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

[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.
Start reading the threads

[Paul Kinzer]

Andrew O'Neill, Randy, and Randy Moe: Thanks for the helpful comments. Not just helpful to me, but helpful to lots of folks, some who may actually already have some experience with x-ray film, and some who may not. This thread is crazy long and full of details. And there are other x-ray threads, too. Even if what you've said has been said before, repetition is not always bad.

EdWorkman: Your comments were very helpful, too. I found the information about no normal standards for x-ray or aerial film interesting. Your practical comments about how to go about doing some testing is also helpful. I also understand, I think, why you say, 'stop reading- start DOING', but, frankly, I don't want to stop. I LIKE to read. I find it all fascinating.

I also have almost no cash to spend. (Really, if I'm honest, I have LESS than no cash to spend, since I seem to keep falling behind.) But I've got plenty of time to read. I'm very grateful to so many folks here who take the time to write about what they've done -- including you! -- so that I can figure out the best way to spend those few dollars I can scrape together in the most sensible way. (X-ray film may be really cheap, but it is not free.) Or to not spend them at all on x-ray film or some other aspect of LF after long and careful consideration.

I bet there are lots of folks who have never taken an LF image who read and find interest in these posts. Thanks for sharing what you know.

[andrewch59]

Paul, that is why I got into xray, no money to buy expensive sheet film. I get mine from chicago medical supplies, it cost me Aust$60 for a hundred 8x10 sheets, which can then be cut up into 4x5, giving me 400 sheets of film. If I buy three boxes at a time I get it for the same postage fee, as they will all fit into the same flat rate postal envelope. Hope that helps

[j.e.simmons]

Last year ZZ medical had a Black Friday sale on X-ray film. It might be worth checking this coming Friday to see if they repeat it.

[Paul Kinzer]

andrewch59: The reading I'm doing on x-ray film is really exciting me. I've wanted to get much more into LF, but money is the problem. This stuff is so cheap that I'm doing lots of thinking and drawing of ULF cameras I might build. American Science and Surplus has a 'kit' of dead x-ray film that you can get for $3.25, which contains eight sheets of a variety of sizes, with 8x10 being the smallest. I just ordered two of these, since just what sizes are included is a bit random (I called to ask). Having some actual sheets in my hands will help me decide if I really want to go through with it and build a big camera, and I can then use a sheet of whichever size I choose to actually build a camera around it. Many ULF film holders cost more than I want to spend on the entire camera build, so if I do this, I'll build the holders, too. I've already got quite a bit of wood and aluminum sitting in my workshop from past telescope and camera projects. The toughest part of the project for my skill set will be the bellows.

Last year ZZ medical had a Black Friday sale on X-ray film. It might be worth checking this coming Friday to see if they repeat it.

Yeah, I read about this Black Friday special last year while slogging through all the pages of this thread (I'm up to page 192!). I hope it happens again because it will give me an excuse to order some 5x7 at even greater savings than usual. (Yeah, I'm that cheap.) If there isn't a sale that day, I'll get around to ordering it soon, anyway. I'm selling some photo stuff on eBay to raise the funds (a deal I made with my wife: to buy astro or photo goodies, I have to sell astro or photo goodies I already have).

[Tin Can]

This morning I got an email from ZZ claiming a 3% Black Friday discount on everything. I deleted it and cannot find it on their site.

I see double sided Carestream 8x10 is what it has been.

However, Carestream 8X10 single side is 40% up. Case only, 14X17 single side is the same as it has been.

[andrewch59]

Paul, I have some info, actually full instructions for bellows construction, pm me and I will send them to you. Sorry, but I downloaded them from the net and the pictorial examples seem to have vanished, but enough to let you know what you are in for.

[Paul Kinzer]

Paul, I have some info, actually full instructions for bellows construction, pm me and I will send them to you. Sorry, but I downloaded them from the net and the pictorial examples seem to have vanished, but enough to let you know what you are in for.

PM sent; and thanks!

[Andrew O'Neill]

The double-sided green latitude film also looks quite nice exposed through a #11 light green or #15 yellow filter.

[csergyuri]

Hi All!

Mi first success result:
kodak clearstream original 18x24 (this is cut 9x12cm)
shot iso100, develop 9min 1:50 rodinal + 10ml papaer developer 1:9