Automatic processing: effects of temperature and time changes on the sensitometric properties of light-sensitive films.

The effects of changes in the processing temperature and time of automatic processors were studied with three light-sensitive Kodak films: (1) blue-sensitive X-Omat RP film, (2) green-sensitive T-Mat G film, and (3) ultraviolet-sensitive X-Omat duplicating film. Speed and inherent contrast were derived for each of the three films from sensitometric curves at six different temperatures and at five different processing times. The T-Mat G film (T-grain technology) was comparatively less sensitive than conventional films (X-Omat RP) to increases in processing temperature or time. Unlike dental intraoral films, which cannot be processed at low processing time or temperature, the light-sensitive films were of archival storage quality even at a low processing time of 2.5 minutes or at a low processing temperature of 21 degrees C. Therefore the processing time of an automatic processor may be decreased for light-sensitive films.