Developing Time/ISO for X-Ray Film

[Richard K.]

I know this has been posted here before but I can't seem to locate it. Could some kind soul tell me the developing time and ISO setting for Kodak Green X-Ray film in PMK pyro in tray? Thank you! :)

[lonehusker]

Can someone share this information but with XTOL as well? Thank you much :)

[Richard K.]

Anyone?

[Vaughn]

I have only used the Blue X-ray film -- and I found the ASA to change greatly with the amount of blue light in the scene. Images shot in open shade under a blue sky seemed to be about 800ASA, while in the forest it was closer to 100ASA.

I believe Jim F uses the green x-ray at 80ASA. Develops in Pyrocat-HD, 1:1:100 for 6 minutes (high contrast negatives for carbon printing)

So I think it will be a matter of testing for the particular light you are working with.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Richard what Vaughn says about my process is true. I think you can shoot it at 160. My last batch of negatives were over exposed a bit. Very good detail in the shadows but definitely over. You really have to find a method to the madness for your process. You can develop in a tray one at a time! and be sure to keep the solution moving slowly all of the time. Do it in red light. the whole process including loading and un loading the film.

[EdWorkman]

Try EI 125 for openers and try your favorite developer with a start time similar to other common 125 films.
For Xtol I'd dilute 1:2 to make it cheap and consult the 125 speed films in the Kodak Xtol brochure for a start
Since you can develope under a safelight you can [sort of] see progress
The film is so cheap you might as well do a few tests and practice handling techniques at the same time to avoid scratching.
As Vaughn notes YMMV by the light in which you work
I've also tried Pyrocat HC 3/4:3/4:100 15 min 68 degrees in a freezer bag and gotten decent results- probly close enough to make one more pass to nail it.

[Jay DeFehr]

Yesterday I exposed and processed my first X-ray film. Mine is Kodak Green film. I've not printed my negatives, but they look very good. I'm very happy with my initial results. I'll post somewhere when I have scans. I developed in 510-Pyro, 1:100 for about 10:00 (no timer), in an 8x10 tray with a pane of glass in the bottom. Seemed to work very well (no scratches or uneven development, as far as I can see). I estimated exposure (no light meter) at EI 100, but that's next to meaningless in the context of a studio shutter. I used 3 different lenses in three different shutters, and all my exposures look pretty good. Development looks pretty good, too, but I won't know for sure until I print. I'll try to print tonight. I have a couple more sheets to develop, too. I think this film will work for me!

[Tri Tran]

Yesterday I exposed and processed my first X-ray film. Mine is Kodak Green film. I've not printed my negatives, but they look very good. I'm very happy with my initial results. I'll post somewhere when I have scans. I developed in 510-Pyro, 1:100 for about 10:00 (no timer), in an 8x10 tray with a pane of glass in the bottom. Seemed to work very well (no scratches or uneven development, as far as I can see). I estimated exposure (no light meter) at EI 100, but that's next to meaningless in the context of a studio shutter. I used 3 different lenses in three different shutters, and all my exposures look pretty good. Development looks pretty good, too, but I won't know for sure until I print. I'll try to print tonight. I have a couple more sheets to develop, too. I think this film will work for me!

Good to hear Jay. It nice to know and congrats that you are on Kodak rebate program permanently . I'm sure you will have excellent prints with full of tone range. Remember to extend the rinse cycle before you hang it dry to avoid the fingers print. Enjoy.

[toolbox]

A couple thoughts on X-Ray film... I've tried shooting it in 3x4, 4x5, and now 8x10 cameras. For the 3x4 and 4x5 I cut it down under a red LED light. I just used a pair of scissors for the 3x4 stuff (got 5 sheets from an 8x10 :)). For the 4x5 I tried to use my rotary cutter...it worked OK, but the blade is getting dull and that made the sheets tend to slip. A couple were a bit uneven on one side because of that. I wasn't exactly being gentle with it. Still, I didn't see any scratches on my 3x4 negs, and only a couple on the 4x5--one looked like it was from either loading or unloading the film from the holder, the other was hard to tell. The rest looked great. All of those were developed in my Yankee tank with divided D-76 (6 minutes each). I shot at EI 100, and they look pretty good...we'll see how they print.

