BigSteveG
Well-known
I am about to use some Rodinal which origianaly opened May '06. It;s been in a cool cabinet in its box since then. Is this stuff still any good?
Rodinal efficacy??????
- Thread starter BigSteveG
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 17
- Views 1K
FrankS
Registered User
1806 or 1906?
2006 is no problem.
2006 is no problem.
BigSteveG
Well-known
Ahhh....Frank you're a Godsend!!!! You've bolstered my courage...now I hope the shots are ok so I can impress the woman I used as a model yesterday!!!
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
A few years ago, I found a half-full bottle of Rodinal in a box of my Dad's photo stuff in his attic. He guessed it was last used a few months after I was born, in 1972. I used it up, and liked the results so much I kept buying more. I couldn't see any difference in results from that then 30+ year old bottle to the new bottle I bought a couple of weeks later. I've heard the stuff lasts forever; I'm here to tell you that it lasts at least 30 years in a half-full bottle. Yours should be fine.
FrankS
Registered User
Any really important shots should be developed in proven developer (and other chemical/materials) so developing a test role may be prudent.
BigSteveG
Well-known
Images have appeared!!! The negs are now drying in my shower stall. They look crisp and contrasty. We shall see.....
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
When in doubt... prepare your solution and drop a film leader.
Note the time it takes to become dark grey and if it is within 1/5 of your development time you are in businness
Rodinal has a very long life, and that is the beauty of it!
Note the time it takes to become dark grey and if it is within 1/5 of your development time you are in businness
Rodinal has a very long life, and that is the beauty of it!
BigSteveG
Well-known
EmilGil
Well-known
I read about someone who tested a bottle of the original Rodinal, produced in 1933 or so. Well over 70 years old it proved more active than the fresh bottle used for comparison, they had to reduce the development time to keep the film from overdev'ing!
vicmortelmans
Well-known
Let me pick in on this Rodinal-thread with another question: I notice that other developers make a note in the documentation about the minimum amount of concentrate developer required to develop a film. This implies that e.g. for high dilutions, you need more diluted volume than what is strictly needed to fill the development tank.
No such info in the Rodinal documentation (not that I can find)... But I'm quite sure that Rodinal 1+100 will exhaust if there's only enough volume in the tank to submerge the film completely.
For one roll 135 film (36 exp), in rodinal 1+50, I use 7ml. For rodinal 1+100, I would only need 3.5ml, but this seems like ridiculously little, so I usually double the volume and use 7ml as well.
How do you deal with this?? Is thire info on the minimum amount of rodinal required per film?
Groeten,
Vic
No such info in the Rodinal documentation (not that I can find)... But I'm quite sure that Rodinal 1+100 will exhaust if there's only enough volume in the tank to submerge the film completely.
For one roll 135 film (36 exp), in rodinal 1+50, I use 7ml. For rodinal 1+100, I would only need 3.5ml, but this seems like ridiculously little, so I usually double the volume and use 7ml as well.
How do you deal with this?? Is thire info on the minimum amount of rodinal required per film?
Groeten,
Vic
colinh
Well-known
EmilGil said:
I get the little bottles (125 ml) so at 1+50 (for 300 ml) I'll be getting 20 films developed from one bottle. At present I'm shooting a lot more than I was - so it's not going to get too old, but it's nice to know that it won't anyway.
These other chemicals which go off "after 6 months" are getting on my nerves 🙁
70 years is pretty good! 🙂
colin
ath
Well-known
Agfa always stated to use min. 10ml to be on the safe side.
How much safety margin you want to compromise is up to you.
How much safety margin you want to compromise is up to you.
markinlondon
Elmar user
vicmortelmans
Well-known
ath said:
Very interesting!! Too little active developer is bad for shadow detail, I reckon, so I'll certainly try developing in increased volume. If the volume gets too big, I read that it's a good idea to split it and refresh the developer somewhere in the middle of the development time. This could give an extra boost to shadow development...
Thinking this through, would there be any use (e.g. for pushing) in having two development baths with different dilution. E.g. I could think of having a high dilution bath first (for highlight development) and then to the end a short but low dilution bath (for shadow development)... would this make sense, or will I end up with the same result as if I'd poured it all into one bath?
Groeten,
Vic
Xmas
Veteran
I think the formula was developed in the late 80s, i.e. 1880 or so...
I've only ever used 30 year old stuff though, ot was ok.
Noel
I've only ever used 30 year old stuff though, ot was ok.
Noel
peterc
Heretic
I usually use 2.5ml to make 1+100 for my 250ml metal tank.
Last edited:
feenej
Well-known
I used 1 to 100 dilution for stand developing and it turns black in a few days after I use it, so I figured that it does not keep well.. guess it does. Er, the stuff in the bottle does.
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
Rodinal does not keep in solution, it should be used quite quickly (within a few hours)
As per the minimum, Agfa reccommends 10ml but 3 or 4 seems to be more than plenty.
for 1+100 or 1+200 it is common to use 3 - 5 ml, in my experience is always better to use a bit more (let's say 500ml for 1 35mm) in stand dev specially.
As per the minimum, Agfa reccommends 10ml but 3 or 4 seems to be more than plenty.
for 1+100 or 1+200 it is common to use 3 - 5 ml, in my experience is always better to use a bit more (let's say 500ml for 1 35mm) in stand dev specially.