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

[Thalmees]

Lovely every thing OeT.
Good idea this photo brought to my mind.
Wish I can see 100% crop.
Thanks for sharing.

[Thodoris Tzalavras]

Thanks Andrew.
I like the SA 90 too.
Bought it for 4x5" a while back, but recently realized that it actually covers 13x18cm.
This is the first picture I shot with it in this format.
Will try it out some more before making up my mind.
The f8 doesn't help much though, especially when you move off center on the ground glass.

[Fr. Mark]

Thodoris, I was pleased to learn that SA90 covers 5x7 with maybe tiny room for movements, maybe more at f64, I can't see anything on the ground glass at f64... The landscape reminds me of some I've seen in central Texas. Do you know what kind of tree it is?

[Thodoris Tzalavras]

Thodoris, I was pleased to learn that SA90 covers 5x7 with maybe tiny room for movements, maybe more at f64, I can't see anything on the ground glass at f64... The landscape reminds me of some I've seen in central Texas. Do you know what kind of tree it is?

It's a large olive tree.
The perspective (point of view plus very wide, for the format, lens) is what threw you off.
And yes, looking at the gg at f64 it's almost impossible to tell whether the shutter is open or close.

[andrewch59]

Thanks Andrew.
I like the SA 90 too.
Bought it for 4x5" a while back, but recently realized that it actually covers 13x18cm.
This is the first picture I shot with it in this format.
Will try it out some more before making up my mind.
The f8 doesn't help much though, especially when you move off center on the ground glass.

Yes I had the same prob, so I bought a 5.6 really cheap, and added a Fresnel to my Shen Hao, I have a torch in my kit just in case, I can then focus on the lit area. I don't know about f64 though, I don't go much past f22 which I believe this lens is optimized for. You would suffer from diffraction at f64 I would think.

[Thodoris Tzalavras]

Yes I had the same prob, so I bought a 5.6 really cheap, and added a Fresnel to my Shen Hao, I have a torch in my kit just in case, I can then focus on the lit area. I don't know about f64 though, I don't go much past f22 which I believe this lens is optimized for. You would suffer from diffraction at f64 I would think.

I used to have a mini maglite on my keys up until cell phones started having the flashlight function.
It's one of the main features I look for whenever I buy a new phone these days.
(From help in focusing, to shining the light in just the right angle on the still wet negative on the wire for a sneak peek of the picture it holds.)

Also,

Wild Thyme #2017-03-13_01

18x24cm Agfa HDR xray film.
Symmar 240mm at f32 and 3'min
Rodinal 1+100 at 22C for 8min in glass plated 10x12" tray.
Scan from negative, finished in PS.

[Fr. Mark]

That's really neat looking.

[senderoaburrido]

So my UV experiment worked! Took 7 stops compensation but I managed full coverage on 4x5, EB/RA. Was my first time tray developing in like six months, though, and I screwed it up.

I've been using Ansel Adams' recommended technique for tray developing, with the six shot stack that you cycle. Lights off, so that wouldn't explain the imprints of the negatives on eachother. Any suggestions?

I'll post prints when I nail the focus compensation. Currently I'm way off. Hard to tell whether I overcompensating outwards or I'm still focused too close. Will need to wait for clear skies to try anything. Haven't seen direct sunlight since a week ago.

With an extra 7 stops' worth duration, I was still only needing 1 second at f/11 in clear sky midday light. At f/5.6 I might be able to do some portraits. Very exciting.

[koraks]

I'm looking forward to seeing the final outcome; an interesting experiment for sure!

I think the stack shuffle approach won't work reliably with xray film, particularly the double sided film. It's too delicate and I fear that scratches are inevitable. The double sided nature (assuming you used this) could also account for the imprint of one negative on another due to local developer exhaustion - although that should leave a negative impression of one negative on another.

[senderoaburrido]

I'm looking forward to seeing the final outcome; an interesting experiment for sure!

I think the stack shuffle approach won't work reliably with xray film, particularly the double sided film. It's too delicate and I fear that scratches are inevitable. The double sided nature (assuming you used this) could also account for the imprint of one negative on another due to local developer exhaustion - although that should leave a negative impression of one negative on another.

EB/RA is single sided, so any double-sided emulsion issues wouldn't be applicable here. To more accurately describe the issue: outlines of the edges of the negatives above appear on each negative, so you see corners and rectangular imprints. No image is transferred because there is no safelight on. I developed in the pitch black. All emulsion was facing upwards, as Ansel recommends. I'm really not sure how I'm screwing this up when I'm following his instructions carefully from "The Negative".

I've had this problem before, and it was part of what made me start dong rotary development with X-ray in a Jobo tank instead. That being said, I've also experienced issues with blotchy development in the Jobo tank too. X-ray can be quite finicky in development.