Rodinal with Sodium Sulfite

Paul Howell · May 23, 2021

Although Covid is easing up I have not been in the field to do much shooting, so I decided to experiment. Recalling that Sodium Sulfite could be added to Edwal FG7 and a very faint memory of someone writing about adding SS to Rodinal I decided to give it a try. Added 2.5 grams to 340mm of Rodinal 1:30 at 8 minutes Kentmere 400 which is the time for and dilution for Studional. Still rather grainy, 8X10 is ok, 11X14 might be a bit much, might need to go as high as 5 gram. Had to print grade 4, my normal is 2 or 2 1/2, will increase time by 20%. Camera is Pentax IQ zoom WR, a point and shoot. I bought a few rolls of Kentmere 400 as it is DX coded for my point and shoots. This a scanned print, my scanner is really dusty, need to get better scanning software, all I have is what what came in the box.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · May 23, 2021

Isn't your addition of 2.5g of Sodium Sulphite to 340ml of Rodinal working solution too low to have a significant effect on the grain? Gainer who did similar experiments with Rodinal has said “It turns out that 4 g/l sodium ascorbate does a lot of good added to 1:50 Rodinal. A lot better than 100 g/l of sulfite.”

removedacct1 · May 23, 2021

100g/l of sulfite is standard with many developer recipes.

Paul Howell · May 24, 2021

Raghu Kuvempunagar said:
Isn't your addition of 2.5g of Sodium Sulphite to 340ml of Rodinal working solution too low to have a significant effect on the grain? Gainer who did similar experiments with Rodinal has said “It turns out that 4 g/l sodium ascorbate does a lot of good added to 1:50 Rodinal. A lot better than 100 g/l of sulfite.”

I don't have any sodium ascorbate, but at 100 g/l for 340mm need about 30g sodium sulphite, Next try.

relistan · May 24, 2021

Paul Howell said:
I don't have any sodium ascorbate, but at 100 g/l for 340mm need about 30g sodium sulphite, Next try.

Interested to see your results, Paul!

John Wiegerink · May 24, 2021

Try plan old pickling salt. There are tests posted about Rodinal + salt, (Rodinal +NaCI). Just do a search. I tried it and it seems to work better than Rodinal alone. JohnW

Paul Howell · May 24, 2021

I will add that to my list. My first intention was just to pass some time, but the more I think about it. I use Rodinal for Tmax 100, grain is not an issue, Tmax 400 has fine enough grain that I get a 8X10 to 11 X14. Too much grain for my standard walk around 35mm, Foma 200, 400 and Ultrafine 400, now Kentmere 400, even 6X6 can be pretty grainy in Rodinal, but 6X9 and 4X6 never an issue. So if I can tame the grain for 35mm and some 6X6 like Foma 400 all I need is Rodinal which last a very long time and some SS or even pickling salt.

glbeas · May 24, 2021

Ive tried Rodinal with SS but as an oxygen scavenger so it would work better in a Jobo drum.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · May 25, 2021

Paul Howell said:
I don't have any sodium ascorbate, but at 100 g/l for 340mm need about 30g sodium sulphite, Next try.

If you have Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) and Baking Soda or Lye available to you, it's quite easy to prepare Sodium Ascorbate. Quoting Gainer again: "Ascorbic acid is easily converted to sodium ascorbate by the addition of baking soda (in the ratio of the molecular weight of the acid over the bicarbonate, which is 176/84--approximately 2 parts acid to 1 part bicarbonate) or sodium hydroxide (in the ratio of the molecular weight of the acid to the hydroxide, which is 176/40, or 4 parts acid to 1.1 parts sodium hydroxide)."

Paul Howell · May 25, 2021

Thanks, this is way beyond what I recall from Chemistry 101 1966. my

Raghu Kuvempunagar · May 25, 2021

Paul Howell said:
Thanks, this is way beyond what I recall from Chemistry 101 1966. my

Dissolve 3.5g Ascorbic Acid in 100ml water. Add 1.7g Baking Soda to it and stir till the fizz stops. Add Rodinal and water to bring the volume to 340ml.

Paul Howell · May 25, 2021

Thanks will give it a try.

Rodinal with Sodium Sulfite

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