digital and it comes out all right, esp with the newest Photoshop.
Being a newbie, there is a lot that I do not have experience with yet, I wanted to go into LF to get a very detailed (fine???) print, a 8x10 or larger contact print, is supposed to have detail that can not be surpassed. How does x-ray film compare in that department. On the thread I am looking at small images, many of them scanned, I'm on a laptop...Not exactly the best way to judge anything.
I do understand that x-ray film can be used for special effects, but how does it compare to a good quality B&W film. Would AA have used it?
I'm just trying to build an educational base.

[desertrat]

Contact prints from x-ray film negatives can have more detail than can be seen with the naked eye, even on close examination. It takes a loupe or similar magnifier to see all the detail. After you get done with the x-ray film thread, there's another x-ray film thread in the Image Sharing subforum. It hasn't been posted to in a while, so it's back on page 3 of that subforum. On page 2 and 3 of that thread I posted some scans, some done at 600 dpi to show some of the finer detail of a contact print.

[ic-racer]

No one in that thread posted a curve that I could find, leaving much of what it discussed somewhat of a mystery. From my work in the x-ray field I can say that the available tonal scale does not have a nice long straight line like T-max.

For example, Alsubael (2009) studied H&D curves from 26 x-ray clinics shown below. As you can see the straight line portion is only about 3 stops and the total available range about six!


In terms of sharpness. X-ray films don't have to be very sharp because the are (were) usually viewed at the original size and the images recorded are shadows with penumbras which limit the sharpness of conventional radiography.

[premortho]

I use the blue x-ray film because it is only single sided. It is mildly orthochromatic and responds to a lite yellow filter. I would use the green film if I could find it single sided, as it is more orthochromatic than the blue film is. You can use a stronger yellow filter with it. You can also use a paper such as Ilford's for a contact neg if you choose. It is much slower... about asa 6-9.

Bill,

Look into the x-ray postings.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...and-comparison

The disadvantage of using X-ray film is that it scratches very easy. It doesn't respond to B&W filters, like panchromatic film. One advantage is that you can load the holder and develop the film under red safety light.

For processing, use what ever you are comfortable with. I believe some folks have even developed the film in Dektol paper developer.

For lens recommendations, 300mm is the "normal" size lens for an 8X10. After that, it pretty much what kind of photography you plan on using the camera for.

I have a Turner-Reich triple convertible on my Kodak 2D. It is heavy, old, but you get 3 different focal lengths in the combination. The price of these vintage lenses is starting to get crazy. Like everything else with large format photography, a good deal sometimes falls in your lap when you least expect it.

Good luck,

Jose

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

premortho, why are you attracted to orthochromatic? Again, I am a newbie, but still confused, panchromatic captures tones similar to how our eyes see them. Orthochromatic is not sensitive to red. The major color in skin tones is red. Orthochromatic does not do a good job of showing clouds in the sky.
Yes I can see how it is more convenient to use a red filter in the darkroom, but from what I am seeing I would not use orthochromatic to photograph a pretty girl.
What am I missing?

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Ic-racer, so it sounds like you would not use x-ray film for a fine print, say of a female model. But it may be a cheap way of getting special effects.