Svema MZ-3 Film in Rodinal Developing Time Advice Needed

[Bob Dilworth]

Hello!

I recently purchased a couple of rolls of Svema MZ-3 film (ISO 3) from the Film Photography Project website and need some advice regarding a developing time starting point for Adox Rodinal. The Digital Truth website does not have this particular film in their tables and I've been unsuccessful finding anything about it on-line with respect to Rodinal processing.

Does anyone have any advice as to a starting development time for this film with Rodinal? Better yet is there any sort of rule of thumb for Rodinal for unknown or obscure films? Does one go by ISO for coming up with a starting development time?

Thanks in advance!!

Bob Dilworth
Toledo, Ohio

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to APUG.

That appears to be a special purpose motion picture film that most likely was supposed to be exposed and developed on or before 1978. It may not have been intended to produce negatives.

I take it you like challenges .

I see a recommendation for Rodinal Special - which is of course fundamentally different than Rodinal.

 

[Bob Dilworth]

Hi Matt!

Yes, I saw that on the Film Photography Project website. Unfortunately all I have is regular old Rodinal and I just need to know where to start in terms of development time for this ISO 3 film. I'm new to film developing and I use the Digital Truth Massive Dev app when I soup my film and it does not have anything on Svema MZ-3. Do I treat this film like, say, Tri-X or does its really low ISO require a much shorter development time? If you were to process this film in Rodinal where would you start?

Bob D

 

[MattKing]

Hi Matt!

Yes, I saw that on the Film Photography Project website. Unfortunately all I have is regular old Rodinal and I just need to know where to start in terms of development time for this ISO 3 film. I'm new to film developing and I use the Digital Truth Massive Dev app when I soup my film and it does not have anything on Svema MZ-3. Do I treat this film like, say, Tri-X or does its really low ISO require a much shorter development time? If you were to process this film in Rodinal where would you start?

Bob D

Well...

It is a tough place to start. It isn't actually an ISO 3 film. It is a film whose sensitivity has decreased to an Exposure Index of 3 because of old age and likely increasing fog. It may not be intended for creation of negatives, and its target contrast (a critical component of any measurement of film sensitivity and development evaluation) may have been entirely different then what you might need. Normally, with something this complex I would recommend several trial rolls and several trial developing tests, but that isn't available to you.

The closest recommendation I can make is to look at the examples you can find with other developers that have worked. Take HC-110 dil H as an example. Then search around for examples of other films where people have tried both HC-110 dil H and Rodinal 1+25 (at the same temperature and using the same agitation) to develop them and been happy with both results. Then compare the development times. If the Rodinal time was, for example, 80% of the time for HC-110 for that film, then try that dilution and temperature of Rodinal for 80% of the time that the person used who got successful results using HC-110 dil H with the Svema film.

Phew!

Please don't let this frustrate you.

 

[Bob Dilworth]

Thanks for the reply Matt!

I have been going through the Massive Dev on-line site looking for exactly what you're describing. It's a slog, for sure. I've also been doing some on-line research into the different types of developers, their characteristics, and how they work for different film stocks. I also found an on-line copy of Ansel Adam's The Negative and am currently going through that. I was/am hoping to find some sort of general rule of thumb to apply to developers with regards to development time for film stocks of different characteristics ... e.g., for panchromatic slow speed film in Rodinal start with 1:50 for 7 minutes at 20 degrees celsius and adjust from there.

I'm not at all frustrated by any of this. I find it fun and enjoyable.

Bob D.

 

[MattKing]

Bob:
One of the problems with looking for what you seek is that the film may not be a slow speed film, but rather a mid-speed film that has lost sensitivity due to age and fog.

You probably would be best served by a developer that deals well with high fog - and I wouldn't put Rodinal in that category.

 

[Igor Savchenko]

Hi Bob,

MZ-3 (and MZ-3L) is a film initially intended for copying from negative and for reproduction work, it does have ISO 3-5 (when fresh), very high contrast, and high resolution. With storage it tends to loose contrast more than speed, and not so much gains fog. In Rodinal I would try it 1+100, about 25-30 min., agitation at every 3 min., both options: ISO 3 and ISO 25. If it's fogged, try another side: 1+25, about 8 min., at every 1 min.

 

[Bob Dilworth]

Thank you Igor! I will give it a try and see what happens!

Bob D.