Stand development in trays? Rodinal

Domin · Mar 6, 2009

I've done stand development of 135 and 120 films in Rodinal 1+100 and really like the results and simplicity, now I'm slowly starting LF.

I've tried to search net on that but I didn't find anything of use. Someone reported that he got marks from the tray ridges while developing the sheets emulsion down. Some people discouraged that but did not describe any bad results.

Is it possible? What are the caveats?

dpurdy · Mar 6, 2009

I just did a single sheet of 4x5 in a tray emulsion up as an experiment. I agitated for a minute and then let the sheet sit for 20 minutes and agitated it for 10 seconds then let it sit another 15 minutes. It was my first try at stand development and I used Rodinal 1-100. I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the contrast in the image. Very nice quality to the light and good definition in the shadow. However the middle grey background showed some streaks. I don't like streaks.

Shawn Dougherty · Mar 6, 2009

I've read similar things about stand in trays... I'm not surprised about the streaks. I can't imagine any form of stand working very well in a tray. Of course if anyone has positive experiences I'd love to hear about them and the process used.

trexx · Mar 6, 2009

I do LF but would never consider doing stand development in a tray. Maybe stand in a Jobo or Nikor, or Yankee tank but never in a tray. I do not want o be locked in a pitch black room to an hour only doing something every 15 min. One of the features of stand is to allow your to be less attentive to the processing so unless you have a light tight revolving darkroom door use regular development in trays or get an LF tank.

Lee L · Mar 6, 2009

I've done 4x5 sheet film in trays with agitation at 5 minute intervals and a Summitek Cradle. ( http://www.summitek.com/cradle.html ) I've gotten very even development that way.

Lee

P.S. Summitek no longer makes the cradle, but photoformulary.com has something pretty much identical.

dpurdy · Mar 6, 2009

trexx said:
I do LF but would never consider doing stand development in a tray. Maybe stand in a Jobo or Nikor, or Yankee tank but never in a tray. I do not want o be locked in a pitch black room to an hour only doing something every 15 min. One of the features of stand is to allow your to be less attentive to the processing so unless you have a light tight revolving darkroom door use regular development in trays or get an LF tank.

I can walk out of my darkroom and keep it dark. The reason I quit using tanks was I could never solve the streaks from the film hangers. I am not sure where streaks come from in a sheet that lies face up in a tray after a full minute of initial agitation. I don't see how having the sheet in a hanger or in a jobo would make a difference in the stand still part. Stand development is not something I will pursue because I like to process multiple sheets at a time and my current technique gives me very even development. However being able to walk out of the darkroom and make a pot of coffee while the film is developing is a definite plus.
Dennis

Erik L · Mar 6, 2009

I haven't had a problem with stand dev. of sheet film in a tray up to 11x14. I've only used Pyro hd however. If I want to leave the darkroom I just put a tray one size larger over the developer tray
and leave the room - no problems yet.
regards Erik

gainer · Mar 6, 2009

Another ploy is to use a paper safe as a developing tray. The lid is light-tight. You can load developer and film and agitate or not as you please with lights on. It's best to find a safe that has a lid that extends the length of the tray.

WGibsonPhotography · Mar 6, 2009

Doesnt the Rodinal working solution go bad pretty quick, like within two hours? If it does, is there really an advantage of a two hour stand development?

I dont even remember where I read that Rodinal goes bad quickly (maybe weak is a more appropirate term). I'm not sure how knowledgable the source, but I think it might be worth me asking and throwing that thought out there for the OP.

gainer · Mar 6, 2009

Is there really an advantage to 2-hr stand development in any case?
One can always put some Rodinal in an open tray and measure its activity from time to time over a 2-hr period.

Besides, isn't the premise of such long development that he developer WILL go bad?

drazak · Mar 6, 2009

WGibson: I don't think that the developer would oxidise much more than any other developer left out in an open tray with film in it, it will oxidise and with film developing in it, it'll probably be developed to completion and total oxidation in two hours, but that isn't a big problem, as you mix rodinal from concentrate right before using and the concentrate lasts /forever/.

nickandre · Mar 6, 2009

gainer said:
Another ploy is to use a paper safe as a developing tray. The lid is light-tight. You can load developer and film and agitate or not as you please with lights on. It's best to find a safe that has a lid that extends the length of the tray.

thats INGENIOUS! thanks.

WGibsonPhotography · Mar 7, 2009

drazak said:
WGibson: I don't think that the developer would oxidise much more than any other developer left out in an open tray with film in it, it will oxidise and with film developing in it, it'll probably be developed to completion and total oxidation in two hours, but that isn't a big problem, as you mix rodinal from concentrate right before using and the concentrate lasts /forever/.

Maybe the comment I'm thinking about was talking about being developed to completion in two hours... It's been a while since I read that comment, so maybe I got it confused (more than likely did). I use my rodinal as soon as it's mixed so there's no chance of it oxidising or me spilling stop bath in it (which I have done before)

dmcmahon · Mar 7, 2009

I tray process with emulsion down and usually 4-8 sheets at a time. (4x5) TMY and TMX both work well in Rodinal. I'm getting ready to try some Efke 100. When I've used Rodinal 1:100 I just slow down the agitation. In other words I keep agitating at 1 minute intervals but very slowly and gently. The 1:100 dilution is so radical that I haven't had a problem too much contrast even in scenes with a very bright sky. This dilution worked much better that 1:50 which is what I tried at first.

david mcmahon
www.davidmcmahonphotography.com

Stand development in trays? Rodinal

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