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

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Originally Posted by Randy Moe

Excellent Jim, perhaps your post should be put in the Info page also, so we can find it easily in future and point to it.

Few have read all the X-Ray posts. I read 50% some time ago and recently started over at the beginning. I forget things. Really.

What we all forget, I think, is how relatively new and unknown, even hated, X-Ray film usage is. I had one guy tell me 'get real film'...

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I would do that, if I knew how. Perhaps if the moderators have the same feeling they will tag or move it appropriately.

Jim, I've always followed your advice and I admire your dedication to your craft. Thanks again for your wonderful contributions.

Once you have worked around the differences, be it soft emulsion, scratchability, double-sided-ness, ortho... X-ray is great to work with. I sure do love that double-sided, green latitude stuff!

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Originally Posted by Randy Moe

And Kodak could have kept X-Ray.

Who makes 'Carestream' anyway?

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Carestream Health, formerly Eastman Kodak Company's Health Group, is an independent subsidiary of Onex Corporation, Toronto, Canada. Onex is one of Canada's largest corporations.

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Or so says Wikipedia.

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Originally Posted by Jim Noel

After following this thread from the beginning of its two predecessors, I finally am ready to contribute more than occasional comments. By the way, I preferred the two separate topics.
Here are a few notes and an attempt to answer some ongoing questions which popped up as I reread all 4285 entries.
I learned to process film in the 1930's when most of what was available, particularly roll film, was orthochromatic and all emulsions were very soft and fragile. There was no pre-hardening of emulsions. Development was carried out under a red safelight. Careful handling was a necessity and that is perhaps why I don’t understand all the problems with scratching whether single or double emulsions.
Today’s x-ray films may not be exactly the same as the films of the 30's, but they are close. Only the characteristic curves are different. Orthochromatic films are not necessarily by their nature more contrasty than panchromatic ones, they just have a somewhat different response to colors, particularly red and its immediate neighbors. I do not see a problem with contrast so long as the color sensitivity of the film is understood, and appropriate developers and dilutions are used.

1. How do you get film out of a holder wearing a glove?
I don’t, I only wear a glove on my left hand leaving the right free and dry to remove film from the holder.
2. How do you pick up a sheet of film in a tray while wearing gloves?
Put your gloved hand in the tray at one end. Pick up the other end of the tray and the film will float enough to allow your fingers to pick it up easily.
3. An easy way to assure only red light in the room, use a CD and bounce the light off it. The full spectrum of light available will show up. If all you see is red, you are safe, so long as the source is not too close or too bright. I use two 8x10 Kodak safelights with ruby bulbs, and a filter.
4. How are scratches avoided while loading and unloading holders?
To prevent the film sliding across the flap, pull the dark slide out far enough that it does not restrict the sides of the holder at all. Slide one long side of the film under the lip of the holder, then use a slight bend and slide the other side of the film under the opposite lip. Finish by pushing the film the final 1/4 -1/2 inch into the holder before closing the flap and dark slide.

My methods with Ektascan B/RA X-ray film.
I rate this single sided film at 100 in the middle of the day, and make appropriate adjustments at each end of the day to account for the added red in the spectrum.
One method of development is in a flat bottomed tray with HC110-H, 6 minutes at 70̊F after a 5 minute pre-soak. Agitation is for 30 seconds, then 5 seconds each minute by lifting the corners of the tray. Then a 1 minute water rinse followed by the fixer (the cheapest rapid fixer I can find, or I mix my own.). A 10 minute wash, or 5 one minute soaks in a succession of water changes, then one minute with agitation in LFN, never Photo Flo.
My second method used particularly if the image needs separation in significant highlights is Pyrocat HD 2+2+100 in a tray 7'45" at 70 degrees. The rest of the process is as above.

Method with Fuji HR/U 7x17 rated at 80:
I use green seed starting trays which have 3 rounded grooves running the length of the tray.
2 liters of Pyrocat HD 1+1+200 in a 10x20 seed starting tray for 10 minutes @70 deg. Agitation 1st 30 seconds, then 3 lifts of corners each minute. One liter is enough to develop the single sheet of film, but the additional amount seems to assure the film doesn’t sink to the bottom and stay there. The red light over the tray is turned on half way through to check progress, then for the last two minutes of development. Water stop bath, then hardening fixer before the final wash and treatment in LFN. No scratches or evidence of the grooves.

Negatives are never scanned. I print primarily salt, VDB, kallitype, and Pt/Pd. Occasionally I proof on Azo.

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Jim,
I have read nearly every post in this thread, many at least three times. This is the best contribution I have seen, ever. Thank you for sharing your insight and experience, I appreciate it very much. I think many others feel the same way.

And, because I can't leave well enough alone, what are your thoughts on using D-23?

Will

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Originally Posted by seezee

Or so says Wikipedia.

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I'm a factory man. Where is the factory?

Is there a list somewhere of the current single-sided films? Thanks!


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Thanks Jim and other for your supportive comments.
As for D-23, I have always kept heavily used D-23 on hand for those images which need total development, a process I learned as a teenager.
I began my tests of x-ray film with D-23. It works well with patience, but I found that to get the DR I need for salt prints the development time was extremely long, so moved to HC110 and Pyrocat HD.
While on the subject of developers, I have never understood why people use diluted paper developers when trying to soften the contrast of film. Paper developers are by their nature more active than film developers. To prove this, try developing a silver gelatin print in your favorite film developer.

Jim Noel

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Originally Posted by Paul Cunningham

Is there a list somewhere of the current single-sided films? Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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The only easily obtainable one I know of is 8x10 Carestream Ektascan EB/RA which I obtain from Z&Z Medical. I would like to find a source for this in larger sizes.

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Originally Posted by Randy Moe

I'm a factory man. Where is the factory?

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Don't know about that, but their US offices are in Rochester (!)