Rodinal: the best film?

Antigen · May 2, 2016

I read that the best developer is rodinal, but what is the best film to use with rodinal?

Dali · May 2, 2016

Where did you read that?

Angelo di Mango · May 2, 2016

Hi!
Rodinal is certainly a great developer but i know nothing about the greatest developer should there be one!
As afr as I have experienced it is great with Ilford FP4+ in 120 format (1+50) (1+24 if you wish to increase contrast and grain)

Soeren · May 2, 2016

I like rodinal very much but
1. I shoot medium format and large format as well as 35mm and today even more than 35mm.
2. I like the grain and the look i get also from faster films.
3. I don't like to have to think about mixing a fresh batch or if it is worn off. The agfa lasted forever.

I like diafine for pretty much the same reasons but I won't call any of them the best developer.............. to me they are but YMMW

Old-N-Feeble · May 2, 2016

This is a good question but better address in (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

baachitraka · May 2, 2016

Angelo di Mango said:
Hi!
Rodinal is certainly a great developer but i know nothing about the greatest developer should there be one!
As afr as I have experienced it is great with Ilford FP4+ in 120 format (1+50) (1+24 if you wish to increase contrast and grain)

Presume, you can increase the contrast with any dilution or with any developer if developed longer.

Old-N-Feeble · May 2, 2016

Grain? Yes... and lots of acutance too... unlike solvent developers.

baachitraka · May 2, 2016

Rodinal is good and so are other usual suspects.
D-76: Stock or 1+1
HC-110: Many dilutions.
X-TOL: Stock, one-shot or replenished.
Rodinal: 1+x, x=25, 50, 75,...
Staining developers and you name it.

mweintraub · May 2, 2016

Dali said:
Where did you read that?

Rodinal marketing material.

pentaxuser · May 2, 2016

In summary and the above posts would seem to support this: There is no best film and no best developer. There is however a best dad and husband in the world and that's me

I beat all the others on fine detail, sharpness etc and combine such qualities with ease of use and having a forgiving nature. This isn't just my opinion. I read it somewhere

pentaxuser

John Bragg · May 2, 2016

Antigen said:
I read that the best developer is rodinal, but what is the best film to use with rodinal?

There is an acknowledged truth that Rodinal performs better with slow film. It is not the best developer if you like smooth soft grain, but if you like coarse honest grain then it may be for you, even with faster films.

Arvee · May 2, 2016

Rodinal was absolutely superb with its companion film: APX nn (25, 100, 400)...but those days are long gone.

mehguy · May 2, 2016

Rodinal isn't the best developer. I don't know where you heard that from. But all developers are different. There are no developers that are better than others. They just give a different look.

eli griggs · May 2, 2016

I used Rodinal with Tmax 100, years ago, for a commercial photographers' product and modeling work, as well as my own stuff; it gave wonderful negatives and prints that had crisp, clean definition.

Ai Print · May 2, 2016

Fred Aspen said:
Rodinal was absolutely superb with its companion film: APX nn (25, 100, 400)...but those days are long gone.

I have been gnawing away at a 100 roll batch of APX 25 in 120 and man, does that stuff sing in Rodinal, still have about 70 rolls left, yum. I probably have a lifetime worth of Rodinal, I certainly don't use it on everything but when the time calls for it, yeah, Rodinal.

sagai · May 2, 2016

Ai Print said:
I have been gnawing away at a 100 roll batch of APX 25 in 120 and man, does that stuff sing in Rodinal, still have about 70 rolls left, yum. I probably have a lifetime worth of Rodinal, I certainly don't use it on everything but when the time calls for it, yeah, Rodinal.

View attachment 156012

This is supercool!!!

i have noticed that for 1:50 at 18 Celsius with 2o% increase in dev time reduces the grain for 4ooISO neg.
However ... what is the matter with grain anyway???!!!

onre · May 2, 2016

Rodinal and HP5+, well, if you like grain...

Gerald C Koch · May 3, 2016

Here's a chance to find out for yourself. Buy a bottle and try it out. Only you can make the ultimate decision.

Slixtiesix · May 3, 2016

Rodinal is said to be ideal for films with slow to medium speed and classic formulation, like Panf+, FP4+ or APX 100 and APX 25. However, many people also use it for T-Max or Delta films with great results. I would not say that it is the best developer, but it may possibly be the developer with the best keeping properties.

baachitraka · May 3, 2016

https://archive.org/details/agfabookphotogr00barrgoog

There is something about Rodinal-Hydrokinone in above link but I need to get those quantities clear.

Ian Grant · May 3, 2016

Fred Aspen said:
Rodinal was absolutely superb with its companion film: APX nn (25, 100, 400)...but those days are long gone.

The finest grained and sharpest prints from 35mm negatives I've seen were those two films processed in Rodinal, wonderful tones as well.

It also works exceptionally well with Tmax 100. It's a combination I used for about 20 years.

Ian

osmeier · May 3, 2016

pentaxuser said:
In summary and the above posts would seem to support this: There is no best film and no best developer. There is however a best dad and husband in the world and that's me

I beat all the others on fine detail, sharpness etc and combine such qualities with ease of use and having a forgiving nature. This isn't just my opinion. I read it somewhere

pentaxuser

^^ What he said!
It's subjective and based on your needs. I certainly love the results I get from it and the fact that it stores very well.

baachitraka · May 3, 2016

What is Rodinal-Hydrokinone mixture?

https://archive.org/details/agfabookphotogr00barrgoog

Ian Grant · May 3, 2016

It's of course been converted from the original Metric

Rodinal - Hydroquinone

Part A
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 50g
Citric Aci 0.55g
Potassium Bromide 3g
Hydroquinone 6g
Water 1 litre

Part B
Potassium Carbonate (anhyd) 100g
Rodinal 50 ml
Water 1 litre

For soft negatives (portraits, etc.) take equal parts of A, B and water. For brilliant negatives take equal parts of A and B.
For detail, increase the quantity of B. For density, increase the quantity of A

Remember that modern Rodinal RO9 is more concentrated than the original and the pH was raised and the and the amount of p-Aminohenol dropped slightly after Agfa and Gevaert merged.

Ian

baachitraka · May 3, 2016

Thanks Ian. I have understood the text. Rather I would like to know whether you have personal experience mixing two-bath using Rodinal+hydroquinone.

Rodinal: the best film?

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