Alas Poor Rodinal Special

Simplicius · Oct 2, 2008

After trying every camera shop in Dublin is seems that my much beloved Rodinal Special is no longer available or being manufactured -

Andy K · Oct 2, 2008

Agfa Studional, I believe is the same as Rodinal Special. Last time I looked (last week) Studional was still available at Silverprint.

pentaxuser · Oct 2, 2008

Silverprint sells all three i.e Rodinal, Rodinal Special and Studional. It isn't entirely clear to me what the difference is between Special and Studional except that the latter is said to be concentrated fine grain developer for deep tanks but can be used at higher diutions for one shot use.

pentaxuser

Kevin Caulfield · Oct 2, 2008

Rodinal Special and Studional are exactly the same as each other.

pentaxuser · Oct 2, 2008

I hope the OP doesn't mind me asking this question as I think the answer might be of general interest. It is certainly true that my Agfa film cassette packet quotes exactly the same dev time for both products. So is Studional merely a more highly concentrated solution and suitable for deep tanks simply because deep tanks require more solution which is easier packaged in a more concentrated form?

I wonder why Agfa and now the new company producing these developers still bother with two names and why Martin Reed at Silverprint doesn't simply stock the more concentrated of the two, namely Studional and then he could simply say that it can be used for small/daylight tanks as well as for deep tanks at different proportions?

Is having two names and two liquids simply an Agfa "marketing gimmick" which has been carried on for no better reason than to keep up the tradition?

pentaxuser

thefizz · Oct 5, 2008

The company which distributes the Agfa products in Ireland are no longer importing them. You will have to get them online now. I get my Rodinal and Rodinal Special from www.macodirect.de

Peter

pentaxuser · Oct 5, 2008

thefizz said:
The company which distributes the Agfa products in Ireland are no longer importing them. You will have to get them online now. I get my Rodinal and Rodinal Special from www.macodirect.de

Peter

Thanks for that Peter. Another supplier website now added to my "bookmarks" Looking at the info on Special, it seems to say that Special and Studional are one and the same but Studional is the more economical buy if you need large quantities which is what Silverprint seemed to be saying somewhat indirectly and others have said.

Still leaves the question of how two names arose for essentially the same product. A bit like calling 1 litre of ID11 by one name and the 5 litre pack by another. We'd think Harman/Ilford crazy if they did that but there may be some perfectly normal explanation as to how it arose in Agfa's case.

Just curious as to how it came about. Anyone know or is it like the " Marie Celeste" of Agfa, that is a strange situation for which it is now impossible to provide an explanation because the explanation is lost in the mists of time?

pentaxuser

thefizz · Oct 5, 2008

pentaxuser said:
Thanks for that Peter. Another supplier website now added to my "bookmarks" Looking at the info on Special, it seems to say that Special and Studional are one and the same but Studional is the more economical buy if you need large quantities.
pentaxuser

Thats how I understand it. Rodinal Special does not last any where as long as ordinary Rodinal so I only ever buy it in the small bottles. It was good to meet you on Friday by the way.

dodger · Oct 14, 2008

Rodinal special

Hi all, Asfar as i've heard, in order for us to bring in Rodinal Special, it would be three times the price. Which makes it quite uneconomical.

thefizz · Oct 14, 2008

That's a shame Fiona. Rodinal Special is one of my favourites. Thanks for letting us know.

Fintan · Oct 29, 2008

Good news, Rodinal and Rodinal Special is back in stock in Gunns from next Saturday

Hurray!!

Martin Reed · Oct 29, 2008

pentaxuser said:
.....
I wonder why Agfa and now the new company producing these developers still bother with two names and why Martin Reed at Silverprint doesn't simply stock the more concentrated of the two, namely Studional and then he could simply say that it can be used for small/daylight tanks as well as for deep tanks at different proportions?
.......
pentaxuser

Casting my mind back to the late seventies/early 80's, I think Rodinal Special was put out as a way of getting more mileage out of an existing product, ie Studional, which was the liquid fine grain deep tank developer in the Agfa range. Selling it as a small tank FG developer related to the true Rodinal might have had some tenuous connection with the US practice of adding sulphite to Rodinal for finer grain. For most of the 80's & 90's it wasn't available in the UK as Agfa GB didn't import it, but being in 125ml it has (when available in the UK) fitted the same niche as Ilfosol or LC29, being handy for the occasional user.

thefizz · Oct 29, 2008

The Rodinal is now being sold as Agfa RO9 rather than Rodinal but it is exactly the same developer. Recommended development times for Ilford, Kodak, Fuji & Rollei films are printed on the bottle.

df cardwell · Oct 29, 2008

Three cheers for Rodinal Special / Studional. Same stuff, of course, different bottles.

Increase the dilution: 1+31 or so. Wonderful.

Alas Poor Rodinal Special

Advertiser

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency