Large Format X-Ray Photo

[Andrew O'Neill]

Sorry, but no. X-rays have shorter wavelength than UV, much shorter than visible light. This equates to higher energy per photon, which is part of why they penetrate more than visible light (another way to look at this is that there are few electrons in most solids that can absorb a photon at such a short wavelength). Their resolving power, however, is much finer than visible; that's why x-rays are used to lay down the traces on integrated circuits that need to be smaller than a wavelength of visible light.

I wouldn't expect X-ray film to have less resolution than camera film, either. It's slow, which mean fine grain. Lack of sharpness, when present, is entirely due to the second emulsion on double-sided films -- the back side gets an exposure that's slightly diffused by the translucent emulsion on the front, like putting a frosted acetate over your negative and a clear one under to get an unsharp mask. If you could make the second emulsion's exposure and contrast enough lower than those of the front, you'd get a built-in USM with double-sided x-ray film.

For USM to work properly, the backside second emulsion would need to be a soft positive image.
I have stripped that backside emulsion after development, and the image is a bit sharper looking... and grainier. If you read the densities before and after stripping, the stripped version has exactly half the density. My understanding is the second emulsion is only there to increase the speed, or the sensitivity of the film when exposed with screens.

 

[Nokton48]

Seen the title I am utmost disappointed. No X-ray exposure...

Yes, I really expected that you had added an X-ray apparatus to your stuff.

Sir, you flatter me. Thank you.

 

[Nokton48]

Does anyone sell it cut to 4X5 and boxed?

Paul,
Here you go for 4x5 ready to use:

https://filmphotographystore.com/products/4x5-sheet-film-fpp-bw-negative-x-ray-film-25-sheets


Cool XRay youtube:

 

[Cholentpot]

Can someone point me to which films are single sided? Fuji HR-U which is cheap and plentiful, is this single or double. What Fuji line is single coating if any?

 

[MattKing]

Mammography films are more likely to be single sided.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Just Google it!

 

[Cholentpot]

Mammography films are more likely to be single sided.

Is there a emulsion name or producer for it? If I google Mammography films I get a bunch of info about the process and photos of the x-rays but no names of the film or places it's sold.

Just Google it!

It's not that simple anymore. Depending on device and location and even time the results will be different. You think I'm asking because I haven't tried google already?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Is there a emulsion name or producer for it? If I google Mammography films I get a bunch of info about the process and photos of the x-rays but no names of the film or places it's sold.



It's not that simple anymore. Depending on device and location and even time the results will be different. You think I'm asking because I haven't tried google already?

Check out Carestream, for one. You can find info on spectral sensitivity, film curves, which is single or double-sided, etc etc. Also, I believe I posted two vendors you can get film from. ZZ Medical, and CXS Online.

 

[Cholentpot]

Check out Carestream, for one. You can find info on spectral sensitivity, film curves, which is single or double-sided, etc etc. Also, I believe I posted two vendors you can get film from. ZZ Medical, and CXS Online.

Thanks.

Google diving brought me info that said mamo film is generally one sided emulsion.

Cheapest film I've found yet is 8x10 Fuji Green HR-U film 100 sheets for about $36 shipped off Ebay.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks.

Google diving brought me info that said mamo film is generally one sided emulsion.

Cheapest film I've found yet is 8x10 Fuji Green HR-U film 100 sheets for about $36 shipped off Ebay.

Yes, usually mammography xray usually is single-sided. The Fuji Green HR-U is great stuff, and you cannot beat that price! If you find you like it, it's a good idea to stock up on it. Who knows how much longer it'll be around, or will stay cheap.

 

[Cholentpot]

Yes, usually mammography xray usually is single-sided. The Fuji Green HR-U is great stuff, and you cannot beat that price! If you find you like it, it's a good idea to stock up on it. Who knows how much longer it'll be around, or will stay cheap.

Knowing my luck it'll be gone as soon as I learn it and then price will skyrocket.

The Fuji HR-U is doublesided?

 

[Nokton48]

Yes HR-U is double sided.
Today I paid $28 plus actual shipping and tax per 100 8x10 sheets.
I buy from Ebay vendor Xrayexpress

 

[Cholentpot]

Yes HR-U is double sided.
Today I paid $28 plus actual shipping and tax per 100 8x10 sheets.
I buy from Ebay vendor Xrayexpress

Thanks for the info

 

[Nokton48]

Cholenpot,

Sent you PM.

 

[Cholentpot]

Cholenpot,

Sent you PM.

Got it, thanks.

 

[Nokton48]

And now for something completely different...........

