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

[Dirk Rösler]

Effort #2 as referenced earlier, seriously overexposed and overdeveloped x-ray stock with a tone curve from hell - looks like the chemical residue paper from a peel apart Polaroid... anyway, by no means representative, just having some fun with the dense neg.

Kodak Commercial Ektar 14"/f6.3 @f6.3, Rodinal 1+100 12:00 Jobo rotation, Retina MOD Green Xray film (Carestream, Rochester, USA) @ISO 80, Sinar p2

No worries, nicer image #3 to follow shortly, looking very good so far...

[premortho]

I don't know if Kodak has released the formulas for Plus-X and Verchrome, or Verichrome Pan. I heard somewhere they have published them, because they consider film to be a dead issue. Hard to understand that film is a dead issue, when Ilford seems to get along alright making the stuff. Kodak was also "gifted" (a phrase more gentlemanly than 'The Fix is In', but means the same thing) Ansco's recipes after the Gov't seized Ansco as an "Enemy Gov't Property", and then let Kodak have all of their formulas. So, Ansco's Supreme might be very had to get the recipe for. Ansco's D-17 is a great developer that seems to work a little better than Kodak's D-76. More like D-72, but not quite as energetic. Money is always the issue. You have to produce these films to sell at the same price as Ilford or Kodak and make enough of a profit to deal with debt and plant modernisation. I don't know if Kodak has junked all of their equipment and plants yet or not. That would be the cheap way to do it. Do it in Rochester, NY. Where the expertise is.

[koraks]

I don't follow. Film is dead according to Kodak, but they're resurrecting Ektachrome and have been selling a variety of b&w and color stocks for still photography and cinema without interruption. How does the formula for Verichrome emulsions relate to x-ray film? And what's the argument concerning Ansco D-17 exactly; is it supposed to be better for developing x-ray film than something else? Have you tried it? If so, what's your experience?

Don't get me wrong; I'm trying to make sense of your post but I feel like I've missed a crucial bit of information - could you fill me in please?

[SergeiR]

Kodak CSG, 8x10, fresh batch of R09 1:100, rotary 11min.

Scan.

Extra softness comes from prolonged exposure in addition to flash. Played with something

Corrie by Sergei Rodionov, on Flickr

[Dirk Rösler]

a well-crafted cornet made in U.S.A.

Kodak Commercial Ektar 14"/f6.3 @f6.3, Rodinal 1+100 6:30 Jobo print drum, Retina MOD Green Xray film (Carestream, Rochester, USA) @ISO 80, Sinar p2

Quite some streaking from the ribs of the drum, also the film seems overexposed, I can probably go to EI 160 or 200. Also the dilution 1+100 is still quite contrasty in rotary processing, but the liquid volume will just become too much with higher dilution... let's see.

[andrewch59]

Andrew, I have tried the same thing recently with an 8X10 film hanger - I cut the "hanger" part off so it would fit my trays, though I guess I could have left it alone and used larger trays. Anyway, the ridge pattern on the bottom of my tray affected the even-ness of the development, even though the film was held above the tray bottom. I am going to try it again with a sheet of glass laying in the bottom of the tray, which should eliminate any pattern. Once (if) I am successful I'll post my procedure.

Randy I had the same problem, but put it down to me and my robust technique at the time, as the test was to see if I could avoid scratches and mottling. I kinda gathered I could remove those same marks by using a circular motion instead of just the lapping back and forth I did for the test. I guess part of the aim is to cut down on developer soup as well, I only used 275ml of soup for that, which equated to 2ml (how good is that!) of developer. With that little mix it expires pretty quickly and I wanted the spent developer to be washed away pretty quickly, which the frame achieves.

[senderoaburrido]

So I was looking at the graph for EB/RA film (http://www.spectrumxray.com/sites/de...Ektascan-B.pdf) and I noticed that it only lines up roughly with the graph for Wratten 44a (http://www.newportglass.com/kodak/kod44A.gif). I'm going to see if I can find another cyan or blue filter that more closely matches its sensitivity in transmission. Shout out to Andrew (I think), who recommended trying the yellow filter. I've been using it and it makes a hell of a difference.

Also, here's my latest stuff from Toronto:

Both are f/11 with flash and 90mm lens.

Double sided 8x10 Fuji film rotary developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 4:0 minutes
Attachment 160753

This looks fantastic! I very much like this portrait.

[Luke79]

Kodak T-Mat 100 12x16
hektor 300mm

[SergeiR]

nice one, Luke

[andrewch59]

Randy I had the same problem, but put it down to me and my robust technique at the time, as the test was to see if I could avoid scratches and mottling. I kinda gathered I could remove those same marks by using a circular motion instead of just the lapping back and forth I did for the test. I guess part of the aim is to cut down on developer soup as well, I only used 275ml of soup for that, which equated to 2ml (how good is that!) of developer. With that little mix it expires pretty quickly and I wanted the spent developer to be washed away pretty quickly, which the frame achieves.

After pondering for a while, I noticed the hinged side of the holder which folds over to secure the negative, has no holes in it. This of course forces the developer to be more active as it laps back off this solid surface. I cut slits in the metal to allow the soup to flow through. No more dark developer marks.