Question I couldn't answer

JohnMeadows · Mar 1, 2011

I told a friend that I had recently bought a 4x5 view camera and would be shooting primarily paper negative and how paper was so much cheaper than film. He asked why paper was cheaper, if they both had silver, etc. I couldn't answer the question. Any takers?

John Meadows

Ian Grant · Mar 1, 2011

Paper has much less silver per sq metre, the emulsions are slightly easier to make, it's easier to handle in the factory as you can use safe-lights when cutting & packing. Ilford use very low levels of safe-lighting as many of us have seen on factory tours, a fraction of the brightness used in a typical darkroom.

Ian

JohnMeadows · Mar 1, 2011

Thanks Ian! Now I can answer his Q

jp498 · Mar 1, 2011

Well, why is Xray film so much cheaper than regular film?

domaz · Mar 1, 2011

Isn't X-Ray film usually orthochromatic as well? So safelighting could be used in packing as Ian says.

Vaughn · Mar 1, 2011

Demand for x-ray film is dropping with the coming of digital x-ray techniques?

Ian Grant · Mar 1, 2011

jp498 said:
Well, why is Xray film so much cheaper than regular film?

X-ray film's not designed for enlargement so grain isn't an issue, it's simpler to make, also it's not subject to the high retail mark ups which are a very large part of what we pay for materials.

Ian

Question I couldn't answer

JohnMeadows

Ian Grant

JohnMeadows

jp498

domaz

Vaughn

Ian Grant

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