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

[Andrew O'Neill]

Marcin, does it look like the film is getting enough development? 6 minutes for both tray and rotary doesn't sound right. I've developed in the same dilution in a flat-bottomed tray for longer, tubes for less. Make sure when working with trays, your giving the film enough agitation.

[martinyanus]

Thank you, Andrew.
From what I see, the negative looks just right for traditional wet darkroom (no albumen or Pl-Pd density).
My speed is rather low 50 ASA and the drum rotation also contributes to the relatively short developing time.

[Andrew O'Neill]

It's really odd that you are getting streaks/marks using both methods. Are you also presoaking the film before development? I skip this.

[Max Hao]

Hi all, I've been experimenting rotary developing double-sided Xray film, and not having had much success to get rid of marks on the back side. I'm using a JOBO tube. Any ideas how to eliminate the marks? I know tray development in a darkroom could do. But really want to find a way to do rotary as it is a much cleaner and tidier way. Thanks in advance.
Max.

[Thodoris Tzalavras]

This one is from the summer of 2008.

I was walking in down town Nicosia with my Speed Graphic and some film holders loaded with x-ray film (cut down from 15x30cm sheets) looking for something interesting to shoot.

Enter a group of teenagers with their skateboards in front of the neoclassical Faneromeni school.

It was late afternoon, so light was getting low. Asked if I could take some pictures of them, and quickly setup the camera pre-focusing on the spot where they were doing their jumps.

For some reason I decided to try stand development on these negatives. First and last time I did that with the Jobo 2509n reel and the 2521 tank. This negative has about 4mm on the long edge (top of the picture) significantly overdeveloped.

Didn't find the processing notes, but at the time I was using mostly Rodinal in dilutions between 1/100 and 1/300. Time must have been between 10 and 20 minutes. The negative is slightly under developed, which makes it a bit thin.

The picture here is a scan (cropped the top out) from a contact print I did a couple days ago on Ilford MG Warmtone RC Pearl.

[captainscot]

Bought some 8x10 Ektascan B/RA, cut it down to 4x5 for some testing, rated at IS0 50, developed in a beseler drum on a motor base in Rodinal for 7mins. @ 1:100 then printed in Palladium on Arches Platine. Its still a bit contrasty but i like it.

[Fr. Mark]

At least the skaters aren't doing "grinds" on classical marble...
Cyprus is a place I'd love to visit someday, in part for what it is now but also to honor the memory of some heroes, i.e. Epiphanius the 4th C bishop.

Captainscot: on my phone the print does not look excessively contrasty to me. I rate Ektascan a stop faster than you do but develop for new cyanotypes and I hope Carbon printing someday using Pyrocat HD but I know a lot of people use 1:100 Rodinal.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Looks great, captainscot!

[Jim Noel]

Fr. Mark,
That is a very good synopsis.

[Jim Noel]

Bought some 8x10 Ektascan B/RA, cut it down to 4x5 for some testing, rated at IS0 50, developed in a beseler drum on a motor base in Rodinal for 7mins. @ 1:100 then printed in Palladium on Arches Platine. Its still a bit contrasty but i like it.

I rate it at 100 except early morning or near sunset. If it is still too contrasty for you try reducing your development time to 5 1/2 or 6 minutes.