Difference of x-ray v normal film

[cosmicexplosion]

X-ray seems to work. Not seen one in real life.
Why is it so cheap?
Is it made of the same stuff as normal film?
I know it's coated on both sides.
Cheers.
A

[Dan Fromm]

Not all x-ray film is coated on both sides. Double coated x-ray film is problematic because of low resolution. I use radiographs of small fishes to examine some skeletal features -- clearing and staining gives better views, takes longer and is more work -- and ones shot with high speed (double coated) film are very hard to read.

[Sevo]

X-ray film is (or was) a field quite as wide as photographic film - that is, about the only common property they have is that the bulk are unsensitized, while a few exceptions (screen and intensifier films) are green sensitized.

Things to be aware of apart from double sided ones (which fare better on a pinhole camera, by the way): There are (or were) films with a wash-off opaque coating so that they can be handled in light, which are absolutely useless for photography. Other films you'll want to avoid are those sealed in light-tight sterilized envelopes or with integral intensifier sheets - while they could theoretically be stripped of their pack prior to exposure, these (photographically detrimental) features add quite considerably to their price.

[premortho]

What's normal film? This is an orthochromatic film which means it is not sensitive to red at all...which means you can load the film holders and develope under a ruby red light. It has at least one less dye in the emulsion,as compared to panchromatic film, which seems to reduce grain size. It can also be brutally sharp. I use a light yellow filter to hold back the sky enough to print clouds. I like the way it renders color. But if there is a lot of red in the scene, I use something like tri-x (panchromatic). Unfortunatly, it's 10 times more expensive per sheet, so I don't use pan film very often.
X-ray seems to work. Not seen one in real life.
Why is it so cheap?
Is it made of the same stuff as normal film?
I know it's coated on both sides.
Cheers.
A