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

[Randy]

I'm running out of film so i need a new box soon but it would be hard for me to find Fuji films here in Iran.

i wonder if you can have a local hospital order it for you when they order?

[premortho]

You really think that excessive contrast is a characteristic of orthochromatic film? Hmmm, ever look at the early work of Edward Weston, or Edourd Steichen, and hundreds of others? Excessive contrast comes from too much exposure, or too much development, or both. This used to be called "soot and whitewash". One of ortho's biggest advantages, from a use standpoint, is development by inspection. Under a ruby red light. If you use too powerful a developer, the neg will flash up so fast you can't control it. Dectol at 1 to 1,or 2 to 1, Rodinal at 25 or 50 to 1. When I use dectol, I use it at 25 to 1. Or Rodinal at 100 or 200 to 1. This takes 8 to 15 minutes to fully develop. I try to get it closer to just less than 10 minutes by strengthining the soup. Now filters. Ortho film is very, but not completely, blind to red light. It is extremely sensitive to ultra-violet, or in other words, skylight. When you use a 2X yellow filter, it holds back the u-v light in the sky, permitting a longer exposure. This allows cloud detail, and more shadow quality. Now I can't tell you which Wratten filters are which, because I use Burke & James "Ideal Ray Filters" If you can find them (on e-bay) they come in 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X. The last two are almost never seen, so if you can find a 2X and a 3X, you're in business. I suppose everyone knows (or, as a Russian friend of mine says "as every hedgehog knows") That the "X" tells you how many times to multiply the exposure. I've heard that a green filter will work too, but I don't know if it will because I've never had one. Now, I'm sure some of you are staring at this little epistle, and thinking, "Gee, if I would just step up to the pump and pay five or so times more for pan film, my troubles would be over". You think so, right? The answer is, if all you want to take is snapshots, yes. You really should use a light blue filter on pan film to darken the reds. They put an excessive amount of red dye in pan film because it gooses the speed way up there. In conclusion, use ortho film for it's superior qualities, and pan when you have too.

To minimise the contrast? That's what i've been told. So far it does help or maybe i'm just hallucinating?

Look at these images..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tender...57636179160823
No Yellow filter

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tender...57636179160823
With Yellow filter..

I think the Yellow filter slightly affects the X-Ray film? Look at the trees.. There is a noticeble difference with the two photos. What do you think? Maybe some people can confirm this? Those pictures was taken from the same place and almost the same time..

[Jim Noel]

Very appealing film. Is this the high speed or medium speed HRT?
Thanks,
Jim

[Andrew O'Neill]

Colour rendition test I did a few years ago with green latitude.

[Andrew O'Neill]

... and a filter test (written filers). Letters represent colour of objects. O=orange; B=black; LR=light red, etc... sorry but cannot find unfiltered image. I also have reciprocity data.

[StoneNYC]

I think there are few more X-ray film with single sided emulsion. I've been seeing these type lately. But it would be very expensive than the normal films? How much for 100sheets / 1 box ektascan? I wish all green latitude film from different manufacturers are all the same in quality. I'm running out of film so i need a new box soon but it would be hard for me to find Fuji films here in Iran.

It's still cheaper than regular film, example

8x10 - Ilford FP4+/Delta100/HP5+ = $108 (25 sheets).
8x10 - Kodak Ektascan = $80 (100 sheets).

That's over 4 times as cheap.

[Jim Noel]

