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

[desertrat]

That 14 second exposure didn't catch the ghosts because they were floating around...

[mdarnton]

My ghost photo, shot on x-ray film (staying on topic) a couple of years ago. Click through for the story:


My Father Visits
by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

[Tin Can]

+1.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Made from 14x17 green latitude, double-sided. Top and bottom of negative cropped...actually, cut away with scissors. EI 100. Pyrocat-HD.

Coquihalla River Rock by Andrew O'Neill, on Flickr

[Paul Kinzer]

I've got a lot more reading to do, but have been looking around a bit for more information on the differences between x-ray films. (Yeah, I know it's cheap and I can just try any type because of that, but I like to learn.)

At this google patents page, I found the following quote:

"Radiographic Film 2-A is commercially available Carestream MXG (TMG) radiographic film that is considered to be a high contrast, low exposure latitude radiographic film. This film is coated onto a transparent blue support.

Film 2-B is commercially available Carestream TMAT-S (TMS) radiographic film that is considered to be a medium contrast radiographic film. This film is coated onto a transparent blue support.

Film 2-C is commercially available Carestream TMAT-L (TML) radiographic film. It is considered to be a low contrast radiographic film with wide exposure latitude. This film is coated onto a transparent blue support."***

I don't know enough to venture much opinion on this, but some of my reading has shown that folks think x-ray film, in general, is high in contrast. Maybe this quote can spark some discussion. I know so little that I'm not even sure if these particular films are even all available. I just thought folks might find it helpful.

[Andrew O'Neill]

It is high in contrast by nature. If I develop a sheet the same way I develop a sheet of HP5, I cannot work with it. By diluting the developer, I can end up with a continuous tone negative. Negatives that I can print on silver, or alt processes such as Carbon and Kallitype. Xray is not my main film though, mostly due to it not being a pan film... One can still make some lovely images with it.

[Randy]

I did a comparison with some "1/2 Speed Blue" that a friend sent me, and my usual stock of "Green sensitive" film. I did just one test - shot both at the same speed and developed in the same chemistry - the Green had way, way more shadow detail than the Blue but the highlights looked about the same. I am guessing playing with development could help, but I decided to just proceed with my "Green". I have no idea if any were 2-A, B, or C.

[Tin Can]

For the new person. All X-Ray is on a blue tint base that does not come off. It's blue to make it easier on Dr eyes.

[EdWorkman]

Xray film was never intended for pictorial use- It's a happy discovery by the OP -go backbackbackback
As such, it has
NO ASA,
NO ISO
Those are STANDARDS done in a particular way .
ANd Aero film stock has no ASA/ISO for pictorial work
Jim Galli tried AEro Plus X and used his experience to quickly zero in.
I studied the CI curve/times, scratched my skull and came up about where his Jimness did, by exposing and developing some.
Back to Big X
What y'all folks need is EXPERIENCE of your own to find an EI appropriate to the tools and chemicals you have-.
Buy cheap at first- ya gotta TRY IT see above.
When you learn some THEN buy some expensive Fujak or KoJI- who knows maybe brand YZ actually is - or not.
And blue background- gee variable contrast paper uses TWO emulsions Blue for highest contrast, Green for lowest.
But that's a nuance until you spend a few cheap sheets to determine the ballpark for exposure/development.
I repeat
Pick an EI for a medium speed film - say 80-160- maybe even 200.
I did that
The first neg was too thin, so I upped the amount of concentrated developer in the tray
The second was VERY contrasty, so I tweaked for more exposure and less developer time
So it's practically painless and it works

First try developers and times given for medium speed films- Usta be that such times were published and varied to achieve certain Contrast Index values-
not that you need to measure CI, but to see how time might need to be varied, or dilution changed .
Stop reading-start DOING

[andrewch59]

Never heard of the 2-A-B-C. I'm not as experienced as some of the bunch, but normally buy full speed blue, half speed blue or green, the latter is my preferred .
I started on blue but found green far less contrasty and as Randy says gives better shadow detail and softer tones. I spent a lot of time on this thread reading through the articles to find a start point and just experimented. Rather than worrying too much about development and ratios my first concern was producing an image that was not too scratched up, or blotchy. This seems to be the greatest challenge with xray film.
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