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

[Amfooty]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

[ImSoNegative]

definitely less agitation, it made a world of difference with my xray negs.

[seezee]

A lot has been said here about the fact that most x-ray film has emulsion on 2 sides, and that the mammography film with only 1 emulsion layer is hard to source & expensive. I see that ZZ Medical has this single emulsion film at $80 for 8″×10″, which works out to 400 sheets of 4″×5″ after cutting/trimming. That's 20¢ per exposure. The thing that's puzzling me is that it's described as 'video' film. Has anyone tried this film? How did you like it? Did you use a tray, a Jobo, or hangers? If you used a tray, was scratching a problem?

[Fr. Mark]

It's a wonderful film. It can handle fine detail and has an anti-reflective coating on the back and is blind to the red LED bike tail light that I use as a safelight. It can be readily developed in 1:100 Rodinal or Pyrocat HD and probably other developers. I rate at ASA 100 mid day. Early AM or late afternoon on you need to give extra exposure because the light is more red and less blue out doors. Not done the tungsten v. Daylight balanced lights in studio test I think I read somewhere that's 1 or two stops. Outdoors 10 am -3 pm as rated, after/before 1 stop every hour or two. YMMV. Reciprocity seems to track with Tmax100 on option 1 on the reciprocity calculator app (which also has good corrections for bellows and filters). With the right safelight you can cut the film and develop while you can see what's going on. It is supplied with a notch but Indont bother re-notching cut pieces because it is really obvious under the safelight which side faces out of the film holder. I use it at 4x5 and 5x7 primarily. But I'm continually tempted to use it 8x10 and they also sell it 14x17" which might "force" me to build another camera which after comparing my 8x10 attempt with a Sinar P, I said I'd never do. Back to questions: I usually develop in trays but I am pretty sure people are using rotary processing and film hangers too.

[Fr. Mark]

And no, scratching is not a problem in trays any more than it would be with "normal" film.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I also use the single-sided stuff. Very sharp in Pyrocat-HD and Obsidian Aqua. By the way, I also use the double-sided stuff in flat-bottomed trays, and have never had issues with scratching. Another thing I like about the single-sided stuff, is that I can develop it in BTZS tubes.

[Wayne]

I also use the single-sided stuff. Very sharp in Pyrocat-HD and Obsidian Aqua. By the way, I also use the double-sided stuff in flat-bottomed trays, and have never had issues with scratching. .

Is that because of the tanning developer?

[seezee]

It's a wonderful film. It can handle fine detail and has an anti-reflective coating on the back and is blind to the red LED bike tail light that I use as a safelight. It can be readily developed in 1:100 Rodinal or Pyrocat HD and probably other developers. I rate at ASA 100 mid day. Early AM or late afternoon on you need to give extra exposure because the light is more red and less blue out doors. Not done the tungsten v. Daylight balanced lights in studio test I think I read somewhere that's 1 or two stops. Outdoors 10 am -3 pm as rated, after/before 1 stop every hour or two. YMMV. Reciprocity seems to track with Tmax100 on option 1 on the reciprocity calculator app (which also has good corrections for bellows and filters). With the right safelight you can cut the film and develop while you can see what's going on. It is supplied with a notch but Indont bother re-notching cut pieces because it is really obvious under the safelight which side faces out of the film holder. I use it at 4x5 and 5x7 primarily. But I'm continually tempted to use it 8x10 and they also sell it 14x17" which might "force" me to build another camera which after comparing my 8x10 attempt with a Sinar P, I said I'd never do. Back to questions: I usually develop in trays but I am pretty sure people are using rotary processing and film hangers too.

You answered my unstated question, which was about renotching. But for fun, if anyone out there does renotch, how do you do it? With scissors? a paper punch? or something else? For trimming 8″×10″ to 4″×5″, to you use a guillotine cutter, or a rotary cutter? Do you just cut at the center or do you trim off a little extra to fit the 'real' film holder dimensions (slightly smaller than nominal)?

[koraks]

I cut using scissors and start by drawing the dimensions using a template. It's okay for small batches.

[mdarnton]

I use a rotary cutter. I have put tape "fences" on the cutter board to size the film in each dimension, so it's very fast. I don't notch, but if I did I'd use a circular hole punch, since I already have one for marking the 35mm frames I want to print. If you don't have a good safelight for this, let me tell you, cutting under a safelight, loading holders, and developing is a LOT easier under a safelight than it is doing those things in the dark!!!