You really think that excessive contrast is a characteristic of orthochromatic film? Hmmm, ever look at the early work of Edward Weston, or Edourd Steichen, and hundreds of others? Excessive contrast comes from too much exposure, or too much development, or both. This used to be called "soot and whitewash". One of ortho's biggest advantages, from a use standpoint, is development by inspection. Under a ruby red light. If you use too powerful a developer, the neg will flash up so fast you can't control it. Dectol at 1 to 1,or 2 to 1, Rodinal at 25 or 50 to 1. When I use dectol, I use it at 25 to 1. Or Rodinal at 100 or 200 to 1. This takes 8 to 15 minutes to fully develop. I try to get it closer to just less than 10 minutes by strengthining the soup. Now filters. Ortho film is very, but not completely, blind to red light. It is extremely sensitive to ultra-violet, or in other words, skylight. When you use a 2X yellow filter, it holds back the u-v light in the sky, permitting a longer exposure. This allows cloud detail, and more shadow quality. Now I can't tell you which Wratten filters are which, because I use Burke & James "Ideal Ray Filters" If you can find them (on e-bay) they come in 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X. The last two are almost never seen, so if you can find a 2X and a 3X, you're in business. I suppose everyone knows (or, as a Russian friend of mine says "as every hedgehog knows") That the "X" tells you how many times to multiply the exposure. I've heard that a green filter will work too, but I don't know if it will because I've never had one. Now, I'm sure some of you are staring at this little epistle, and thinking, "Gee, if I would just step up to the pump and pay five or so times more for pan film, my troubles would be over". You think so, right? The answer is, if all you want to take is snapshots, yes. You really should use a light blue filter on pan film to darken the reds. They put an excessive amount of red dye in pan film because it gooses the speed way up there. In conclusion, use ortho film for it's superior qualities, and pan when you have too.

You forgot one other advantage, the one which has always kept ortho film loaded into a few of my holders - it does a great job opening up the shadows.

[tenderobject]

I will have to try. My inlaws run a hospital here but they're not using X-ray film anymore. They're more into digital side now..

i wonder if you can have a local hospital order it for you when they order?

[tenderobject]

Wow! Not bad. How's the quality of this film?

It's still cheaper than regular film, example

8x10 - Ilford FP4+/Delta100/HP5+ = $108 (25 sheets).
8x10 - Kodak Ektascan = $80 (100 sheets).

That's over 4 times as cheap.

[tenderobject]

Thanks for the info! I'm loving this film. It seems like i will never use a panchromatic film for 8x10 (I'm broke). I'm really happy with the results i'm getting with X-ray film. I just need to be more careful every time i process my film.. I'm using Y2 filter. I just love how it renders the green to the film. Since my place have massive mountains, trees and great light i think the yellow fits what i like. Maybe i could try light green or other filters someday. I'll check those filters you mentioned.

By the way, i'm using ID-11 (1+3) to process all my films here. I just hope i could still find this developer in Tehran. If not i would probably brew my own developer. If ever i could find chemical supplier in Tehran i would probably make Parodinal. I've tested this developer before and it's also nice and economical than using ID-11. I usually process my X-ray film from 7-9 mins @ 20c-22c and agitate slowly every 15secs. Sometimes i agitate the film abruptly if i can't see proper contrast on my negative. Is this a good start? Is pre-mature development fine with X-ray/Ortho films? Thanks!

You really think that excessive contrast is a characteristic of orthochromatic film? Hmmm, ever look at the early work of Edward Weston, or Edourd Steichen, and hundreds of others? Excessive contrast comes from too much exposure, or too much development, or both. This used to be called "soot and whitewash". One of ortho's biggest advantages, from a use standpoint, is development by inspection. Under a ruby red light. If you use too powerful a developer, the neg will flash up so fast you can't control it. Dectol at 1 to 1,or 2 to 1, Rodinal at 25 or 50 to 1. When I use dectol, I use it at 25 to 1. Or Rodinal at 100 or 200 to 1. This takes 8 to 15 minutes to fully develop. I try to get it closer to just less than 10 minutes by strengthining the soup. Now filters. Ortho film is very, but not completely, blind to red light. It is extremely sensitive to ultra-violet, or in other words, skylight. When you use a 2X yellow filter, it holds back the u-v light in the sky, permitting a longer exposure. This allows cloud detail, and more shadow quality. Now I can't tell you which Wratten filters are which, because I use Burke & James "Ideal Ray Filters" If you can find them (on e-bay) they come in 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X. The last two are almost never seen, so if you can find a 2X and a 3X, you're in business. I suppose everyone knows (or, as a Russian friend of mine says "as every hedgehog knows") That the "X" tells you how many times to multiply the exposure. I've heard that a green filter will work too, but I don't know if it will because I've never had one. Now, I'm sure some of you are staring at this little epistle, and thinking, "Gee, if I would just step up to the pump and pay five or so times more for pan film, my troubles would be over". You think so, right? The answer is, if all you want to take is snapshots, yes. You really should use a light blue filter on pan film to darken the reds. They put an excessive amount of red dye in pan film because it gooses the speed way up there. In conclusion, use ortho film for it's superior qualities, and pan when you have too.