Rodinal and HP5 plus: whats a good mix?

[Odot]

I use 10ml for developing one film and its "ok" (with water its 300ml) at best so i wonder how much you guys use?

I am confused by the recommended measurements because my bottle states it can go from 1+25 to 1+100. Before i used DDX where i knew exactly what the deal was.

Hope you can help. Thanks!

 

[Harry Stevens]

With Rodinal I always go 1+50 20c in my opinion it is one of the best dilutions in the film world.

6-8 ML To 300ml and 10ml to 500ml thats the way I go with any film that I am souping in Rodinal trouble is I am not a fan of HP5 and wouldn't soup it in Rodinal anyway.

Just my opinion.....

 

[Odot]

With Rodinal I always go 1+50 20c in my opinion it is one of the best dilutions in the film world.

6-8 ML To 300ml and 10ml to 500ml thats the way I go.

Ok so 10ml is clearly too much then? Am i losing out on quality because of that? As far as temperature i go around 24c

 

[Harry Stevens]

This wonderfull site may help you.
http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?doc=volmix

I would never develop any B&W film at 24 c but that is just me others have different opinions and using the 10ml shouldnt effect your quality but you could use less and get the same results............But like I say others will have a different view.

 

[Colin Corneau]

1:50 or 1:25 -- those are the ratios to focus on if you're going to try out Rodinal. 1 part developer to 50 or 25 parts water...10ml Rodinal and fill up the container to 500ml water, for 1:50.
Just try concentrate (pun intended) on one ratio if you're just learning...in this case, 1:50 which is a standard easy one for Rodinal.

See what your results are like, and if you like them. Me, I never quite found anything I liked when it came to HP5+ and Rodinal, but everyone's eye is different!

 

[Odot]

1:50 or 1:25 -- those are the ratios to focus on if you're going to try out Rodinal. 1 part developer to 50 or 25 parts water...10ml Rodinal and fill up the container to 500ml water, for 1:50.
Just try concentrate (pun intended) on one ratio if you're just learning...in this case, 1:50 which is a standard easy one for Rodinal.

See what your results are like, and if you like them. Me, I never quite found anything I liked when it came to HP5+ and Rodinal, but everyone's eye is different!

I have used the Ilford DDX in the past and compared to the Rodinal, it had more contrast in my results. The results with Rodinal however seemed much "cleaner" and had less contrast. The container i have is a Paterson that can develop 2 films - wouldnt 600ml be the right amount for two films instead of 500?

 

[R.Gould]

Refering to a sheet for rodinnal that is 20 years old and supplied by Agfa, HP5+ in rodinal 1/25 is 10 minutes, in 1/50 15 minutes, Ilford do not reccomend 1/50, as do later sheets from Agfa, personally, with hp5+ I always used 1/50 and found that 17 minutes gave me nice negatives, I prefer 1/50 for every film, gives me nice negatives with whatever b/w film I use, but I often find that a minute or to more give's my negatives that little bit of extra bite, the only execption is my all time favorite, Fomapan 400,

 

[Lachlan Young]

The current Adox datasheet & the older Agfa USA datasheet for Rodinal both state 1+25 at 20c for 8 mins to give an aim contrast of 0.65. The Agfa USA data suggests an EI of 320 for HP5+ used in this way. Neither recommend 1+50, though the USA datasheet suggests that 1+100 for 20 mins will give an EI of 160 & a contrast index of 0.5 (Rodinal at 1+100 effectively ceases to do anything useful after 20 mins of developing I recall).

However, Ilford's HP5+ datasheet states that the aforementioned 1+25 times will give an EI of 800 & suggest 6 mins for an EI of 400. I suspect there might be a typo here as Ilford's times for 'box' speed are generally geared towards a contrast index/ G-bar of 0.62 (close enough to Agfa) and about 75% of that for a 1-stop pull - ie 6 mins for EI 200, 8 for EI 400. Ilford also suggest 1+50 for 11 minutes at 20c & EI 400.

Finally, it's worth noting that as a PQ developer, DDX can potentially boost shadow speed by up to 2/3 stop, while Rodinal might lose a little shadow speed, relative to the box speed.

 

[Harry Stevens]

I have used the Ilford DDX in the past and compared to the Rodinal, it had more contrast in my results. The results with Rodinal however seemed much "cleaner" and had less contrast. The container i have is a Paterson that can develop 2 films - wouldnt 600ml be the right amount for two films instead of 500?

Your Paterson tank should have that information on the bottom of the tank if 600ml for two 35mm rolls then use 12ml of Rodinal,I don't get the confusion.

