Calling all Rodinal Users!

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streetshoot

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I'm really curious to hear other rodinal users experiences with the interesting chemical and your results and uses, I'd love to broaden my own horizon to rodinal and get the full capability to this awesome developer!

Majority of my time if done stand developing because I had some bad results with regular development but would love to hear anyones process who does regular development with rodinal because I couldn't seem to get it.

The main issue I've had with stand development is getting uneven development in certain spots on the film and some halos near the sky which is why id love to hear anyone who does regular development or pushes and pulls... but otherwise fine. Ive been shooting with tri-x 400. My process includes a 1/100 dilution, 5m in 500ml and agitating the first 2 minutes, letting sit until 30 minute mark including one more agitation for air bubbles, then letting sit yet again until the 60 minute mark.

I'll post some of my own shots! Looking forward to hearing from you guys Beach:Mashamuet 065 by Jack Link, on Flickr
 
Many people say Rodinal and Tri-X is a match made in hell. I don't think so. You just need to develop it carefully. One film roll at the time in a 0,5l tank. Agitate for 30 seconds and then insert the tank only twice for every 2,5 minutes. I use EI320 and Rodinal 1+50 for 12 minutes:

25842313211_8200655c25_c.jpg
 
I gave up on stand; too many problems. I do semi-stand when compensation is needed, but I don't use Rodinal. I also found the 35mm Trix developed by any method with Rodinal gave me more grain than I liked so I don't use Rodinal for 35mm. When I do use Rodinal with 120 I use 1+50. But these are my preferences, you may be happy with features that I don't like. So, as they said in the 70s: do your own thing.
 
I find Rodinal works well with 35mm APX100 with normal development as per Agfa data sheet, but faster 35m films in Rodinal leads to unacceptably coarse grain.

I find it's fine for faster films (HP5+) in 120 though.
 
Sometimes I will use Rodinal, only as a stand developer, 1 plus 100 for 60 minutes. For 35mm film I've found the negatives I like are in a working solution of 600 ml. developed for 1 hour. The best results are achieved with lower ISO films, usually 100. The higher speed films are interesting, grainey, especially with smaller negatives that 35mm film produces.

Mostly, I use other developers, Microdol-X used as stock solution (not diluted) for developing 35mm.

Here is some information on Rodinal to help:

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Rodinal/rodinal.html
 
I use Rodinal/Adonal for traditional (ie non-stand) development. I played with stand for a brief period to see if it was worth more exploration but had too many uneven development issues.

I also use Rodinal with Tri X (typically overexposed by a stop/shot at 200). It can be grainy in 35mm but the tones work well for me. I shoot Acros when I want less grain anyway.
 
Brian Legge said:
I use Rodinal/Adonal for traditional (ie non-stand) development. I played with stand for a brief period to see if it was worth more exploration but had too many uneven development issues.

I also use Rodinal with Tri X (typically overexposed by a stop/shot at 200). It can be grainy in 35mm but the tones work well for me. I shoot Acros when I want less grain anyway.
Click to expand...

Ahh sweet, do you find shooting at those speeds worked well? Also what's your dilution and process you use for trix and rodinal? Based on the times on the massive dev chart it left my film blotchy and underexposed
 
I have used Rodinal since I was 15 years old. It is a wonderful developer, but there are a lot of myths about it floating around the internet.

I get the best results with the 1+50 dilution using NORMAL developing techniques. No stand developing; it gives uneven results. I agitate first 30 seconds then two inversions every 30 seconds.

It gives the best tonality of any developer I have tried with Tmax 100, Fuji Acros 100, and Ilford Pan-F. I just tried it recently with Tmax 400 and was very pleased with it.

I like the results with Tri-X and HP5 for some subjects; it gives a gritty, slightly grainy, but very sharp look with those films.


