Rodinal

JHannon · Aug 1, 2004

I have been working with HC110 because the concentrate "syrup" seems to last a long time. I work in small batches, mixing the correct ratio for my tank size. A large quantity of working solution would go bad on me.

I am interested in using Rodinal too. What kind of shelf life does the unmixed Rodinal have once the bottle is opened?

Thanks, this is a very good thread!

Dave Miller · Aug 1, 2004

JHannon said:
I am interested in using Rodinal too. What kind of shelf life does the unmixed Rodinal have once the bottle is opened?

Very long is the answer, six months plus. I always fill the bottle with gas to expel the air as I think it helps.

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 1, 2004

JHannon said:
I have been working with HC110 because the concentrate "syrup" seems to last a long time. I work in small batches, mixing the correct ratio for my tank size. A large quantity of working solution would go bad on me.

I am interested in using Rodinal too. What kind of shelf life does the unmixed Rodinal have once the bottle is opened?

Thanks, this is a very good thread!

I have a partially used bottle of Agfa Rodinal that is 2 years old, black as sin, and still working fine. Others have reported useful activity at even longer times.

One of the secrets of HC110 shelf life (talk to Gadget (Patrick) Gainer on this subject) is the use of a glycol solvent for the developing reagents. Gainer is currently investigating variations on a mixture of p-aminophenol, isoascorbate, triethanolamine and propylene glycol. It should have a very long shelf life, indeed.

JHannon · Aug 1, 2004

Thanks Tom and Dave, I will have to try it.

There is a store near me (Hunts Photo) that stocks it for now. They have been shrinking the B/W development/paper stuff and adding rows and rows of camera bags instead! (I can't figure that out) I guess there is more money in the camera bags...

doughowk · Aug 1, 2004

Agfa Copex

I recently tried ordering Rodinal from Adorama but the sticker shock of $35 shipping was too much. Instead got it from Photographers Formulary. Been using it on Efke 100, J&C 200 with good results.

I've seen some mention on net of Rodinal with Agfa Copex (Gigabit) film. Anybody have dilutions, time & temp info for that combination?

Flotsam · Aug 1, 2004

Calumet (Top of page) sells it too and ships ground with no hazard fee.

ElrodCod · Aug 2, 2004

Flotsam said:
Calumet (Top of page) sells it too and ships ground with no hazard fee.

So does Freestyle.

modafoto · Aug 2, 2004

mobtown_4x5 said:
I've also heard of 1:100 for this stuff, Jesus is it really that concentrated? What effect does more dilution give you?

I do Tech Pan in Rodinal 1:300 for pictorial use. Nice negs. Develop for 20 min.
Meter @ ISO 12

modafoto · Aug 2, 2004

JHannon said:
I am interested in using Rodinal too. What kind of shelf life does the unmixed Rodinal have once the bottle is opened?

See this (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

There I talk about my experiment with 40 year old Rodinal from a bottle opened in the 60'es.

JHannon · Aug 2, 2004

modafoto said:
See this (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

There I talk about my experiment with 40 year old Rodinal from a bottle opened in the 60'es.

Wow! I guess this answers the question. I just bought a 500ml bottle today to try.

roy · Aug 2, 2004

There is another series of postings about aged Rodinal under the heading "FP4+ grain in rodinal".

titrisol · Aug 2, 2004

Ah Rodinal, what a beautiful developer.
There's a great article about it in unblinkingeye.com

The shelf life of it is really long. my dad used it for years and after he died I gave up photography for almost 6 years. After that I just took the Rodinal out (half-empty bottle) and it worked just fine.

The grain is whatever the film has in Rodinal, no grain decreasing like DDX-Microphen or Microdol
Also I read that it works best in the lower end of the temperatures (15-20C) rather than at higher temps.

TPPhotog · Aug 2, 2004

I've been using Rodinal at 1+50 dilution at 20C and find that the sharp grain is very much to my liking with Ilford Pan F and FP4+. A couple of my results are in my gallery.

Above 100 I will stick with DD-X, but with the lower rated films I prefer the grain from Rodinal to that of the fluffy DD-X.

It might just be me but I also find Rodinal works better once it has turned brown.

modafoto · Aug 3, 2004

TPPhotog said:
It might just be me but I also find Rodinal works better once it has turned brown.

