Kodalith Ortho film question

Donald Qualls · Oct 25, 2024

I've used Rodinal at 1:100 for microfilms and got useful grayscale. Not the rich tonality of an ISO 100 conventional film, but definitely a range of gray. I don't recall the time I used, but most likely I used my usual 3 minute agitation cycle, which improves film speed (compared to same developer in conventional agitation) while keeping contrast from blowing out.

Andrew O'Neill · Oct 25, 2024

Back in 2002, I rescued 10, 100 sheet boxes of 4x5, and 2, 100 sheet boxes of 8x10, that were tossed by the then yearbook teacher, when they switched over to digital. Expiry dates from '95 to '98. Perhaps it's time to start playing around with it...I'll mix up some POTA. Hopefully the fog isn't too bad

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Oct 25, 2024

Donald Qualls said:
I've used Rodinal at 1:100 for microfilms and got useful grayscale. Not the rich tonality of an ISO 100 conventional film, but definitely a range of gray. I don't recall the time I used, but most likely I used my usual 3 minute agitation cycle, which improves film speed (compared to same developer in conventional agitation) while keeping contrast from blowing out.

so you're saying about 3 minutes if I use Rodinal 1:100?

Don_ih · Oct 25, 2024

Andrew O'Neill said:
Hopefully the fog isn't too bad

There will only be fog if it was opened to the light.

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
so you're saying about 3 minutes if I use Rodinal 1:10

He's saying how often he agitated. At 1:100, you'll get nothing after 3 minutes. 40 minutes - maybe 30.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Oct 25, 2024

yeah... that wouldn't make much sense at that dilution...

Donald Qualls · Oct 25, 2024

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
so you're saying about 3 minutes if I use Rodinal 1:100?

NO, I'm saying agitate only every third minute during whatever time you wind up with.

Donald Qualls · Oct 25, 2024

Don_ih said:
At 1:100, you'll get nothing after 3 minutes. 40 minutes - maybe 30.

With microfilm (Imagelink from around 2000) I recall my time being around fifteen minutes with agitation every 3rd minute, but I'd have to dig in the Wayback Machine (if it's back up) or check my personal copy of my dev records to be sure.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Oct 25, 2024

thinking whenever I get to trying my rolls, I'll do one in d76 1:3 and one Rodinal 1:100- both about 15 minute devs, thinking about trying ISO 10

Don_ih · Oct 25, 2024

Donald Qualls said:
With microfilm (Imagelink from around 2000) I recall my time being around fifteen minutes with agitation every 3rd minute, but I'd have to dig in the Wayback Machine (if it's back up) or check my personal copy of my dev records to be sure.

At 1:100, the Rodinal may be spent by 15 minutes.

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
thinking about trying ISO 10

You'll get better results photographing lower contrast scenes. Makes for slower shutter speeds, but helps keep highlights from zooming to max density.

Donald Qualls · Oct 25, 2024

Don_ih said:
At 1:100, the Rodinal may be spent by 15 minutes.

Certainly possible, though I was processing 20-24 inch Minolta 16 rolls in not much over two ounces of developer (in my homemade low volume tank) -- I used a time I found online, applied my usual "+40% time, agitate every third minute" to it, and then decided Caffenol LC+C gave better results. In fact, that's probably what I'll try when I finally find a way to expose the ortho halftone film I have on hand (it won't fit a 4x5 film holder, so I have to either find a way to cut it down or come up with another way to hold it in the camera).

Augustus Caesar · Oct 25, 2024

henryyjjames said:
Hello,

So I found a bulk loader in my college darkroom with the label "Kodalith Ortho loaded 18/3/2015". Obviously, I want to shoot a roll and develop it, but since it's an old film, I am wondering what ISO I should shoot it at. I actually don't even know what the original ISO rating was. Is there a specific developer that is better for this film?
If anyone has any knowledge about this particular film and its development.

Thanks,
Henry

This is a litho film, not continuous tone. It was used for line work, where only black and white were desired. It would be extremely difficult to get anything like normal negatives from it.

DWThomas · Oct 25, 2024

Back in the 1960s(?) I used Kodalith sheet film. But I wanted everything reduced to black or clear and used the Kodalith developer because I was making etched parts and printed circuit boards.

(Gad -- sitting here today that seems like the late Bronze Age!!!)

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Feb 7, 2025

OK, just tried one roll in r09 at 1:100 for 15 minutes- I absolutely torched the film.

Donald Qualls · Feb 7, 2025

When we did posterizing in my high school photography class, we developed the Kodalith in Dektol at print strength (1+2 as I recall, small school and economy was king; we never printed enough in one session to exhaust the print developer) for two or three minutes, same as a print. That got us just a soft edge between the solid black and clear film. I think we also developed sometimes in film strength (1+9) for a similar time to get gray scale, but that's been 50+ years...

Kodalith Ortho film question

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