Rodinal 1:100 and a Combi-plan style tank

Hello,

I recently picked up a combi-plan style tank on EBAY to experiment with.

Currently I have a Jobo 3010 tank which I rotate on a Beseler base. I usually use TMAX and HC110 dilution H.

I would like to try out Rodinal at a relatively high dilution, with the Combi-plan tank, as I can control the agitation (Jobo agitation is pretty darn vigorous!), and maybe see some benefits of adjacency effects that I have read about.

Anyone use a Combi-plan tank with diluted Rodinal? I have read that at least one person noted some uneven development, presumably due to the edges of the film holder in the Combi-plan system. Anyone have any thoughts?

Also, I have been shooting almost exclusively TMAX 100 and 400. Are these tabular grain type films good with Rodinal? Or maybe the technology of these films doesn't allow the benefits one might be trying to accomplish with dilute Rodinal with less vigorous agitation? Maybe I should try some other film?

Thanks for any comments!

Your quest sounds too familiar! I've been searching for 1-1/2 years for the perfect film/dev combo (for my tastes of course) and just recently found it. Sounds to me you're on the lookout for that "clarity" that eluded me for so long. My jobo sits bone dry for the very reason you describe. I now tray or hanger process with agitation every 2 minutes for 10 seconds. (40 seconds up front). (agitation consists of removing the film from developer gently and letting drain the placing back in.) I use FP-4 with FX-1 developer 1:1:8 (just mixed up a gallon of stock solution yesterday) I process at 68F. I contact print 8x10 and soon 14x17 and the images are spectacular with regards to clarity/sharpness/edge effects. Now, I'm not talking about the kind of edge effects you get with an overly sharpened image either wet or photoshop. I'm talking smooth tonality with extreme clarity like I've seen with no other combo. Here are some specifics

N-2 9:12 g .33
N-1 10:54 g .39
N 15:09 g .49
N+1 21:43 g .64


Give it a try. You won't be disappointed!


****PS Shoot the FP-4 at ISO 200

Also, I've tried the Rodinal (agitation every 3 min 1:100) with TXP320 and tmax. It's not as sharp and clear as the FX-1/FP-4. Again, I'm talking contact prints here. I like this combo so much that I just bought a 14x17 camera to do contacts with it!

good luck!

My experience with the Combi and Rodinal is very good, over 25+ years.

Fill the tank, then put in the film. It makes a big difference: if not in the image then in my sanity.

1+100 is ideal, it slows the process down to the point that even if you have to fill the tank in daylight, you'll be OK. I travel with the Combi, and pour through the funnel about once a year, all happily developed.

I like 5 seconds of agitation every fifth minute: it provides a good balance of consistency, acutance, and tonality. TMY has a very long straight line, TMX, a gentle shoulder, and Rodinal makes very good partner for them.

Pyro cat, and FX2 would be good choices as well. Aculux 2 gives lovely results as well. I suggest TF4 fixer, as well.

Have fun.

bobbysandstrom said:

Your quest sounds too familiar! I've been searching for 1-1/2 years for the perfect film/dev combo (for my tastes of course) and just recently found it. Sounds to me you're on the lookout for that "clarity" that eluded me for so long. My jobo sits bone dry for the very reason you describe. I now tray or hanger process with agitation every 2 minutes for 10 seconds. (40 seconds up front). (agitation consists of removing the film from developer gently and letting drain the placing back in.) I use FP-4 with FX-1 developer 1:1:8 (just mixed up a gallon of stock solution yesterday) I process at 68F. I contact print 8x10 and soon 14x17 and the images are spectacular with regards to clarity/sharpness/edge effects. Now, I'm not talking about the kind of edge effects you get with an overly sharpened image either wet or photoshop. I'm talking smooth tonality with extreme clarity like I've seen with no other combo. Here are some specifics

N-2 9:12 g .33
N-1 10:54 g .39
N 15:09 g .49
N+1 21:43 g .64


Give it a try. You won't be disappointed!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response! Which film are you using?

Do you have any relatively painless method for determining your "g" values?

In the past, I have sandwiched a stouffer step wedge to my film, put the holder in the camera, and photographed a blank wall at zone ten. The resulting negative densities are read with a densitometer. This has helped me to arrive at a proper film speed (zone 1), and helped me adjust my dev times using zone VIII as a frame of reference.

The Film is Ilford FP-4 shot at ISO 200.

I use and Highly recommend Phil Davis's Beyond The Zone System. BTZS. You will find a number of the guys here on this forum use that system. It is Quick and To The Point and tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about your film/develeper/paper combination. Call Fred up at "The View Camera Store." He'll tell you how you can get some tests done quickly. Just make sure you have the test film shot at ISO 200, not 125 as posted on the box. In the mean time, try the numbers I posted. They should be pretty close if you use distilled water and agitate as I described. Call Photographers Formulary to order the FX-1 Kit. It's $16.00. If you like it, you can get the bulk chemicals from Artcraft Chemicals and save substantially. The recipe is http://www.jackspcs.com/fx1.htm Use 1 liter per 8x10 sheet of the 1:1:8 Solution.


By the way, I print with Kodak Polymax FB using dektol 1:2 70F. The paper has an ES of 1.01


Good Luck!