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

Tin Can,

Oops those instruction must have fallen out of my box of Fuji HR-U cause I didn't find them. :)

I agree it's good to use simple ways when possible. In my woodland photography, I'm almost never in full sun, or even open shade, or anywhere else on that box. In the field, I don't like to use the zone system. Instead, I under develop and overexpose about a stop and then use the zone system in my darkroom in making enlarged negatives to match a particular alternate process. Currently, I'm using the Liam Lawless reversal process of ortho litho film to do this but will probably experiment with xray film for this in the future.

I need an accurate darkroom meter to do darkroom zone system, which I've always believed in, but rarely actually done. My CdS cell and ohmeter provide this. This is a big advantage of enlarged negatives, the opportunity to adjust contrast to match printing papers. Darkroom trial and error exposure and contrast control can be extremely time consuming.

Ortho Litho film in the camera, even with lowest contrast development, gives too much contrast for the Liam Lawless method to adjust down to a 1.4 density range. This is the main reason I am now experimenting with xray film is its much higher sensitivity and much lower contrast.

I do not want to start using Fomapan until I absolutely have to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan Townsend

Tin Can and xray film repurposers,

I've been using these 6W LED Lamps as ortho safelights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

Current price is $5.99 for a two pack. These lamps are internally true red LED and have red bulb filter as well. Do not fog ortho litho film at 3 ft. distance. Do not fog FUJI HR-U indirectly at 8 feet with film exposed face up for 12 minutes.

The are not claimed to be safelights but work very well. FYI I continue to use caution. Thanks for all the information.

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Good day all. Following on reading this I investigated what could be found in my area of Victoria Canada. Home depot had a color selectable led light with a red setting. I find this to be way to bright in my grow tent darkroom. I found a FEIT 4.5 watt red led light bulb at Lowes. It has the advantage of being dimmable. I also found a Lowes an extension cord equipped with a led dimming switch. Together I am able to go from off to barely on and then steplessly to full on. In a reflector housing this gives me all the light versatility I need. I corresponded with FEIT electric and requested a spectral emission data for this bulb. I reproduce this below. I have also added the spectral sensitivity for the Fuji X-ray film I use as well as that for Ilford ortho film for comparison purposes.

Regards

I usw my Sekonic spot meter all the time for falloff afd make simple center filters for enlarging

simple masks too

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

testing soon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan Townsend

Tin Can and xray film repurposers,

I've been using these 6W LED Lamps as ortho safelights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0?ie=UTF8&th=1

Current price is $5.99 for a two pack. These lamps are internally true red LED and have red bulb filter as well. Do not fog ortho litho film at 3 ft. distance. Do not fog FUJI HR-U indirectly at 8 feet with film exposed face up for 12 minutes.

The are not claimed to be safelights but work very well. FYI I continue to use caution. Thanks for all the information.

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Excellent! Thank you for the link to the LED bulbs!

I was at the dentist for cleaning and checkup yesterday. I was pleased to see that they still use xray film. :)

My previous dentist went digital, missed a cavity that went undiscovered until my new dentist saw it ON FILM. Sensitive tooth is now fixed.

Sorry to hear about dental problems. The FUJI HR-U I recently purchased 100 sheets 8x10 from an ebay dealer for $42 with shipping included comes from Australia, according to box information.

While here in the US, most medical use is shifting or has shifted to digital, this is not happening worldwide for obvious economic reasons. In the US, we have the worst medical care at the highest possible cost of any country on earth. I'm sure that China and India will remain xray film users for many years. Countries with national health care system, may also do the same for cost control in various degrees. In the US, rural health care, and portable services will continue its use. I believe xray film will be around for quite some time, maybe 10-20 years or more. Also veterinarians.

Fortunately, Xray is a contact printing process, since xrays are not imaged with lenses, so requires very large films. From my reading, xray film exposes patients to less radiation, provided a single exposure is adequate. Xray use recycles silver very effectively well, since they do scan the xrays for archiving. Imagine the cost of a 14 by 17 digital sensor.

What about using a red laser as darkroom light? I see laser modules on sale for different wavelenghts, including red ones. They are specified for an exact wavelenght, so this could be an advantage.
Is my idea stupid or could it work? I see some of the lasers are unfocussed, I guess these have a larger beam and oriented to the ceiling maybe it could work.

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Originally Posted by Eugen Mezei

What about using a red laser as darkroom light? I see laser modules on sale for different wavelenghts, including red ones. They are specified for an exact wavelenght, so this could be an advantage.
Is my idea stupid or could it work? I see some of the lasers are unfocussed, I guess these have a larger beam and oriented to the ceiling maybe it could work.

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Eugen, that could work provided they output a few watts of light. Are they affordable at that power level? Also, the laser speckles could be a problem, since they make it harder to see details.