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Rodinal vs Beutler test

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Odessa, UA
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Hello

Film - Neopan SS 100ASA.
Left side - Rodinal 1:50, 20C, 15min
Right side - Beutler 1+1+8, 20C, 9min
Agitation in both cases - 5sec per min

beutlervsrodinal01.jpg


1:1 crop (2400dpi)

beutlervsrodinal02.jpg


both frame have near identical histogram and gamma
 
Interesting. To my eye the Beutler seems "sharper," probably higher acutance, but perhaps a little grainier.
 
You won't see the true difference with a scanner, unless it's a drum scanner or an Imacon.
You will see an approximation of the grain. You need a true 4,000dpi optical resolution to resolve grain.
 
Neofin Blau (same as Willi Beutler's) has been my long time favourite developer. Now my stock is running a little low and I am considering of mixing my own as this is a very simple developer.
I have been using quite a bit of Rodinal as well. In real life terms as in printing Rodinal delivers grainier negatives. High speed films do not come out very well in Rodinal: grainy and low contrast.
 
Interesting. To my eye the Beutler seems "sharper," probably higher acutance, but perhaps a little grainier.

Also better internal contrast.
 
I've never used Rodinal, but when in my teens my father (a chemical engineer who'd souped his own film in the 30s) and I mixed our own Beutler. He was able to buy the chemicals easily, he really knew what he was doing, and we had a proper scale, which I now have. We were very pleased with the results, usually shooting with Plus-X of beloved memory. I should revisit Beutler, either mixing my own for old times' sake, or using Neofin-Blue. We generally developed to rather thin negatives, and often used contrast grade 3 as a standard paper. YMMV, of course. Even with a really crappy enlarger and a so-so Wollensak lens we got some really nice enlargements, on Luminos, Kodabromide, Spiratone, in other words, whatever paper was within a high schooler's budget. Now that I have a Beseler 23C, a Schneider Componon S f2.8 50mm I should revisit some of those old negatives of 50 or so years ago.

Would that my father were still alive to enjoy film and the bargains now available....
 
I prefer the look of the Beutler in these examples. Am I correct in concluding that it also produces more film speed (shadow detail)?
 
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