Then I tried it in my Calumet 8x10, and developed it in trays. Got a lot of scratches on them, which tells me that the emulsion is pretty darn tough when dry, but *really* soft when wet. If you can tank develop it, do it. If not, use one of the tricks found here or in the big x-ray thread. I also developed the 8x10 sheets under red light... Development looked pretty much complete in about 2 minutes, which was a little surprising. Guess that's all it took to run out the developer it had soaked up. That's the first time I've ever actually watched my DD-76 in action, so that was kind of an eye opener.

Love the X-ray film though :).

[Jay DeFehr]

Thanks, Tri.

My negs have a slight blue color cast to them, but no fingerprints. I washed them fairly thoroughly.

Toolbox,

I don't have much to work with, equipment-wise, so I decided to try placing a pane of glass in the bottom of the tray to protect the film from scratches. It seems to have worked, because I haven't seen scratches on my negatives. I developed my negatives one at a time, and when I transferred the the negative from one tray to the next, I transferred the pane with it. Worked great! The negative is very easy to handle when lying on a glass plate.

[Tri Tran]

Thanks, Tri.

My negs have a slight blue color cast to them, but no fingerprints. I washed them fairly thoroughly.

Toolbox,

I don't have much to work with, equipment-wise, so I decided to try placing a pane of glass in the bottom of the tray to protect the film from scratches. It seems to have worked, because I haven't seen scratches on my negatives. I developed my negatives one at a time, and when I transferred the the negative from one tray to the next, I transferred the pane with it. Worked great! The negative is very easy to handle when lying on a glass plate.

It's fine with the light blue color cast, nothing that you have to worry. The scratches is usally from loading/unloading film. hand dry skin , finger nails also caused it or beleive it or not is your film holder ! make sure the septum is clean and smooth.
I also keep my air compressor in my lab to clean all holders before load the film and please try to spread your fingers to load the film on the edges . Hope this helps.

[Jay DeFehr]

Thanks, Tri. I'll keep an eye out for scratches, and handle the film with care.

[EdWorkman]

The film base is blue- not an artifact of your procedures.
Now I wonder how much that affects contrast when printed on VC .
Thanks for the tip about the glass sheet and moving it tray-to-tray.

[Rick A]

Thanks, Tri.

My negs have a slight blue color cast to them, but no fingerprints. I washed them fairly thoroughly.

Toolbox,

I don't have much to work with, equipment-wise, so I decided to try placing a pane of glass in the bottom of the tray to protect the film from scratches. It seems to have worked, because I haven't seen scratches on my negatives. I developed my negatives one at a time, and when I transferred the the negative from one tray to the next, I transferred the pane with it. Worked great! The negative is very easy to handle when lying on a glass plate.


Sounds like this would be the perfect candidate to use a slosher for development.

[Jay DeFehr]

Rick,

I think a Slosher tray would work just fine. I'd still put the glass plate in the bottom, though. I"ll probably stick with a regular tray to keep developer volume down, and use brush development to ensure evenness.

[j.e.simmons]

I'm just beginning with the green sensitive film - I tried BTZS methods and wound up with a huge mess. Returning to a spot meter, using a speed of 100, and placing shadows on III seems pretty close. I tried Divided D-23 at 80F (it's hot in Florida) for 5 minutes in A and 3 minutes in B. Negatives seem close to right for albumen printing.

Thanks for the 510 Pyro times, Jay.
juan

[Jay DeFehr]

Juan,

I don't think the information I've provided is very useful. I didn't use a light meter, a thermometer, or a timer, so the only things I know for sure are the developer and dilution.

[EdWorkman]

Sunny 16 isn't that bad a starting point
Once you have reached the ballpark a meter might be useful.
But then I remember zone VI ? modified spotmeters for use of yellow filters or the like
As the "blue" and "green' are thought to relate somehow to spectral sensitivity, what's a meter to do?
Sounds like you are may be applying rocket science to rock-throwing