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

[Michael E]

Why?

[stiganas]

I have a bathroom with a custom made aquarium stand (3 aquariums). It is in the bathroom because I continuously change the water by droplet (another low tech setup), and now it also act from time to time as a darkroom, only for tray development and contacts.

timer/ working table +trays/drying table

You have an aquarium in your bathroom?

I put a blank xray film on the bottom of the tray and I have zero scratches. I really love this film, workable under safe light, easy to cut, easy to process, cheap. For the first time I dare to take some pictures with the Zeiss Tengor.

And I can cut a 13x18 sheet in 2 for the 9x12 holder and exactly in 4 for the Mamiya RB67 Type J holder.

[Andrew O'Neill]

It always seemed simple to me--there's one thread for technical discussions, one for images. Both are running and active, except when someone inevitably seems to want to start a technical run in the image thread.

Hence the need for one thread. Technical and images combined, saves the trouble of going between two threads. Even if you have a thread solely for images, someone is going to ask something technical about it.

[premortho]

Thinking on this problem, I think you can reduce contrast with various strengths of yellow filters. I like the shot done on ortho (x-ray) film better than the one on pan film (hp 5). It would be interesting to re-shoot that one on two sheets of film. One like you did the first one, and one with a 2X yellow filter. That would tell us for sure if a yellow filter reduces contrast. There is nothing wrong with the one you already shot, but by shooting them one right after the other it eliminates some of the variables. I'm sure you know that "2X" means requires twice the exposure. I put that in there for those who might be reading this and don't know what it means.

Thanks, I do too, BUT for certain things I want less, and learning to control that contrast would be useful. Still working on it.

[StoneNYC]

Thinking on this problem, I think you can reduce contrast with various strengths of yellow filters. I like the shot done on ortho (x-ray) film better than the one on pan film (hp 5). It would be interesting to re-shoot that one on two sheets of film. One like you did the first one, and one with a 2X yellow filter. That would tell us for sure if a yellow filter reduces contrast. There is nothing wrong with the one you already shot, but by shooting them one right after the other it eliminates some of the variables. I'm sure you know that "2X" means requires twice the exposure. I put that in there for those who might be reading this and don't know what it means.

I've not heard about that filter, I have a standard yellow and a #12 yellow. That's all I've got.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have experience with yellow and green filters with xray film. I have posted info with examples on the other xray thread, as well as reciprocity data. Ignoring reciprocity can result in a very contrasty negative... in my experience, especially for silver printing and scanning.

[SergeiR]

Still trying to get better (reduced) contrast with this film.

Use less modern lenses

[Andrew O'Neill]

That certainly is a good way! Or an even better way is in-camera pre-exposure.

[Jim Noel]

The images primarily show the difference in color response of orthochromatic and panchromatic emulsions. You can not get the same response onthe two films. If you want the look of the HP5+, use it, not orthochromatic x-ray film.

[Mkillmer]

Is anyone familiar with Fuji dry imaging film? Can it be developed conventionally?