Rollei infrared developing times - 4x5

Jimi3

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I’ve been shooting Rollei Ir film in 120 size via a 6x9 back on my 4x5 view camera, and have established good exposure and development times. Now I want to try using the same film in 4x5 sheets, but the sheet film box lists a MUCH longer development time than the 120 or 35mm versions - for 120, the listed time in d76 1:1 is 10:50, while for 4x5 it says 16 minutes. Obviously the process is going to be a bit different for sheet film, but it seems like a very large discrepancy and I’m wondering what sorts of times I should start with. Why such a difference?

Like I said, the listed time for 120 is 10:50 at 68 degrees, and I got got results at 8:30 at 70 degrees in a Paterson tank. For 4x5, I’m doing dip and dunk in old Kodak tanks.

Interestingly, the film base for the sheets is incredibly thin. My first time handling it, I grabbed three sheets and thought they were one.
 

Sirius Glass

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I have been using the Rollei recommended times for stock XTOL and replenished XTOL without any problems.
 
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Jimi3

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Sirius Glass said:
I have been using the Rollei recommended times for stock XTOL and replenished XTOL without any problems.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the time listed for 120 seems to work fine for me - I just had to adjust for ambient temperature. But I’m wondering why such a big difference for 4x5. Shouldn’t it be the same as as other formats?
 

abruzzi

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Yeah Rollie IR is super thin. I don’t use D76, but IIRC I used the same times for Xtol 120 and 4x5.
 

MattKing

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Rollei is, of course, just a licensed brand name.
So I would be cautious about this - the film versions may be quite different.
Historically, some Kodak films had markedly different development times when moving from roll to sheet film, but some of that might have been due to different targeted contrast response.
Or maybe not - the substrate and differences in anti-halation methods can make for significant differences - at least at the engineering stage.
@Andrew O'Neill uses these films -- I think. Perhaps he will chime in.
 
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Jimi3

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Good to know, thanks. I did shoot one roll in 35mm, and found it comparable in exposure and development to the 120 version. But that 16 min developing time for 4x5 is way longer than those - I guess I’ll have to do some testing. The sheets are VERY thin compared to the roll film, so I guess it makes sense that there might be more differences.
 

destroya

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i use the same times for all the formats, 35mm, 120 and 4x5. I do have issues with the 4x5 film becoming dislodged i whatever insert I use in my paterson tanks, either mod54 or the 20th century. also appliesd to my nikor steel tank, but that issue is the film getting kinked while loading into the slots. the dip and dunk would be a good decision.

john
 

Andrew O'Neill

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My times for 120 and 4x5 in Pyrocat-HD are the same. The same goes for Xtol-R. The film bases are the same for all formats... "Accurate, tear-proof clear polyester material, 100µm, 35mm, rollfilm and cut sheet film material".
100µm = .1mm.

When I first started using this stuff about 15 years ago, it was interlaced with sheets of paper of the same thickness. Talk about a pain in the butt trying to make sure I was loading film and not paper... and only one sheet per side! I got a box once where the notch codes gradually disappeared as I worked my way into the box. Its confectioning has improved over the years!
 

Sirius Glass

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Hence the reason I use the Jobo 3010 Expert Drum with five tubes that hold two 4"x5" sheets per tube in place securely.
 

destroya

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also, if you have some time, this thread is a great source of developer info for the rollei IR, superpan, retro 400 and 80. I tried the MeCD4 developer, to try it out trial and now use it for the film to develop it for negatives. this is also my favorite film to develop as B&W slides.

john

Developer for Aviphot Pan 200

Agfa Aviphot Pan 200 is sold for aerial photography and for this purpose gives a high contrast as the land photographed has relatively low contrast. I believe it is sold in 35mm eg as Rollei Retro 400s.The resolution is up to 181 lppm. For aerial photography it is developed in Agfa G74c plus...
www.photrio.com
 
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Jimi3

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Sirius Glass said:
Hence the reason I use the Jobo 3010 Expert Drum with five tubes that hold two 4"x5" sheets per tube in place securely.
Click to expand...

I’m interested in getting one of these, as dip and dunk in darkness is getting tedious. I’ve been put off by the price though.

How easy/hard is it to load the film?
 
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Jimi3

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Oh wow, that sounds like a pain!

So if you’re using the same times, which end of the range (~11min to 16min) would you recommend I develop at ?
 

Sirius Glass

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Jimi3 said:
I’m interested in getting one of these, as dip and dunk in darkness is getting tedious. I’ve been put off by the price though.

How easy/hard is it to load the film?
Click to expand...

Curve the film longwise into a semicircle and slide in the tube. Get the foot pump to easily pop the top off.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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Jimi3 said:
Oh wow, that sounds like a pain!

So if you’re using the same times, which end of the range (~11min to 16min) would you recommend I develop at ?
Click to expand...

For me, Xtol-R 12:30 20C (which is about the same as Xtol 1+1) I let the film rest for a minute between agitation cycles. I also give it a 3 min pre-wash. I don't like my fixer turning colours
 
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