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

[Andrew O'Neill]

As for a safelight, I use a Kodak GBX-2 filter. It’s made for use with X-Ray film.

Thanks for that. I've got an old round safelight housing which will take one of those... I see some online.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Kodak 1A Grey Bullet Safelight 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Jason Lane led me to this, he uses it to coat his dry plates. I made a couple for myself, I have gone as long as twenty five minutes at five feet away, never fogged any Fuji HRU XRAY. It's the red 3 watt Red LED from Lowes, with a 1A Kodak Red Glass Filter. So, red light, through another red filter. I call it the "double-safe" light.

NO WAY THIS WILL FOG MY HRU XRAY

With this I can see well enough to inspect shadow detail while developing, no prob

[Peter De Smidt]

Nice, Daniel.

[Edison]

I had 8 to develop so I used the yankee tank (hyper development artifacts on top and bottom) and d76 1:3 8 minutes with agitation every 30 seconds. Rated at iso 50. I guessed reciprocity failure of ^1.3 but I think they’re underexposed anyway.

Im getting a lot of fine white line artifacts and I think something is being “drawn” on the negative at some point, possibly from going in and out of the holders. I haven’t seen this before on pan film so im stumped.

But I think switching to hru was very good in regards to limiting halation and increasing sharpness.



And a crop from the above shot:

[Daniel Unkefer]

Nice, Daniel.

Thanks Peter

[Daniel Unkefer]

HRU Pulso Test 210 Componon f22 12 pops MicX by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing my new Broncolor Pulso C171 375 WS Monolight with restored 80x80cm Pulso Softbox about three feet right. Silver Gold reflector on left. Fuji HRU XRay film 4x5 Sinar Norma 210mm chrome Componon Norma Shutter Mic-X replenished straight developed in a flat bottomed Cesco tray. Lisco 4x5 film holder. F22 I popped the strobe twelve times to build up the density. The Grey canvas background I painted myself; Just recently put it back up. The lens on Maki is a Fuji GX680 180mm F3.2, transplanted the cells into a Fuji WS 210 Seiko Shutter. Lens is clinically sharp; I have a portrait friend that says the lens is too sharp. So he hates it LOL

[Daniel Unkefer]

I process in Cesco flat 8x10 trays, XRAY clips keep the film from touching the bottom getting marks. Also the clips keep the sheets from bumping into each other, especially in the turbulent wash tray.

HRU Fixing Step Dental Clips 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the only way I have found I can get absolutely clean negatives without any scratches or abrasions. I want clean perfect negatives and this is what I have to do to get it with this stuff. If you look at it wrong it will scratch LOL ; I'm not kidding. Also I shoot dupes so success assured.

[Edison]

Well it's been a fun week. I found a leedal tank on craigslist and a kodak model d with gbx-2 filter safelight locally on ebay. The safelight makes a world of difference in the cutdown process and in general. I'm going to get an OC filter for printing. I really like the the hangers and dip tank too. No scratches. But I am getting these black dots (mottling?) I'm doing d76 1:4 for 9.5 minutes at 20c. Any thoughts to why?



And one I thought just looks nice

[Rubud]

Some quick tests using my 4x5 pinhole.

AGFA Curix Ortho exp 2005 @ EI 64 developed 7mins, Kalogen 1:100 using a MOD 54/Patterson tank.
The films came out fogged but scanable though I'm unsure whether it's age, unsafe safelight or that my blackout hasn't completely blacked out the newly erected street lights facing where I cut the film. The writing on the second has me stumped.
I'm relocating to the laundry (no windows) and have adapted Daniel's/Jason Lane's idea of utilising a 3w red LED bulb filtered through a red lighting gel equivalent to a GBX filter. Hopefully I'll have some answers.

[Rubud]

Negatives from above.