Fooling around with Rodinal or Rodinal fooling me?

[Thanasis]

I was developing some Tri-X ISO 400 in 120 last night in rodinal and i got what looks to be fairly good contrasty negatives but I have noticed something which looks like it might be "bromide drag".

It was my first attempt at stand development. I did the following:

Film: Tri-X 400 (@ EI 400)
Dev: Rodinal 1+100
Time: 60 minutes
Temp: 68 deg F
Tanks/Reels: Stainless Steel
1) 3 minute 68 deg F water presoak poured it out
2) Poured in 500mL of 1+100 developer
3) Agitaged continuously for xxx then two inversions every 15 minutes
4) Stop Bath (1 min), Fix (6 mins), Wash, Dry

On the negative, I noticed darker streaks running down from the areas where the film is lighter/clearer to areas where it is darker. Eg. darker streaks from the edge of a persons dark hair (lighter/clearer in the negative) into the adjacent bright sky (darker in the negative). It occurs in most of the negatives.

Is this the dreaded bromide drag?
How do I go about getting rid of it?
Is there anything in my stand development that I should change to fix it?
Will a shorter semi-stand regime with more agitation eliminate it?

Unfortunately, my scanner does not scan 120 so i can't post any results.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Regards,
Thanasis

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Bromide drag is something one usually notices around the edges of the film, where there may be agitation effects from the reel or a film hanger or from the sprocket holes on films that have them.

With low agitation, though, I could imagine what you describe happening. The solution is more agitation, but then you lose the effects of semi-stand.

 

[gainer]

I believe what is called "semi stand" development might help. Instead of 60 minutes, use 45. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Agitate vigorously at the beginning, and again at 15 and again at 30 minutes.

What you describe seems indeed to be the effect of HBr liberated in the more dense parts of the negative migrating by gravity to other parts where it acts as a restrainer, but a disorderly one. Brownian motion insures that it will not stand as it was ordered to do.

 

[Simplicius]

On a side issue,

Can I ask what benefit is hoped for developing with such watered down solutions and long times.... what does it do to negs that more 'normal' (6-15min) developing times cannot?

 

[Thanasis]

oops. Sorry I meant to write "for the first minute" in place of "xxx" above.

Gainer, it appears to be at the edge where a less dense part of the negative borders on a denser part.

 

[natelfo]

I'm not familiar with rodinol, nor have I tried stand development. Is it possible that the rodinol is settling to the bottom of the tank and maybe dragging silver with it?

 

[reellis67]

I'm not familiar with rodinol, nor have I tried stand development. Is it possible that the rodinol is settling to the bottom of the tank and maybe dragging silver with it?

I've never seen that happen, and I use Rodinal 1:200 for stand development (1 hour, no agitation after the first minute) quite often.

- Randy

 

[Uhner]

On a side issue,

Can I ask what benefit is hoped for developing with such watered down solutions and long times.... what does it do to negs that more 'normal' (6-15min) developing times cannot?

Hi Simplicius.

Take a look at this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

If you have access to Ansel Adams the Negative (last edition) – se 226pp

 

[Simplicius]

Thanks that was an excellent link and article and I am only half way through 'The Negative' - brilliant but tough to digest and understand.

Hi Simplicius.

Take a look at this thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

If you have access to Ansel Adams the Negative (last edition) – se 226pp