 

[Michael W]

I use Rodinal 1+50, i.e. one part Rodinal plus 50 parts water. In a standard Paterson tank that is 600ml water plus 12ml Rodinal. Densitometer testing showed I got a speed increase with this combo - don't believe people who state that Rodinal always reduces film speed. I ended up rating the HP5 at 640 and processing for 13 minutes at 20c. Agitate first 30 secs, then 10 every minute.

 

[Lachlan Young]

I use Rodinal 1+50, i.e. one part Rodinal plus 50 parts water. In a standard Paterson tank that is 600ml water plus 12ml Rodinal. Densitometer testing showed I got a speed increase with this combo - don't believe people who state that Rodinal always reduces film speed. I ended up rating the HP5 at 640 and processing for 13 minutes at 20c. Agitate first 30 secs, then 10 every minute.

At the end of the day your effective film speed has a lot to do with your metering technique - if it works, it works!

 

[Colin Corneau]

The container i have is a Paterson that can develop 2 films - wouldnt 600ml be the right amount for two films instead of 500?

You're right - I use steel tanks and mine measure to 500ml...Patterson are a different size. Should say on the bottom it's 600ml, better go with that!

 

[Leigh B]

I would not recommend Rodinal with HP5+.

Rodinal likes slow fine-grain films. I've used it for several decades in that environment.

It really is not happy with larger-grained fast films. I would be surprised if you get acceptable results.

- Leigh

 

[NB23]

I would not recommend Rodinal with HP5+.

Rodinal likes slow fine-grain films. I've used it for several decades in that environment.

It really is not happy with larger-grained fast films. I would be surprised if you get acceptable results.

- Leigh

If you haven't tried it why comment???

Rodinal and HP5 is a perfect match. Truly beautiful combo.

 

[darkosaric]

"Acceptable results" is a relative term - some say that in 35mm you should not print bigger than 13x18cm, and some (like me) are enlarging 35mm iso 400 developed in Rodinal on 50x60cm paper and they are happy with the results.
Whatever works for you is ok, try and see, HP5+ and Rodinal are not expensive .

 

[Steve Roberts]

I use 1 + 50 at 20 degs C, 15 minutes, agitating for the first 30 secs then 5 secs each 30, and love the results.
Steve

 

[baachitraka]

Your dilution is ~1+30 and HP5+ can be happy with it. Don't change anything now. Develop and try to print them and see where you want to change.

 

[onre]

I actually pushed HP5+ to 1600 with Rodinal, 1:25 solution. To me the end results aren't acceptable, they're beautiful. I'll post some later.

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

I would not recommend Rodinal with HP5+.

Rodinal likes slow fine-grain films. I've used it for several decades in that environment.

It really is not happy with larger-grained fast films. I would be surprised if you get acceptable results.

- Leigh

I've gotten great results with HP5+ in Rodinal 1+50.

Developing time is 11 minutes at 68 degrees (20C), Rodinal 1+50. I shoot the film at EI-320.

These examples were shot on 120 film in a Mamiya 6, but I have used it in 35mm too. It is grainier than you would get with D-76 or DDX, but very sharp looking.

I've gotten good results with HP5+ in D-76 1+1, Tmax Developer, and PMK. PMK is my favorite for HP-5, fine grain and incredible tonality, but the OP asked about Rodinal and I like it too.

 

[onre]

This is HP5+ @ EI 1600, 1:25 Rodinal 12 minutes. I like it.

 

[mrosenlof]

I use Rodinal and I use HP5+, but the two of them never meet. The conventional wisdom is that Rodinal is better for slower film. Given that, the times listed in the Massive Film Dev chart are probably fine. The quality of your photos is more strongly influenced by where you point the lens and when you push the button than what film dev you use.

 

[NJH]

Its fascinating that many will refer to Tri-X and rodinal as a classic combination but for some reason not HP5. I wonder what it is about HP5 that makes it different in this case.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Its fascinating that many will refer to Tri-X and rodinal as a classic combination but for some reason not HP5. I wonder what it is about HP5 that makes it different in this case.

Very little difference I'd suspect, other than the fundamental design/ manufacturing differences between TX & HP5 in terms of colour sensitivity & curve shape.

I think that the 'classic combination' stuff came about because of Ralph Gibson's use of TX & Rodinal - though everyone seems to airily ignore the system of overexposure & overdevelopment that he uses (used?) before printing on hard grades of paper. You can achieve much the same kind of negative with most films & developers. Rodinal's great advantage is its very long life & high capacity - much like HC-110.

 

[BetterSense]

I went through a phase of HP5 in Rodinal 50:1. The results are conspicuously grainy in 35mm, but sharp and beautiful at the same time.

 

[NB23]

Its fascinating that many will refer to Tri-X and rodinal as a classic combination but for some reason not HP5. I wonder what it is about HP5 that makes it different in this case.

Rodinal and HP5 are a combo made in heaven. I am always impressed, always.