4ml of Rodinal sufficient?

[megido]

I'm just about to use a Rondinax tank for the first time. The tank only requires 200ml so a 1:50 solution will only give me 4ml of Rodinal. Is this enough to work sufficiently? Agfa states 5ml minimum. I'm also presuming my maths are correct!
Thank you in advance.

 

[johnf04]

I use Rodinal 1:50 in a larger tank - it works out to 13ml. It works fine.

 

[f16sunshine]

I've never used less than 6ml per roll to be safe.
If for example 4ml becomes exhausted before all the shadow details are developed, you will have blocked shadows.
You could use a stronger re-usable developer in that tiny tank such as Tmax Dev mixed at 1:4

The bottom line is, I don't know the answer but have gone on the safe side in the past.
In your position.... I would change ratio or use a different developer.

 

[johnf04]

Use the 5ml minimum specified by Agfa, and dilute with 255ml water. That will give you 1:50.

 

[michaelwj]

I'm in the "no idea but I normally use a bit less that 6mL" camp. I use 5.7mL per roll, which is 1:50. If I were you, I'd try to use at least 5mL (minimum specified), and if that means you go to 1:40 then so be it. Don't forget to reduce development time.\

EDIT: You say the tank only requires 200mL, can it fit 250mL? If so, I would use 250mL. For example, my 2 roll Patterson tank says 10oz per film, two films (max) is 20oz, but it fits more than 20oz.

 

[Freakscene]

The short answer is "it might work" but lowering the amount of stock could eventually cause problems with uneven development or insufficient density in a high key scene. I'd work out how much the tank holds, then use 5mL of stock made up to that volume and work out your own time. Highly dilute Rodinal works very well but I always needed a 1L tank for 2 rolls at 1+100 to get consistent development.

Marty

 

[johnf04]

I use 650ml in a Jessops tank (Paterson type) for 2 rolls, developed in Rodinal 1:50, and I haven't had any problems with uneven development.

 

[megido]

Use the 5ml minimum specified by Agfa, and dilute with 255ml water. That will give you 1:50.

So total amount equalling 260ml correct?
The Rondinax works on the principle that the film is never fully immersed. I'm sure an extra 60ml won't make much difference. It just means that more of the film will be covered by the liquid. I guess I will have to experiment until I can achieve consistant results. Thank you

 

[Freakscene]

So total amount equalling 260ml correct?
The Rondinax works on the principle that the film is never fully immersed. I'm sure an extra 60ml won't make much difference. It just means that more of the film will be covered by the liquid. I guess I will have to experiment until I can achieve consistant results. Thank you

It's 1+50 - put 5mL of Rodinal in and make it up to 255mL. The 5 mL change in volume is, however, unlikely to make much practical difference, particularly given slight variations in agitation, time and temperature.

Marty

 

[megido]

So, I developed the first roll in the Rondinax. Rodinal 1:50 200ml. The negs seemed to come out reasonably well. Maybe a little on the thin side in comparison to the negs that have been perfectly hand processed by my regular lab for years. Printing times are a little shorter than normal and I have to increase the grade of filter from 2 to 2.5 or 3. I'm not sure that my thermometer is too accurate though. It measured the liquids at 21c which shortened the development time by 1 minute per the massive dec chart. I have the feeling that increasing development time from 10 -11 minutes (constant agitation) would have given better results. The grain seems very controlled too. The film dried without any streaks but while printing I noticed an abnormal amount of white spots which I presume is dust, but i've never experienced so much which makes me wonder if it could be something else. Is there anyway to clarify if these spots are dust or not? Could it possibly be something else?
Any advice most welcome!

 

[julio1fer]

I use a Rondinax very often - with over about 250 ml it will leak solution around the axis.

The spots could well come from the water if you used tap water. Maybe try filtered water for solutions and wash next time?.

I do my last few washes with deionized or distilled water to avoid streaks.

You may have to tune your develoipment times for your conditions. From your description, a bit more developing would have given the density / contrast that you needed.

 

[charjohncarter]

Use the recommended amount for a roll. The stuff isn't that expensive. And if you do that you will get consistency that can carry over to a new tank, or double rolls. From experience consistency in developing is hard; you have to get time, temp, agitation right which are 3 variables so why add a 4th (another potential problem) with your developer.

 

[megido]

I use a Rondinax very often - with over about 250 ml it will leak solution around the axis.

The spots could well come from the water if you used tap water. Maybe try filtered water for solutions and wash next time?.

I do my last few washes with deionized or distilled water to avoid streaks.

You may have to tune your develoipment times for your conditions. From your description, a bit more developing would have given the density / contrast that you needed.

I used regular tap water for the whole process (including chemicals) except for the last rinse with distilled water. No streaks. Do you think the spots could be impurities in the water during developing/fixing that were not removed by the distilled water?
Are you rinsing in running water or completely filling the Rondinax as in the instructions?

 

[megido]

Use the recommended amount for a roll. The stuff isn't that expensive. And if you do that you will get consistency that can carry over to a new tank, or double rolls. From experience consistency in developing is hard; you have to get time, temp, agitation right which are 3 variables so why add a 4th (another potential problem) with your developer.

The Rondinax tank accepts 200ml only, hence the 4ml dilution. I suppose I could add 5ml making the dilution 1:40 but I don't see any uneven development with 4.