Kodak Min-R Single Sided Mammography 18x24cm by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is single sided 18x24cm Mammography XRay I found a while back. I do have one Sinar Norma 18x24 film holder, so this will make nice sized contact prints.

The big bonus is that I can cut it into four 9x12cm to fit my European holders and cameras.

25 cents a sheet for single sided 18x24. Looks like these came from France.

 

[Cholentpot]

And now for something completely different...........

Kodak Min-R Single Sided Mammography 18x24cm by Nokton48, on Flickr

Got any scans of results with the stuff?

 

[Nokton48]

Nope not yet

8x10 Norma has not seen any action for a while. I'm working on it

I make RC B&W prints and scan those

 

[Cholentpot]

On the subject of safe-ing a room for cutting up X-ray film. I have a safelight but I'm unsure if it's ok for film.

Here's a photo of the thing, I found it at a garage sale in Buffalo many moons ago.

I've used to for paper with no issues. I guess I should swap out those 25w GEs for something a little lesser? Maybe chuck this in a corner far far away from where I plan on cutting.

 

[Nokton48]

The Lowes $6.98 3 watt LED should do the job? Three watt bulbs are not that easy to find!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Energetic-Watt-EQ-A19-Red-LED-Light-Bulb/1000623747

You should then have about what I have (which I know works) depending on how much filtering that red cover provides.

I keep mine at least 6 feet away from cutter and trays with no fogging high speed film so far. It also provides a very decent amount of light

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

4x5 Fuji HRU Mic-X 5 minutes by Nokton48, on Flickr

My first Sinar Norma 4x5 photo in twenty five years taken yesterday. Fuji 8x10 HR-U X-Ray cut down to 4x5, Graphmatic Holder, 4x5 Sinar Norma 180mm f5.6 chrome Durst Componon lens, full key sun. This was exposure #6, two stops over ambient reading of grey card EI 50 TTL Sinarsix 1/15 @ Fll. Short development is stock Legacy Mic-X 5 minutes 68F. Cesco flat bottomed 8x10 tray, sheets developed singly. I did a sort of ring-around, varying exposure and development times. This is the lowest contrast version which I like.

8x10 Arista RC #2 Multigrade dev Omega DII with Omegalite circuline head

Cool thing is this works out to about 7 cents per 4x5 sheet. I may load up the truck

Please post your large format X-Ray photos here

Nice photo! I ran out of Fuji HRT and got a box of HRU. I ran into the same problem with high contrast and short development times. It's really constrasty stuff. I processed it in Rodinal 1:100 at 68° for 6 minutes. I pre-wet the film first. Anything red and oranges will become darker since it's not panchromatic but green sensitive. I'm experimenting processing it in POTA for about 6 minutes.

 

[Cholentpot]

The Lowes $6.98 3 watt LED should do the job? Three watt bulbs are not that easy to find!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Energetic-Watt-EQ-A19-Red-LED-Light-Bulb/1000623747

You should then have about what I have (which I know works) depending on how much filtering that red cover provides.

I keep mine at least 6 feet away from cutter and trays with no fogging high speed film so far. It also provides a very decent amount of light

Ebay has them for a half dollar more. I assume you use a single bulb.

 

[Nokton48]

Ebay has them for a half dollar more. I assume you use a single bulb.

Correct one bulb

 

[Nokton48]

Loading Up The Truck Fuji XRay by Nokton48, on Flickr

OK HR-U is going to work for me in the larger formats. So I am loading up the truck as I have no idea how long it is going to be available. Not bad at $28 a box.

400 8x10 sheets of HR-U plus the hundred I already have. Hopefully a lifetime supply. While I was at it I grabbed a hundred sheets of RX-N, which is the blue two sided high speed Fuji XRay film.

Great fun ahead I predict. I loaded four 4x5 Graphmatics, and four 2x3 Graphmatics, with HR-U this morning.


XRay Films for 8x10 13x18 5x7 Sinar Normas by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

Nice photo! I ran out of Fuji HRT and got a box of HRU. I ran into the same problem with high contrast and short development times. It's really constrasty stuff. I processed it in Rodinal 1:100 at 68° for 6 minutes. I pre-wet the film first. Anything red and oranges will become darker since it's not panchromatic but green sensitive. I'm experimenting processing it in POTA for about 6 minutes.

Mainecoonmaniac,
Thank you for your contribution regarding the HR-U.
Anybody with first hand experience please contribute
And also Thanks Andy for your many contributions.

It sounds like more testing is in order, I like the idea of using yellow and green filters with HR-U.
The Freestyle Legacy Mic-X replenished seems to be doing the job for me so far.