Rodinal alternative & Developing on the road

[ericdan]

I would like to be able to process B&W film while away from home. The problem is I can’t fly with rodinal. Is there anything in powder form that kind of gives results like rodinal ?

I use 1:50 dilution on Tri-X.

 

[Frank53]

I would like to be able to process B&W film while away from home. The problem is I can’t fly with rodinal. Is there anything in powder form that kind of gives results like rodinal ?

I use 1:50 dilution on Tri-X.

Why can’t you fly with Rodinal?
Regards,
Frank

 

[mpirie]

I was pulled out of the passenger cabin of a domestic flight to explain why i had an unopened bottle of Rodinal in my checked baggage in Norway a couple years ago.

The explanation i was given was that it was corrosive and if it had leaked, it could have damaged the aircraft, even though the most damage would have been to my clothes!!

I was told to ditch it or i would not be flying.......SWMBO decided i could use another developer

Mike

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Worth checking with ADOX but they seem to suggest FX-39 if not able to transport Rodinal.

 

[tezzasmall]

I would like to be able to process B&W film while away from home. The problem is I can’t fly with rodinal. Is there anything in powder form that kind of gives results like rodinal ?

I use 1:50 dilution on Tri-X.

What about a couple of small packets of ID11 / D76?

Terry S

 

[BAC1967]

I develop film on the road all the time with beer. I have a small kit I bring with me that has the stuff that I can’t easily get at my destination like Ascorbic Acid and anhydrous sodium carbonate. I can get beer, and salt just about anywhere. You could do Caffenol the same way, all you would need to get is instant coffee and distilled water.

I’ve made contact prints in a hotel bathroom, but that was after driving to the destination.

 

[jim appleyard]

I would guess that trying to get powder on a plane would raise suspicions, too. If you can, the Beutler formula gives a sharp image as does D-76 1+3.

 

[ericdan]

D76 1+3?!
Wow that would be the best solution. Just bring a 1liter package with me.
Isn’t there a minimum d76 stock per roll that you need to use?
1+3 still OK?

 

[jim appleyard]

D76 1+3?!
Wow that would be the best solution. Just bring a 1liter package with me.
Isn’t there a minimum d76 stock per roll that you need to use?
1+3 still OK?

I use 1 liter of 1+3/roll. FYI, D-76 1+3 won't look exactly like your Rodinal negs, just a compromise you can live with. D-76 will have more sulfite in it and will give a bit finer grain than Rodinal.

Just on the side, Adorama doesn't list D-76 anymore.

 

[Wallendo]

The 1 liter packet of ID-11 may be easier to mix than D-76 as ID-11 can be mixed at lower temps easily achievable while traveling.

 

[ericdan]

Photo retailers here in Japan sell fake D-76 packaged. It comes in separate little bags for all of it's components. You add them one by one to water and it mixes very easily.
the problem is the minimum amount of stock per roll of film. I will probably need more than 500ml of dilute developer for just one roll.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

What about Baby Rodinal ? Little bottles of 100ml. Fotoimpex has it under the name Adox Adonal.
if bottles are sealed you shouldn't have a problem flying with them.
it all depends where you fly and how many flights you do.

 

[bnxvs]

In fact, it is always helpful to familiarize yourself with MSDS before flying. If the IATA section indicates that the hazard class of the product is less than 8 (if I remember this correctly), then airline employees should not prohibit transportation. Of course, if the packaging is factory and not opened.

 

[fs999]

You could do Caffenol the same way, all you would need to get is instant coffee and distilled water.

Distilled water is not required with Caffenol.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Check out Hubl's Glycin paste. You might want to prepare a small volume of the paste and carry it in a tightly sealed thick HDPE bottle. Use an appropriate sized spoon to measure out the quantity of paste needed for a litre of working solution.

 

[BAC1967]

Distilled water is not required with Caffenol.

When you're traveling its good to use for consistency, plus it's cheap and easy to get. That's one benefit of developing with beer, a can of Bud in one place should be the same as any other.

 

[ericdan]

Ca

Check out Hubl's Glycin paste. You might want to prepare a small volume of the paste and carry it in a tightly sealed thick HDPE bottle. Use an appropriate sized spoon to measure out the quantity of paste needed for a litre of working solution.

can’t get glycin here in japan.

 

[Randy Stewart]

Ilford supplies their chemistry In single use packets under their "Simplicity" label. It looks like these packet contain liquid concentrates, which may still present a travel issue for airlines, but they are small and look innocent. For an added bonus, the developer is a nice quality step up from your devotions to Rodinal. One trade off for the packaging convenience is that you pay a premium price compared to the same products in their regular packaging.

 

[Pentode]

Unless you’re planning to develop hundreds of rolls of film, pour enough Rodinal out to fill a small travel bottle and pack it in the same zip-lock bag as your shampoo.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

If Catechol is available to you, you can consider carrying it and Potassium Carbonate in powdered form in small bottles in your checkin luggage and mix as much Obsidian Aqua working solution as necessary in the hotel. You'll need to carry a good weighing scale (as only 0.5g of Catechol is needed for 1l of working solution) and gloves with you (as Catechol is toxic). Obsidian Aqua is a nice Pyrocat-like staining developer. Adding a bit of Sulphite to the working solution will inhibit stain formation if stain is undesirable.

 

[destroya]

well, you can fudge it a little if you want to. I brought to my beach house in mexico all the chems i needed to use. I put my rodinal into a small dark hawaiian tropic sunscreen bottle, taped the cap well and had no issues.

 

[ericdan]

I’ll try the 100ml baby rodinal bottle and a travel shampoo bottle as a backup. Thanks!

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

What are you going to do about the fixer?

 

[ericdan]

What are you going to do about the fixer?

Use adox powder 1liter bags

 

[Henning Serger]

I’ll try the 100ml baby rodinal bottle and a travel shampoo bottle as a backup. Thanks!

That should work. Please tell us about your experiences when you are back. Thanks!
Another alternative is indeed using ADOX FX-39 II in such situations, because
- it is not in the IATA listing of problematic liquids, so it can be carried on airplanes
- like Rodinal it is a sharpness developer
- like Rodinal it is quite flexible concerning dilutions and can be used as a compensating developer.

Best regards,
Henning