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

[mdarnton]

What would be the average speed for Green and Blue film? Using Rodinal developer, what consentration and developer Temperature would be suggested for a starting point? Shorty from the West Cost

The thread that will answer all of your technical x-ray film questions!
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...and-comparison

[andrewch59]

Attachment 124951

Great and do start a new thread.

Thanks to the terrific reference material from the pro's on this site I have managed to produce some half decent pics methinks!
Please feel free to critique, its all valuable info to me. These were taken on a Deardorff 11x14 studio with an old dallmeyer at f4.6 and a Derogy wide open and an old piece of tin as a shutter.
The blue half speed 11x14 film needed a bit of care getting in and out of the film holder and during developing but should be more robust after a coating of hairspray, apologies but all have been digitized by camera to upload as I don't have a scanner
Attachment 124950

[StoneNYC]

Attachment 124951

Thanks to the terrific reference material from the pro's on this site I have managed to produce some half decent pics methinks!
Please feel free to critique, its all valuable info to me. These were taken on a Deardorff 11x14 studio with an old dallmeyer at f4.6 and a Derogy wide open and an old piece of tin as a shutter.
The blue half speed 11x14 film needed a bit of care getting in and out of the film holder and during developing but should be more robust after a coating of hairspray, apologies but all have been digitized by camera to upload as I don't have a scanner
Attachment 124950

I'm confused about this first color image, would you elaborate please thanks

[mdarnton]

Hand coloring, I think.

I suspect the negative will be more vulnerable with hairspray than without. I have trouble with damage only when the film is wet, and have been able to track every scratch to wet handling, except for the piece I dropped on the floor. Once it's dry, it's as tough as any film. Wet it's like jello on a sheet of glass and just looking at it too hard will scratch it.

Someone (sorry, don't remember exactly who--one of our two or three most ancient members) suggested loading film by opening the slide all the way, positioning the film as far in as possible, then setting one edge under the track, then the other, finally pushing it home only 1/2 inch or so, rather than sliding it in all the way from one end. For large film this works great. 5x7, maybe; 4x5 not at all. But it's great for 8x10, etc.

[StoneNYC]

Hand coloring, I think.

I suspect the negative will be more vulnerable with hairspray than without. I have trouble with damage only when the film is wet, and have been able to track every scratch to wet handling, except for the piece I dropped on the floor. Once it's dry, it's as tough as any film. Wet it's like jello on a sheet of glass and just looking at it too hard will scratch it.

Someone (sorry, don't remember exactly who--one of our two or three most ancient members) suggested loading film by opening the slide all the way, positioning the film as far in as possible, then setting one edge under the track, then the other, finally pushing it home only 1/2 inch or so, rather than sliding it in all the way from one end. For large film this works great. 5x7, maybe; 4x5 not at all. But it's great for 8x10, etc.

I was actually thinking that if I use a print drum for developing my double-sided x-ray film next time, what usually happens to me is that I get scratches where the lines are inside the drum, but it occurred to me that maybe I could add a second layer of some kind of non-scratching material behind one side of the film as a barrier against the lines on the drum itself, i'm not sure if this would cause some kind of overall scratching, or if it would actually completely prevent the scratching, but it was a thought and I plan to experiment with it once my 11 x 14 camera is built (by me).

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Someone (sorry, don't remember exactly who--one of our two or three most ancient members) suggested loading film by opening the slide all the way, positioning the film as far in as possible, then setting one edge under the track, then the other, finally pushing it home only 1/2 inch or so, rather than sliding it in all the way from one end. For large film this works great. 5x7, maybe; 4x5 not at all. But it's great for 8x10, etc.

You can do this I guess but in the red light I've never found it to be a problem loading and unloading film the regular way. That is sliding it in, even with 14x17. One must be careful.

[Andrew O'Neill]

That's a pretty clever idea... definitely wasn't mine. I'm not ancient yet or that clever.

[StoneNYC]

Someone (sorry, don't remember exactly who--one of our two or three most ancient members) suggested loading film by opening the slide all the way, positioning the film as far in as possible, then setting one edge under the track, then the other, finally pushing it home only 1/2 inch or so, rather than sliding it in all the way from one end. For large film this works great. 5x7, maybe; 4x5 not at all. But it's great for 8x10, etc.

You can do this I guess but in the red light I've never found it to be a problem loading and unloading film the regular way. That is sliding it in, even with 14x17. One must be careful.

My issues were scratches during agitation

[Andrew O'Neill]

Gentle agitation in a flat-bottomed tray when using double-sided. I have just enough developer (pyrocat-hd) to go up to the first joint of my index finger. I don't get scratches or scuff marks. Another method is pulling the film out of the tray, and placing it back in, pushing it to the bottom very gently. Twice per agitation cycle. This works well even with 14x17. Wear gloves. Keeps chems out of your system, and keeps finger nails from scratching the film. Don't forget ziplock bags method, too.

[andrewch59]

Hi StoneNYC yes, it is hand colouring, a cotton bud and some SHIVA Veronica Cass, unfortunately no longer sold.
I had a few probs getting the double sided film in and out, it would scrape on the wood at the end at the material hinge. I solved this quite easily by sacrificing another negative, I slide the good film over the old negative and it stops the contact with the wood