RPX 25 in Fomadon LQR

hankchinaski · Apr 1, 2025

Would somebody have an idea of the time for rpx 25 in fomadon lqr? They say it's like d-19, but I cannot find times for that either.
As an aside...the brochure for rpx 25 has these images, but an extensive search on flickr shows exactly zero photos looking like the samples...

Alessandro Serrao · Apr 6, 2025

Don't use Fola LQR or Kodak D19 with anything that is Agfa Aviphot-related. That includes Rollei Rpx25.
It's an hi-contrast film and hi-contrast developers.
Unless you're going for crazy contrast.

koraks · Apr 7, 2025

hankchinaski said:
As an aside...the brochure for rpx 25 has these images, but an extensive search on flickr shows exactly zero photos looking like the samples...

It's a B&W film. It can look like pretty much anything depending on how the product was used. Exposure, development and in particular choices in printing and/or digital post-processing have a vast impact on the final image. So results may vary from very contrasty images with large areas of open shadows and harsh highlights all the way to buttery-smooth & soft 'infinite grayscale' tonality. It's mostly a matter of how much exposure you give and how the negatives are then post-processed or printing, with development being a factor of moderately high influence behind these two.

hankchinaski · Apr 7, 2025

Alessandro Serrao said:
Don't use Fola LQR or Kodak D19 with anything that is Agfa Aviphot-related. That includes Rollei Rpx25.
It's an hi-contrast film and hi-contrast developers.
Unless you're going for crazy contrast.

Thanks for the advice!

But these images are both developed in Rodinal 1+25, I can't understand the difference in contrast, even accounting for the fact that one image was probably taken in the dull of winter and the other in full sunshine.

hankchinaski · Apr 7, 2025

koraks said:
It's a B&W film. It can look like pretty much anything depending on how the product was used. Exposure, development and in particular choices in printing and/or digital post-processing have a vast impact on the final image. So results may vary from very contrasty images with large areas of open shadows and harsh highlights all the way to buttery-smooth & soft 'infinite grayscale' tonality. It's mostly a matter of how much exposure you give and how the negatives are then post-processed or printing, with development being a factor of moderately high influence behind these two.

Thanks Koraks.

I would disagree with the development factor. Taking FP4 as an example, I was able to make horridly gray images, especially with high dilution Rodinal, or exciting high-contrast images with LQR (you can ignore the esthetic judgments...)

250swb · Apr 7, 2025

Contrast can be tamed but it needs the right developer, I've found some 'normal' developers don't work well with it. The last time I used RPX-25 I used Adox FX-39 1+9 7.5 mins @20c and the contrast is excellent, metering for the mid tones. But my beef with RPX is that it isn't actually very sharp or grain free, Adox HR-50 is much better.

koraks · Apr 7, 2025

hankchinaski said:
I would disagree with the development factor.

That's OK; I guess I've gotten a little cynical due to my experience that there's always a way to either boost the contrast on a horribly flat and/or thin negative or smash flat an exceedingly long-scaled one, one way or another, and in particular in digital space. It's generally easier if you have something that fits the purpose to begin with, of course. To that extent, development does indeed make a difference. But proper exposure and flexibility in the printing or post processing part are IMO overpowering factors, ultimately. Things are different if you need to print on an essentially fixed-contrast output medium.

relistan · Apr 10, 2025

hankchinaski said:
Thanks for the advice!

But these images are both developed in Rodinal 1+25, I can't understand the difference in contrast, even accounting for the fact that one image was probably taken in the dull of winter and the other in full sunshine.

I'm not 100% sure what you were asking. But, these both look close to properly exposed and normally developed. The images in the RPX 25 ad you show in the first post look like they are all under-exposed and probably normally developed. If you want that look, meter for the highlights only, or intentionally expose a full stop under. It shouldn't take a different developer. Generally Rodinal is not a box speed developer, so stick with that and meter for the highlights in a mid-to-high-contrast scene and I think you'll get pretty strong contrast. If it's not enough, under-expose even more.

hankchinaski · Sunday at 12:50 PM

relistan said:
I'm not 100% sure what you were asking. But, these both look close to properly exposed and normally developed. The images in the RPX 25 ad you show in the first post look like they are all under-exposed and probably normally developed. If you want that look, meter for the highlights only, or intentionally expose a full stop under. It shouldn't take a different developer. Generally Rodinal is not a box speed developer, so stick with that and meter for the highlights in a mid-to-high-contrast scene and I think you'll get pretty strong contrast. If it's not enough, under-expose even more.

thanks

Alessandro Serrao · 2025-04-30T13:25:44-0400

hankchinaski said:
Would somebody have an idea of the time for rpx 25 in fomadon lqr? They say it's like d-19, but I cannot find times for that either.
As an aside...the brochure for rpx 25 has these images, but an extensive search on flickr shows exactly zero photos looking like the samples...

View attachment 395301

Please notice that Rollei Rpx25 is Rollei Retro 80s, same film.

RPX 25 in Fomadon LQR

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RPX 25 in Fomadon LQR

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