Kodak filter 1A and dental film

I have always used a 15w bulb with a 1A kodak filter in my darkroom but I was recently given some E Speed Carestream dental film and I am planning on using it as a one single shot for experimenting.

Carestream site states that safelight used for that film should be GBX-2 (dark red)

Can I use my 1A (light red) to manipulate and develop dental film as well as other x ray films without problems?

What's the difference between GBX-2 and 1A in terms of wavelenght?

Thanks

Likely not but you can run a simple test. In the darkroom with your 1A safelight on, place a single unwrapped film on your workbench. Place a coin on the film partially covering the film. Allow the film and coin to remain on the bench for 5 minutes. Now develop this test film. If the safelight is safe you will see only a blank film. If the safelight is unsafe, the image of the coin will be visible. If you see an image, you must use the recommended safelight of and equal.

1A is here, looks like cutoff about 600nm: http://wwwru.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/ti0845/ti0845e.gif

GBX-2 is here: http://wwwru.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/ti0845/ti0845p.gif

 

Looks like about 600nm, but different in the transmitting region.

I have a big safelight which has, what looks to me, like a big piece of red plexiglas.

 

I don't know at all the spectrum for it, or what it was used for.

GBX-2 is here: http://wwwru.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/ti0845/ti0845p.gif

 

Looks like about 600nm, but different in the transmitting region.

Does that mean I can use the 1A filter? Thanks

Err, you should only use a safelight for printing, not developing film.

 

Why not develop the stuff in total darkness like you're supposed to?

I think these are small sheets, each in a light-proof cover, so you can do the x-ray in daylight. If the OP is going to use them for visible-light photography, he has to take the sheet out of its packet. I doubt he has a tank for such small sheets, so I guess it's tray development, like handling prints; so a safelight would be a help. In any case, he may want to judge the progress of development while its going on.

I think these are small sheets, each in a light-proof cover, so you can do the x-ray in daylight. If the OP is going to use them for visible-light photography, he has to take the sheet out of its packet. I doubt he has a tank for such small sheets, so I guess it's tray development, like handling prints; so a safelight would be a help. In any case, he may want to judge the progress of development while its going on.

 

Yeah! That's the idea, see the development in progress!! I would be using only 100 ml of developer for such a tiny little film! Actually I have read on the net that 1A and GBX-2 ares similar so I will be running a test just as Mr alan_marcus suggested or I will just take a pic and simply develope it with the 1A filter lamp.

You can just as easily do dish development in total darkness as with a safelight dim enough not to cause fogging. All that's needed is to establish a developing time, which can be done in room lighting by developing the fully fogged film to a density of around 2.0 - 2.2.

 

Safelight developing can be done with blue-sensitive or lith film, but is just asking for fog with any film that has panchromatic or other extended sensitivity.

But the maker says this can be handled under a specified safelight. What Oskar was asking was whether his safelight is significantly different from the one he needs (evidently none of us know, so he'll have to do a test).

Incidentally, I went to look at the Carestream site out of curiosity. It seems all this used to be a Kodak business. The development options, if you''re actually using these films for dental x-rays, are interesting. They offer normal dev. and fix chemicals, or a 'rapid access' set, which they say lets you develop the film in 30 seconds, without leaving the patient's side; there's even a monobath solution. There's also an automatic option (a little machine, I guess). The manual options seem to be dip-and-dunk by hand, with the film still in its lightproof packet. The bottle labels for one of the chemicals seem to show this being done in a pair of beakers.

It makes me think of a fairground Ferrotype camera, with little plates in packs of 100, which drop into the developer in a tank on the bottom of the camera after the exposure.

Incidentally, I went to look at the Carestream site out of curiosity. It seems all this used to be a Kodak business. The development options, if you''re actually using these films for dental x-rays, are interesting. They offer normal dev. and fix chemicals, or a 'rapid access' set, which they say lets you develop the film in 30 seconds, without leaving the patient's side; there's even a monobath solution. .

Well, I reckon 30 seconds developing would apply for x ray developers, which are stronger and faster than film ones. I am about to develop it with some other single shots to also try to set a parameter between dental iso and film iso (whose relation has not been stated by anyone or at least there is no info on the web).

I started this thread trying to know if there is a signifficant difference among GBX-2 and Kodak 1A filter, some might state a scientific response which is respectfull, but I wonder why some orthochromatic x ray film appoint directly to GBX-2 safelight filter when Kodak 1A is merely used for soft orthochromatic film; orthochromatic is supposed to be non sensitive to red. Well, perhaps the answer is that x ray film is different to photo or paper film.

These are experimental exercise

I am not home now to do various tests but in a few days be sure I'll keep you posted.

Thank you Dustin and everybody!!

Does that mean I can use the 1A filter? Thanks

 

As well as I can tell, the 1A lets though more light in the red region, so it might be safe with a dimmer bulb.

 

But if you do the test indicated above, you will know.

The 1A lets though more light in the red region, so it might be safe with a dimmer bulb.

I will use a 7w bulb instead of a 15w

Thanks a lot!