Agfa Rondinax daylight loading tank.

[G1DRP]

Does anyone else use one of these?
I really enjoy using mine, it even has a built in thermometer!

Sent from my GT-S5830

 

[wotalegend]

I have a Rondinax 35U which I have had since new in the 1960s, and a Rondinax 60 (for 120 film) which I bought on the big auction site 2-3 years ago. They are both a clever design, particularly the Rondinax 60 with its procedure for removing the 120 film backing paper, but I am not using them at the moment because I find it a bit of a pain having to turn the reel non-stop throughout the process. For 35mm I am now using a Jobo 2400, which is also a daylight loading tank but of totally different design looking more like a conventional developing tank. And for 120 I am currently mastering the art of using a stainless steel tank and reel.

 

[G1DRP]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply! I just find the tank easier to load but I do agree with you with regard to having to turn the knob continuously. I flick it bt about 30 or so degrees every two seconds.
I have done a Youtube video on it today. It's not a very well shot or well narrated video but it allows people who are not farmiliar with this type of tank, to see what they are all about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjUIC2T-C6Q

 

[Hilm3]

I have a couple of the 35U tanks. I love them in principle and I don't mind at all cranking the hand wheel. What I have not found is a developer/concentration/time combination that gives me consistent results regarding grain. The half-turn every 3 seconds agitation regimen gives me more contrast than I like as well as more pronounced grain.

My best results have been with Tri-x/R09 1:40 and Tri-x/D76 full strength not 1:1. My worst results with TMAX 100 or 400 any juice and with Tri-x/HC-110.

I am determined to find a combination that works best for using this tank. I blast a roll every once in a while to test with. My favorite results so far are with Tri-x rated at 200, D76 full strenth for 7 minutes @68F, agitation constant for 30 seconds, then 1/2 crank every 3 seconds, as in 1-2-crank-1-2-crank, etc.

Any experiences worth sharing out there?

 

[Rhodes]

Have a old jobo automat 35. Similar to the new 2400 system but the cartridge remains inside the tank during developing. and developing is by rotational method insted of inversation. Did not try it out yet!

 

[B.J.Scharp]

I use two 2400 tanks as well. Great design, and hardly any more developer needed, 450ml vs 400ml in my `normal' tank. Well worth the ease of loading in daylight.

Just make sure to clean the reels well after each use. If the film sticks halfway through loading, you've got a problem.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I saw one on the "$1- special" table at a local camera flea market last Sunday. I was offered anything on the table for free as I have given some of the items to the dealer. I passed.

 

[neelin]

I saw one on the "$1- special" table at a local camera flea market last Sunday. I was offered anything on the table for free as I have given some of the items to the dealer. I passed.

Good call. There is a 35U where I volunteer. It's a curiosity, but I put it in the class of things like salad shooters, miracle dicer's. Too fiddly and limited to 1 roll to bother even trying out. I'd rather try the in-cassette developing concept first (pencil/elastic/coffee cup style) if I wanted a compact rig.
Robert

 

[Per Hauberg]

Agfa Rondinax 60

Agfa Rondinax 60

Hello everyone -

I believe, that I once in a video on YouTube heard a man mentioning, that the Rondinax does not work with modern, thin 120 rollfilm.
Is this a general problem, or any makes in special ?
My preferred BW is Ilford, and if those films do no match the tank, I'll stay away from EBay. Otherwise, I would love to give it a try.

Greetings from (almost too) sunny Denmark.

Per
Rolleiflex 2,8F, Yashica 124G and happy with both.

 

[Steve M.]

We have TWO salad shooters (inherited them w/ the new place). I thought they would be cool to use so I pulled one out of the box and checked it out. Looked like a real PITA to clean, various attachments to put together, and how hard is it to chop salad stuff by hand anyway?

It went back in the box, and both are on their way to the thrift store donation box. At least now I know. Might be good for scaring the cat, but they have long memories. You'd pay for that at some point.

 

[Godfrey]

I believe, that I once in a video on YouTube heard a man mentioning, that the Rondinax does not work with modern, thin 120 rollfilm.
Is this a general problem, or any makes in special ?
My preferred BW is Ilford, and if those films do no match the tank, I'll stay away from EBay. Otherwise, I would love to give it a try.

I've processed 120 Kodak Tri-X, Ilford Delta 3200, and Fuji ACROS 100 in my Rondinax 60. No problems that I could determine.

I have processed all of my 35mm B&W and color negative in either a Rondinax 35U or Rondix 35 for the past year. Much more useful than a salad shooter.

For all films, I mix 200ml HC-110 1:49 from concentrate, fresh, stabilize temperature of developer, intermediate rinse and fixer at 68°F, and process for 8 minutes. That's netted good results with all the films I've used, albeit that they look a little more contrasty and grainy than low agitation or stand processing results. I adjust the IE to give me the results I want, per film. Example:

Nikon F6 + 180mm f/2.8 AF ED-IF
Rollei-Agfa Superpan 200​

G

 

[sevo]

Hello everyone -

I believe, that I once in a video on YouTube heard a man mentioning, that the Rondinax does not work with modern, thin 120 rollfilm.

I don't suppose it is the film strength, mine was already prone to the film sticking to itself in the early eighties, when I had purchased it new. Film strength at that time was the same as today.

 

[Per Hauberg]

Rodinax 60

Rodinax 60

Thanks, Both !

I think, I'll stay tuned to find one.

Sevo: One of the tutourials on YouTube recommend pouring in the developer before loading the film. did You try that ?

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks, Both !

I think, I'll stay tuned to find one.

Sevo: One of the tutourials on YouTube recommend pouring in the developer before loading the film. did You try that ?

It's a bit messy to do that and prone to getting fingerprints into the emulsion in my experience.

I load film into the dry tank, then do a pre-rinse with water, then start the developer. Seems to work fine.

Thin-base films (like the Rollei/Agfa SuperPan 200) are a pain in many tanks, and in many cameras. My F6 hates that film, for instance. The M4-2 and Leicaflex SL do ok with it. But the Rondix 35 handled it with no problems (lack of any spiral reel makes it my go-to when I have anything too funky).

G

 

[Greyscale]

I use mine all the time. Love it. The Rondinax was originally a Leitz product in the 1930's, to allow users of those fancy newfangled 35mm cameras to develop their films in the field. Like the Salad Shooter, it has stood the test of time. Users of Russian Leica copies can use the Russian Rondinax copy, which has all of the features of the original, less the thermometer.

 

[Trius]

Can I develop film with a salad shooter?

 

[sevo]

I use mine all the time. Love it. The Rondinax was originally a Leitz product in the 1930's,

It was invented and introduced by Agfa in 1938. Leitz licensed it from 1949 to 55 - prior to that they had been distributing the Correx daylight tank.

 

[Greyscale]

It was invented and introduced by Agfa in 1938. Leitz licensed it from 1949 to 55 - prior to that they had been distributing the Correx daylight tank.

I stand corrected. Thank you.