Rodinal colour

Tom Cross · Sep 14, 2016

Does the colour of Rodinal vary, or perhaps darken with age? I bought a bottle and thought it looked "weak", comparing to someone else's bottle bought earlier this year it does look a lot lighter. He didn't remember his being that light when bought.

Wallendo · Sep 14, 2016

The color change is normal and doesn't effect the developer.

Tom Cross · Sep 14, 2016

Thanks Wallendo, so it darkens with age?

Gibran · Sep 14, 2016

it does darken with age. Interestingly, my original Agfa Rodinal bottles are all the same exact shape, size and design as your dark Adox Rodinal - and the same dark color after 12-14 years. I don't remember my new Agfa Rodinal being that light and transparent of a color when new but it's been so long... Perhaps the color of new Rodinal has changed?

Tom Cross · Sep 14, 2016

I've never seen it that light in colour. I'm told the darker one was bought in about March this year. The place I bought it from took offence just from me asking about it and said if I'm not happy with it send it back. Not overly helpful of them.

JPD · Sep 14, 2016

Tom Cross said:
I've never seen it that light in colour.

Rodinal is clear when it's fresh, and it gets darker over time. Don't worry! That bottle is pretty fresh and will be usable for 20+ years.

Trask · Sep 14, 2016

I have, and use, Rodinal that's 35+ years old -- it's very dark, but works very well.

Gerald C Koch · Sep 14, 2016

The initial color of Rodinal is effected by the purity of the p-aminophenol used to make it. For awhile manufacturers were using a low grade chemical and the resulting developer was very dark. I was surprised at the light color of the Adox product.

miha · Sep 15, 2016

The lighter the initial colour, the more expensive ingredients went it, says Mirko of Fotoimpex (what Gerald wrote essentially).

Harry Stevens · Sep 15, 2016

I follow a home made recipe and I can make it light or brown just by the what chemicals are mixed with each other first, there is a video on Youtube showing them filling the bottles and it is very light. nothing wrong with it is just like the universe it will get darker with age and what a wonderful developer.

Same stuff.

Cholentpot · Sep 15, 2016

My bottle was tea colored when I bought it. It looks like coffee now.

kreeger · Sep 18, 2016

Here's the color of my bottle of original Agfa Rodinal, and the matching box it stays in in dark storage. The box states 9/27/2005, used some a month ago. It's still going strong and coming up on 11 year birthday next a week from this coming Tuesday.

Rodinal colour

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