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

[Tin Can]

I see you know me. Been there done that more than enough.

Took me decades to gain civility. And now madness is back in style.

My hero is Slim Pickins at the end of Dr Strangelove.

If you are going to go, go out with style...

Like naked and flaming, swinging from a chandelier, with a battle cry in your heart & lungs... ;-)

All good things to you!!!

Steve K

[Darren Sheely]

I do not think it is advisable, but you push x-ray film? If so how many stops?

I didn't think it could be done well bc of its nature and high contrast

[koraks]

Sure, you can push it. Like with any film (and in fact even more so), this comes at the cost of shadow detail.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Push it and report your findings here, please!

[greginpa]

Any guesses to what asa i should rate some ancient 8x10 Type M Kodak xray film I just got. A quick coin and flash the lights test shows only very very minor fogging which might be the base tint ? Only thing I've gleaned online is that it is for mechanical xrays. Also no mention of safelight on the box? so panchromatic? Thanks, greg

[RickV]

Here's the Kodak Data Sheet for the film that I suspect it is. They made a dedicated red safelight filter GBX-2 which is a darker red than the Wratten 1A. It won't fog under a 1A if you lower the wattage of bulb or move it further away and, if tray processing, place a card over the top of the tray and only remove it when you need to observe what's going on. A good starting point for exposure is rating it at 80ASA. Test and change to suit your process and requirements. It will develop in D76 straight or 1:1, Xtol straight or 1:1, and of course paper developers diluted around 1:9 as starting points. Hope this helps

[greginpa]

Thanks Rick, This stuff is from the 1950s or early 60s by the box graphics, So, something else, that one's a t-grain. The ad i found online touts it's ability to x-ray copper bolts.

[RickV]

Holy crap! They were pretty reckless with the radiation in the good ol' days. I reckon it's a pretty good starting point what I've suggested. Everyone will shoot and process it a bit differently to suit their expectations so have fun experimenting but try to standardize your process tests and only change one element at a time. Forgive me if this is a case of the grasshopper lecturing the master....just sharing my experiences with it. It's wonderful stuff to play with and the results that our resident master craftsmen are getting on these emulsions is astounding!

[greginpa]

Today we are all grasshoppers : ) I'll give 80 asa a go and go at it one step at a time. It claims very fine grain and sharpness on the box. We'll see.

[RickV]

Good luck, mate.