Rodinol vs. HC110 economy?

[BetterSense]

I've been shooting more and more sheet film which I develop one or two at a time in trays, having no better method. I also develop often, nearly every day, at least a sheet or two.

This requires a lot of chemistry, so I abandoned D76 used one-shot, as using a half-liter or more of stock just to develop a sheet or two was getting too wasteful. I use replenished D23 for roll films, so I started using that in trays. But I'm starting to think that using it to develop sheets all the time is asking for contamination of my developer, plus oxidation as developer sits out in trays for a long time sometimes as I develop multiple sheets, or run out to shoot something and come back and develop. So I feel this tray use is abusing my mainstay liter of D23, which ordinarily lasts me 6 months or more. I can use D23 one-shot, but I'm not sure it would be extremely cheap to do so; perhaps if I diluted it.

I think maybe I should get HC110 and just mix up enough for one tray-session with a syringe every time, then dump it. I think this would end up being fairly economical since HC-110 is so cheap. I've had a hankering to try Rodinal though, for the magical sharpness and pushing reputation it has. Do you use it just like HC110, one-shot? Is it cheap enough to spend a half liter or more of working solution to develop one sheet of film and then toss? Oh, and where the heck do you get it?

 

[df cardwell]

D-23 was created for replenishment. Make up a vat of it, read up on replenishment here at APUG, and have some fun. Replenishment is an excellent way to work.

 

[nickandre]

You have to hunt for rodinal. I had to pick it up in person in New York at B&H. It's got the dead fish label, which is apparently bad.

I'm fairly sure D23 lasts for years. I have some I mixed up a year ago and it's fine and dandy.

In the end it's not really that expensive no matter which way you go. For $15 you get 500ml of rodinal which makes 25 liters of chemistry at 1:50 dilution. That makes 100 rolls of 35mm film at 15 cents a roll. Other cheap concentrated generic developers will work great as well.

 

[BetterSense]

D-23 was created for replenishment. Make up a vat of it, read up on replenishment here at APUG, and have some fun. Replenishment is an excellent way to work.

I use replenished D23 for all my roll film, but I'm worried about leaving it out in trays for hours at a time. Am I worried for nothing?

Plus, I haven't figured out what the replenishment procedure should be for Xray film, which I plan to start using a lot.

 

[MattKing]

If you are worried:

1) get "Tupperware" trays (or anything similar with sealable lids); and/or
2) use plastic wrap liberally on top of your trays; and/or
3) brew a second batch of D23, just for your LF work.

Matt

 

[polyglot]

If you're worried about oxidation, you could put a floating lid in your tray while not in use. A slab of styrofoam or similar ought to do it.

 

[Soeren]

A not an ansver
How about using a Paterson Orbital and Diafine? the orbital was originally meant for Prints but will do for Sheetfilms and Diafine Lasts forever.
Be sure to get the base (manual or electric) for the orbital since you can´easily get uneven development without it.
Best regards

 

[JBrunner]

Rodinal can be had at Freestyle or Digital Truth. It's a ground shipped item, NBD. Economy wise they wind up costing about the same. Since they are high dilution syrups (1:50) you can get quite a few sheets through. Both keep near indefinitely.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/9720-Agfa-Rodinal-17-oz.

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/cart/Agfa-Rodinal-500ml-p-929.html