Contrast reduction with semi-stand Rodinal

I've been using 35mm Tmax100 in Rodinal at 1:100 with semi-stand development for a couple of years now. Agitating the first minute and for 30 seconds at the halfway point for a total of 48 minutes. This has produced SHARP negatives and printable tones (using MG paper) for everything from moderately flat to moderately contrasty scenes.

The only situation I've found it UNABLE to handle is extremely high contrast scenes where I would like to retain a bit of shadow detail. I plan to start carrying a second camera body for these situations so that I can develop it accordingly. Based on my readings, if I were to give more generous exposure and develop with similar times but further reduce the dilution to somewhere between 1:150 to 1:200 the developer should reach exhaustion before blocking up the highlights.... I also believe this should be somewhat compensating, in other words producing printable results with varying degrees of high contrast exposures on the same roll.

My question before I start testing, is this sound logic? Does anyone have any real experience doing just this? I'm well versed in the Zone System and use it with my LF negatives but would like to keep the roll film development simple. I also want to keep using semi-stand as I have been very impressed with the gained accutance. Shawn

Shawn Dougherty said:

My question before I start testing, is this sound logic? Does anyone have any real experience doing just this? I'm well versed in the Zone System and use it with my LF negatives but would like to keep the roll film development simple. I also want to keep using semi-stand as I have been very impressed with the gained accutance. Shawn

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Hey Shawn,

I can't speak to 35mm but I have done plenty of sheet film in extreme contrast situations in both directions.

I believe you are right on track with your logic, you will need the greater exposure on the neg so as to insure detail is present after greatly reducing developer activity.

It is my opinion that any form of Reduced Agitation Development is the very best of both worlds, in other words, shadow detail and edge contrast are enhanced because of adjancey effects while highlights are compressed as a natural function of more dilute developer and exhaustion in the higher sensitized areas of the neg.

Further, this method of development almost takes the Zone System out of the equation as almost any scene contrast can me made to "APPEAR" as though the negative is full range and using all tonalities the paper has to offer.

If memory serves me here, I believe the most contrast I have ever encountered was Z 2 to Z 15, controlled nicely by 1.5-1-175 for a total of 18 minutes, 30 secs. initial agitation, 6M stand 15 secs. agit. X 3 = 18M.

The only area I would be unfamiliar with is how "edge effects" translate to an enlarged negative, I would image negatives meant for enlarging would need less edge effects to produce similar results to a contact print.

Hope this helps

Steve

It helps immensely, Steve. I'm not technically oriented and thought I would look for some advice before I start blowing through film. Thanks. I'll make sure to post my results once I've got a good handle on things and some successful prints under my belt. Best. Shawn

BTW: This reminded me of a long overdue e-mail!