Tri-x and Rodinal.

[Mike Kennedy]

Hi,
Seems like a lot of folks using the APUG forum sware by Rodinal.I was able to pick up a small bottle at my local arts college and would like to give it a go.Should I stick to the recommendations on the "Massive Developing Chart" or are there a few tricks of the trade that could improve my negs.
PS:My allround films are Tri-x and FP4.
Thank You,
Mike

 

[modafoto]

Should I stick to the recommendations on the "Massive Developing Chart" or are there a few tricks of the trade that could improve my negs.

Start out with MDC times, and then evaluate your negs. I tend to develop a bit more for the contrast to increase and make my negs crispy.

 

[bjorke]

Overexpose by a stop, then overdevelop by two stops. Print on #5.

NOW you know what Rodinal is about!

 

[jim appleyard]

As with any new film or dev. do a test roll first. It's a good idea to bracket your exposures and keep notes. A small hand-held tape recorder is great for this.

 

[modafoto]

Overexpose by a stop, then overdevelop by two stops. Print on #5.

NOW you know what Rodinal is about!

Damn, what a great advice! That would be BLACK AND WHITE (no midtones there, fella)

 

[rogueish]

Overexpose by a stop, then overdevelop by two stops. Print on #5.

I get the overexpose part. When you say underdevelop by two stops, do you mean develop iso 200 as if it was 50 iso?
If heard this before, just want to make sure I understand :confused:

 

[Soeren]

I get the overexpose part. When you say underdevelop by two stops, do you mean develop iso 200 as if it was 50 iso?
If heard this before, just want to make sure I understand :confused:

EHH yeah but he didn't say underdevelop, he said overdevelop as if you where pushing the film two stops. So it would be develop it (200ISO) as if it was exposed @ EI 800.
When overexposing and overdeveloping the negs would be rather dense though, right ?
Søren

 

[modafoto]

EHH yeah but he didn't say underdevelop, he said overdevelop as if you where pushing the film two stops. So it would be develop it (200ISO) as if it was exposed @ EI 800.
When overexposing and overdeveloping the negs would be rather dense though, right ?
Søren

Very dense and contrasty...and printed on grade 5 you get close to graphical looks.

 

[Ed Sukach]

Certainly, the place to *start* would be "The Massive Development Chart".

I've never used Rodinal with Tri-X (I haven't used Tri-X for quite a while, now), but Plus-X and Rodinal was/ is one of the "Classic" combinations.

I'm fairly certain "overexposure by X stops, and overdevelopment by X stops; and printing on #5 paper" would be solidly in the "Weird Special Effects" niche.

I wonder why anyone would suggest that for "first time" trail - Humor? Sarcasm? Sabotage of Rodinal?

 

[Chuck_P]

Typically, when an increase in contrast is desired through manipulated exposure and development one would "underexpose" and "overdevelop" the film, any film.

This is my thinking: Underexposing reduces negative density in the shadows (makes the shadows darker) and overdevelopment increases density in the highlights (makes the bright areas brighter). Thereby increasing the contrast in the final print.

Overexposing, seems to me, will reduce the contrast range between the shadows and the highlights (because you have provided extra exposure to the shadow areas) and overdeveloping will definitiely block the already overexposed highlights. I think I question that advice, but, that's just me.

I would use the manufacturer's recommended time and adjust from there.

Have a nice day,
Chuck

 

[modafoto]

I wonder why anyone would suggest that for "first time" trail - Humor? Sarcasm? Sabotage of Rodinal?

Certainly sabotage!

 

[MikeK]

Hi,
Seems like a lot of folks using the APUG forum sware by Rodinal.I was able to pick up a small bottle at my local arts college and would like to give it a go.Should I stick to the recommendations on the "Massive Developing Chart" or are there a few tricks of the trade that could improve my negs.
PS:My allround films are Tri-x and FP4.
Thank You,
Mike

Try rating Tri-X @200 and developing in Rodinal 1:100 for 20 minutes. I found the negatives very easy to print and what happened to the grain?

Mike

 

[titrisol]

Look in the archives.
We had a discussion about this combo a couple of months ago
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

IMHO Rodinal 1+50 and Tri-X give a very interesting look. Grainy but full tonality.
Very classic looking.

 

[fschifano]

The Massive Development Chart's times are a good place to start with this combination. In fact, most of the information I've used from that source has been pretty good. Youwill probably need to make some adjustments but it will get you in the ballpark, if not pretty close to home. Tri-X in Rodinal has a nice tonality, though I think that has more to do with the fact that the film is Tri-X than the developer. In 35mm formats, I think it is too grainy. The combination does work very well when the end result is a modest enlargement from a larger format negative.

 

[scootermm]

I just yesterday developed two rolls of 35mm TriX in Rodinal 1:50. developed for 17 mins because I shot them at EI1600 and I dot gorgeous negatives from it. very contrasty but that works wonderfully for the subject.

 

[gareth harper]

Bracket your first few rolls. Use the standard dev time and take it from there.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I've had some success with this combination in 35mm. I used Tri-X and exposed it at EI200 and developed normal 1+50 (can't remember the time). Grain will be pretty apparent, so from 35mm larger than 5x7 will look fairly grainy. The 5x7's look great, though. Nice contrast and tonality. If you want grain this could be a very good combination for you.

- Thom

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Thanks to one and all for the super advice.
Good Hunting,
Mike

 

[MikeK]

I have posted a test shot of Tri-X developed in Rodinal 1:100 in the Technicl Gallery. Not exactly a work of art, but nice tonal range and as I mentioed earlier - where is the grain. I have had great results with this film/developer combination and teh grain is very fine - must be the dilution

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Mike