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

[Peter De Smidt]

Looking good! I stopped using it because I got some unusable 8x10 negatives, and my 8x10 photography time is valuable. I'll give it another go.

[koraks]

Dave, that looks a lot better for sure! You may still have some irregular/uneven development going on there. If you have any on hand, try xtol or another low-pH developer; I find that makes it easier to get perfectly even development. Pyrocat can be a little tricky with xray film in this respect, I find.

[David Schaller]

Thanks Koraks, I will keep that in mind. I’m trying to work this out with Pyrocat because I’ve settled on that developer for my other films.

[Tin Can]

Please let us know your results.

Looking good! I stopped using it because I got some unusable 8x10 negatives, and my 8x10 photography time is valuable. I'll give it another go.

[koraks]

Thanks Koraks, I will keep that in mind. I’m trying to work this out with Pyrocat because I’ve settled on that developer for my other films.

Very understandable. Agitation is key, in my experience. Too much and you get thick edges, too little and you get cloudy density variations. How do you currently agitate?

[richydicky]

I had a helluva time when first trying Kodak Ektascan and Pyrocat HD. I was using a Paterson Orbital processor and got streaky marks of differing density following the pattern of agitation. Double-sided Agfa film worked fine. I then tried it in a drum, hand rolling and it seems to works fine like that with even density.

[David Schaller]

Very understandable. Agitation is key, in my experience. Too much and you get thick edges, too little and you get cloudy density variations. How do you currently agitate?

I usually process 8x10 in Patterson trays tha are just slightly larger than the negative. With the x-ray film I’ve moved up to 11x14 flat bottom Cescolite trays, so the volume of liquid is twice as large. I agitate for the first minute constantly, then on each minute by lifting the bottom of the tray x3, and the side of the tray x3. It ends up being 10-15 seconds per minute. I aim to get things moving, but it is gentle.

[koraks]

Try two agitation routines per minute and aim for as random fluid movement as possible.

[David Schaller]

Thanks. I think it’s pretty random already with the 11x14 tray, but I’ll try agitating on the 30 second mark. I’ve got to shoot again....

[jp]

You can use paper developer too if you don't want to stock multiple film developers.. I've successfully used weak dektol and dektol-pyrocathdc blends.