x-ray developer what makes it so fast?

[cinejerk]

I have some med-dent x-ray developer. This stuff will develop in 2 minutes.
What makes this stuff so fast?
Says on the bottle that it has hydroquinone, potassium hydroxide, and sodium sulfite in it.
I have actually tried this stuff with xray film and it is that fast.

So just what can you tell me about this? I don't have the recipe but maybe someone else has one similar.
Thanks

 

[PHOTOTONE]

It is just a very active developer, designed this way so a patient and doctor don't have to wait very long to evaluate the results. It is probably not the "ideal" developer if you are using Xray film in your camera for pictorial images. If you are using Xray film as camera film, you would be better off using common film developers such as Xtol, D76 or HC-110, etc.

 

[Photo Engineer]

It is very alkaline to give high deveopment rate and high contrast.

PE

 

[cinejerk]

Thanks Guys. The alkaline part must be from the pot hydroxide. Do they put in more hydroquinone also?
I wasn't using the film in a camera. It was an actual xray taken in a cassette. Although I did think of building a large camera to try it. I realize the film has emulsion on both sides.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Thanks Guys. The alkaline part must be from the pot hydroxide. Do they put in more hydroquinone also?
I wasn't using the film in a camera. It was an actual xray taken in a cassette. Although I did think of building a large camera to try it. I realize the film has emulsion on both sides.

Yes, but there are a number of us that do use X-ray film as camera film for conventional photography, because it gives a unique and pleasing look to some types of scenes. The emulsion on both sides is not really a drawback, as both emulsions are exposed thru the side facing the camera lens. The good thing is you don't have to worry about which side is facing the lens (ha ha)

And, it is cheap, cheap, cheap. Cheaper than photo printing paper.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

You can get blue or green sensitive (which is ortho sensitive) X-ray film in common sheet film sizes, 5x7, 8x10 and 11x14 so you can use it in common sizes of view cameras. 100 sheets of 11x14 at an X-ray discounter such as CXS is a little over 50 cents a sheet.

 

[cinejerk]

How do you know the equivalent asa speed rating for xray film? All I see on my box is cronex 4 medical xray film.

 

[Photo Engineer]

At that price, you can afford to determine your best EI by experiment!

PE

 

[cinejerk]

That is so true.
Thanks PE ;-)

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Outside you can start with an estimated ISO of 100 and go up and down from there depending on your evaluation of your processed negs. The X-ray films are quite sensitive to the amount of UV light (abundant in Sunlight), so if you shoot indoors under tungsten (poor sources of UV) your ISO will drop. You sort of treat them like you would a wet-plate negative for purposes of determining acceptable light, with the exception that the X-ray film is much much higher ISO than a wet plate would be.