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

[mat4226]

IMO, hangers and tanks are the best way to develop this film:



Eastman Commercial B 8x10 + Fujinon 210mm
Kodak Green X-ray film + Obisidian Aqua 1:500

[Corran]

Holden, you seem to really nail your development. I've recently gone back to the drawing board with the Fuji green-sensitive stuff to try to tame the highlights. The green sensitivity really screws with the contrast sometimes when I'm not expecting it, especially with sky in the photo - even when the negative looks good the contrast is too high. Well anyway, here's a couple sheets from yesterday:

[Holdenrichards]

Holden, you seem to really nail your development. I've recently gone back to the drawing board with the Fuji green-sensitive stuff to try to tame the highlights. The green sensitivity really screws with the contrast sometimes when I'm not expecting it, especially with sky in the photo - even when the negative looks good the contrast is too high. Well anyway, here's a couple sheets from yesterday:

Hey,
Let me say both of these images are compelling. I like the comps and the location, and yes, highlights are usually bit blown in landscape shooting using ortho, So my goal is to get it to behave more like regular film generally. I saw some earlier 1+200 development in this thread and its beautiful So I'll go that route for a bit. With Rodinal you may not need a restrainer but with HC110 you definitely do,
H

[ImSoNegative]

IMO, hangers and tanks are the best way to develop this film:



Eastman Commercial B 8x10 + Fujinon 210mm
Kodak Green X-ray film + Obisidian Aqua 1:500

very nice portrait! i dont have hangers or tanks but after several on top of several sheets scratched, fingerprinted, yada yada, I learned that by putting glass in the bottom of the trays and wearing gloves when loading and unloading film, and dont squeegie, my film has been mark free now for about 8 sheets. again that is a very nice portrait.

[ImSoNegative]

Here is one I did about a week ago, shot with a calumet c1, 19in. red dot artar wide open, green xray. a few dust bunnies


Rebecca by J. Golden, on Flickr

[Corran]

Hey,
Let me say both of these images are compelling. I like the comps and the location, and yes, highlights are usually bit blown in landscape shooting using ortho, So my goal is to get it to behave more like regular film generally. I saw some earlier 1+200 development in this thread and its beautiful So I'll go that route for a bit. With Rodinal you may not need a restrainer but with HC110 you definitely do,
H

Well thanks! Yes, the look of "regular" film is what I'd like to get if possible.

Have you found that N- development is really hard with this film? It seems I can get excellent negatives with normal or low-contrast lighting but even cutting development doesn't seem to really help contract an N- scene.

[ImSoNegative]

Well thanks! Yes, the look of "regular" film is what I'd like to get if possible.

Have you found that N- development is really hard with this film? It seems I can get excellent negatives with normal or low-contrast lighting but even cutting development doesn't seem to really help contract an N- scene.

I agree, xray film seems to be in a class all by itself

[Holdenrichards]

Well thanks! Yes, the look of "regular" film is what I'd like to get if possible.

Have you found that N- development is really hard with this film? It seems I can get excellent negatives with normal or low-contrast lighting but even cutting development doesn't seem to really help contract an N- scene.

I have found to over expose and under develop is the way to get all the shadows to pop. And yes I have just started down the N- path, it does work, but how much and how it works is what I mean to find out.

[ImSoNegative]

Hi Holden, do you develope by inspection or by a certain time? I usually set my timer to about 10 min. I soup in d76 1:4, if the developer is fresh usually after about 4 min. an image will begin to appear, most of the time after around 7 or 8 min I feel like its ready to pull from the dev. d76 is the only dev. i have ever used for xray film. would like to try some rodinal sometime

[Holdenrichards]

Most x-ray films developed in about seven minutes and rodinal 1+100. So I expect my developer to work in about seven minutes. But I still look at the results and adjust my times accordingly. So a combination of both approaches. Good luck!