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

[StoneNYC]

You mean people are developing this ortho film in the dark? One of the great things about ortho film is developing by inspection.

Not everyone has a darkroom...

[SergeiR]

Thoughts?

Tim, if i may... Dont try to solve this with development. shorter.. longer.. Dillutions.. Ugh.

Just use white sheet of paper next time, to throw back some light onto subject.

[Carl J]

Not everyone has a darkroom...

Yes. No darkroom here, either. I'm using Unicolor drums for now, which is easy enough with single-sided Kodak BR/A. Did try 11x14 in a Beseler drum but left a couple of oddly shaped blotches (not related to the ribs inside the drum itself) where the developer didn't fully come into contact with the emulsion against the side of the drum. Happened twice. Then tried a Unicolor drum, which was better, but instead got more pronounced marks from the ribs inside the drum where the developer didn't reach the emulsion evenly. I did in fact bleach one negative which looked good -- until I dropped the wet negative on the floor and scratched the negative. Self-inflicted.

Safe to say, I'm looking forward to trying trays and inspection next, which I think will be the ticket once the bathroom/darkroom is set....

[StoneNYC]

Yes. No darkroom here, either. I'm using Unicolor drums for now, which is easy enough with single-sided Kodak BR/A. Did try 11x14 in a Beseler drum but left a couple of oddly shaped blotches (not related to the ribs inside the drum itself) where the developer didn't fully come into contact with the emulsion against the side of the drum. Happened twice. Then tried a Unicolor drum, which was better, but instead got more pronounced marks from the ribs inside the drum where the developer didn't reach the emulsion evenly. I did in fact bleach one negative which looked good -- until I dropped the wet negative on the floor and scratched the negative. Self-inflicted.

Safe to say, I'm looking forward to trying trays and inspection next, which I think will be the ticket once the bathroom/darkroom is set....

Same here, 12x16 cibichrome drum and beseler rotary base fits 11x14 sheets. Right now I'm scanning in 4 parts and stitching but hope to do some contact prints once I have a nice lens to shoot with instead of pinhole.

[ScottPhotoCo]

Tim, if i may... Dont try to solve this with development. shorter.. longer.. Dillutions.. Ugh.

Just use white sheet of paper next time, to throw back some light onto subject.

Not a bad thought Sergi, thanks. This really was just a test shot though to see how the high contrast would play out. As I used the Rodinal/Adinal at a much higher dilution than the 1:100 that I normally do (wanted to use the 10mL per 8x10 sheet as recommended by Rodinal/Adinal) I think it may also be affecting the highlights. That's why I might try using more of a dilution just to see what I get. I just want to know what I can and can't do with this particular film so I can use it to get what I see in my head later.

[Carl J]

Same here, 12x16 cibichrome drum and beseler rotary base fits 11x14 sheets. Right now I'm scanning in 4 parts and stitching but hope to do some contact prints once I have a nice lens to shoot with instead of pinhole.

Tried a quick test scanning 11x14 on the v750 and it was more trouble than it was worth. Just a test so no harm done, but not something I'd want to do with a negative I cared about. Never used actual stitching software, what do you recommend?

Half-assed screen shot of the individual scans overlapping each other:



11x14 Fuji Green HR/U? 15" f/9 Ilex Process Lens, yellow filter, not stripped, iso50, rodinal 6 min

[StoneNYC]

Tried a quick test scanning 11x14 on the v750 and it was more trouble than it was worth. Just a test so no harm done, but not something I'd want to do with a negative I cared about. Never used actual stitching software, what do you recommend?

Half-assed screen shot of the individual scans overlapping each other:



11x14 Fuji Green HR/U? 15" f/9 Ilex Process Lens, yellow filter, not stripped, iso50, rodinal 6 min

Well, when I scanned them with the essence software, the only thing that I make sure that I write down the black, white, and neutral number information that show up in the chart area, so that each scan will match up identically in terms of contrast and exposure level, I generally let the system automatically shoot it for me, but I do purposefully selected area first that I've chosen as my spot meter exposure area when shooting and notate that for later.

Anyway, once I have them all scanned, I had to Google it to figure it out, but you simply open up Photoshop, I happened to have CS6 even though I have only used it a few times, I got a great deal on it when upgrading the light room and said what the heck let me get it just in case.

Anyway you simply open up all the files at once I mean within Photoshop you open them they show up as Tabs. Then you go to the top of the screen and I believe it's under the file, you then scroll down to select the automate option, and there is some kind of selection or stitching, but it's not called stitching it's called something else, and of course the word escaped my mind at this time, but it's obvious, like "combine" or something, anyway I select auto and it just figures it out for me, I don't have to collage it or anything. It uses pattern recognition.

Best of luck! The file is huge and I usually saved it as TIFF but I've just learned from an ULF photographer about a "large document" option, I'll try that next time.

Hope that helped

[gbogatko]

I think the ideal would be to develop by inspection under an orange safelight.

Not orange -- that'll cause fogging. Use a red safelight instead.

[Carl J]

Thanks, Stone. I may look into this further. Problem is the Epson scanner cover comes in contact with the 11x14 negative when closed so I don't really consider the v750 a viable option but I'd still like to know how to stitch. I also recently discovered we have a Microtek scanner at work that I think will cover 11x14. Software support is getting sketchy for these older scanners but it may be fun to try before they consider putting it out to pasture.

FWIW, I have yet to try contact printing any of the x-ray negatives (in any size) but, like dev. by inspection (no darkroom), that's another thing high on my agenda.

Well, when I scanned them with the essence software, the only thing that I make sure that I write down the black, white, and neutral number information that show up in the chart area, so that each scan will match up identically in terms of contrast and exposure level, I generally let the system automatically shoot it for me, but I do purposefully selected area first that I've chosen as my spot meter exposure area when shooting and notate that for later.

Anyway, once I have them all scanned, I had to Google it to figure it out, but you simply open up Photoshop, I happened to have CS6 even though I have only used it a few times, I got a great deal on it when upgrading the light room and said what the heck let me get it just in case.

Anyway you simply open up all the files at once I mean within Photoshop you open them they show up as Tabs. Then you go to the top of the screen and I believe it's under the file, you then scroll down to select the automate option, and there is some kind of selection or stitching, but it's not called stitching it's called something else, and of course the word escaped my mind at this time, but it's obvious, like "combine" or something, anyway I select auto and it just figures it out for me, I don't have to collage it or anything. It uses pattern recognition.

Best of luck! The file is huge and I usually saved it as TIFF but I've just learned from an ULF photographer about a "large document" option, I'll try that next time.

Hope that helped

[StoneNYC]

Thanks, Stone. I may look into this further. Problem is the Epson scanner cover comes in contact with the 11x14 negative when closed so I don't really consider the v750 a viable option but I'd still like to know how to stitch. I also recently discovered we have a Microtek scanner at work that I think will cover 11x14. Software support is getting sketchy for these older scanners but it may be fun to try before they consider putting it out to pasture.

FWIW, I have yet to try contact printing any of the x-ray negatives (in any size) but, like dev. by inspection (no darkroom), that's another thing high on my agenda.

Welcome, I'm told that both Viewscan and SilverFast support a lot of old model scanners (even some with SCSI ports for cables) so if ever Epson or anyone else fails to support an OS upgrade, I think it's still a safe bet to use those other programs for many years.

However at the quality if my iPhone camera, I've wondered if designing a simpler system where you deposit your phone into a machine and it "docks" with it and using that can scan hah! Not this generation but soon I think. Scary.