I read an article about a landscape photographer who used Rodinal. When he got a new bottle of Rodinal he would pour out a little of it and let it be open for a few hours and then screw the lid on again and let it stand for a few weeks before using it.
I too find it quite good to let it "mature" before use. Maybe there will be a discussion on which year of Rodinal is the best, just like fine wine.

"Let my Rodinal be matured on fine oak for 12 years..."

TPPhotog · Aug 3, 2004

modafoto said:
I read an article about a landscape photographer who used Rodinal. When he got a new bottle of Rodinal he would pour out a little of it and let it be open for a few hours and then screw the lid on again and let it stand for a few weeks before using it.
I too find it quite good to let it "mature" before use. Maybe there will be a discussion on which year of Rodinal is the best, just like fine wine.

"Let my Rodinal be matured on fine oak for 12 years..."

Aha thank you !! - I remember reading that article but could not remember which developer it was. If I had remembered I think I would have tried Rodinal even earlier.

Think I'll stick to 12 year old single malt myself though for drinking

modafoto · Aug 3, 2004

TPPhotog said:
Think I'll stick to 12 year old single malt myself though for drinking

For drinking, yes. I like whiskeys too

...although my wife thinks I need further development :rolleyes:

TPPhotog · Aug 3, 2004

modafoto said:
For drinking, yes. I like whiskeys too

...although my wife thinks I need further development :rolleyes:

Just as long as after drinking the whiskey you don't get over exposed

BWGirl · Aug 4, 2004

Ok, question about Rodinal... I just bought some & developed my roll of Delta 100 (@ ISO 100) in it. I used the 1:25 @ 9 minutes as recommended on Ilford's website. The negs look fablous! I'll make prints tomorrow.

Here's the question... I used the 1:25 solution... when & why would I use the 1:50 solution? Morten, I noticed that you shoot Delta 100 @ 80 & use 1:50 for 14 minutes... is there something that makes you use 1:50 instead of 1:25?

Thanks for letting me interrupt serious discussions of malt whiskey with this silly question! haha
Jeanette

scootermm · Aug 4, 2004

jeanette
I havent done it with delta 100 but I have done some comparisons with FP4 and developing it in 1:25 and 1:50 gives about identical negatives.

so basically you are getting the advantage of saving money on developer. 1:50 dilution is alot more economical.

Im always for that.

TPPhotog · Aug 4, 2004

Jeanette,
Higher dilutions produce finer grain but with 100asa or less this will only be really noticeable with larger prints. Also higher dilutions means longer development times so the process is more controllable. A few seconds difference with a short development is a larger percentage error than with a long development.

BTW Welcome to the "Rodinal Appreciation Society", your another we have corrupted and your life will never be the same again LOL :rolleyes: Looking forward to seeing your results.

modafoto · Aug 5, 2004

BWGirl said:
Morten, I noticed that you shoot Delta 100 @ 80 & use 1:50 for 14 minutes... is there something that makes you use 1:50 instead of 1:25?

I use 1+50 for longer development times. Then if I want to overdevelopment 10% it's easier to control the dev times.

With Rodinal economy is not an option. It cost about 25 cents for me to develop one roll of 35 mm. i Rod 1+25, so that's not the big deal.

titrisol · Aug 5, 2004

1:50 gives you more control, a little more compensation and finer grain.
Specially in the summer when tap water is quite warm (at least here in NC)

I like 1+50 because 7ml in 350 is a easy to measure using a syringe, and I've found that agitating only once every minute gives better midtones and shadows.

modafoto · Aug 6, 2004

BWGirl said:
Thanks for letting me interrupt serious discussions of malt whiskey with this silly question! haha
Jeanette

Shame on you, BWGirl! We can only forgive because your question involves Rodinal...

david b · Aug 6, 2004

From page 58 of The Film Developing Cookbook:

"Brett Weston and Henry Gilpin, among others, have used Rodinal at 1:100 with Agfa 25 with excellent results..."

titrisol · Aug 12, 2004

I tried Tri-X (35mm) in Roddinal 1+50 8min @24C
The negatives look really great, nice tonality and very small grain for what I remebered TX (haven't used it in 12 years). Not as creamy and "fluid" like APX100 but nicer than APX400.

I overexposed a couple of frames I shot with flash but they were printable.
One more film/dev combination for me

Rodinal

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