2016-04-09-0006.jpg

Tmax 400, 35mm

2016-04-09-0007.jpg

Tmax 400, 35mm

dolls19.jpg

Tri-X, 35mm

minnich-house.jpg

Tmax 100, 120 size (645)

white-chairs.jpg

Tmax 100, 120 (6x6)

rainbow-snow1.jpg

Ilford Pan-F, 35mm

sandpoint-tv.jpg

Fuji Acros 100, 120 (6x6)

burned-church-1.jpg

Fuji Acros 100, 120 (6x6)
 
Here are my developing times and film speeds for Rodinal with all the films I have used it for.

http://crawfordphotoschool.com/film/developing.php?tab=1

I have used both the final version of Agfa Rodinal, which is now sold as Adox Adinol, and the Pre-WWII formula, which is sold as Adox APH-09. Developing times seem to be identical for them. I'm currently using APH-09.
 
Rodinal is all about grain, unless you're shooting medium format, in which case you might not see much of it. The thing is, the grain is beautiful and sharp. Arista EDU Ultra 100 works well even at 1:25 w/ 35mm film. W/ Tri-X, I got beautiful overall grain w/ this developer using 35mm film at 1:25 (which is the only way I like to develop it). It was really nice in the prints. Don't over agitate this developer. I found the overall tonality a little less than other developers, but it makes up for that w/ the sharpness and grain structure.
 
The first scan here is w/ 35mm Arista EDU Ultra 100, the second is w/ 35mm Tri-X (note the neat overall grain), and the last is Shanghai GP3 Pan 100 in 120 format. All are developed in Rodinal at 1:25, and I over agitated a bit w/ the 35mm to bring out the grain because when you wet print you lose a lot of it. Tri-X in D76 will give you a LOT more tonality at the sacrifice of some sharpness, and I prefer that developer to Rodinal w/ that film, but for some subjects Rodinal might be good. This is all conventional development, no stand.

nr10_zpsaomu2ycm.jpg~original


nr1_zps6abezfzu.jpg~original


b2_zps9ht6dh5x.jpg~original
 
I'd say the following.
1) If you want to use Rodinal, use Acurol N instead - it is as sharp but slower working, so you do not get highlights blockage anywhere as fast. Also, from my experience so far, the grain is finer and the development more even. Acurol N IS the new Rodinal as far as I am concerned.
2) Give up the stand development idea. SPUR recommends 1 inversion every 5 mins for longer development with higher dilutions - I do 2 inversions every 3 minutes, as I am leery of uneven development effects. If your negative is not sharp enough, you can scan it and sharpen in PP, but if the development is uneven, your negative is as good as lost.
3) Long development in diluted non solvent developer causes 3 things:
- slight speed gain
- compensating development (good if your tonal range was broad, bad if it was flat)
- sharp, but pronounced grain - the grain in part depends on agitation, so agitate as little as necessary to avoid streaking. etc
If you like this kind of development, do the following:
- dilute your developer around 1:100 ( Acurol N, Rodinal or HC 110)
- shoot a test roll with ALL the B&W films you will ever want to use. Expose part of the film on a tripod shooting the same scene in steps between ISO 16 and 2000 ( 16, 32, 64, 125... etc). Make 1 step wedge in contrasty light 1 in flat light and shoot the rest of the film slightly above the box speed ( ISO 100 at 125, ISO 400 at 500, etc)
- develop at 24C for about 25 mins - I usually do 24.5 mins, 30 sec continuous agitation ( your 2 minutes were WAY too long) and a couple of bangs and a couple of gentle inversions ( no banging) every 3 mins thereafter.
Then determine which speed you like the most - it should typically be the speed where you get the most shadow detail, but not yet highlight clipping.

This way you will discover at which EI to shoot each of your films, and will be able to develop them all the same way, provided you will WANT high acutance and at least some grain.
For fine grain look up fine grain developers.
For pushing look up high speed developers.
There are no holy grails.

BTW Tri X in my book is EI 250.

Tri X in HC 110 dil H

20131123 by marek fogiel, on Flickr
 
Psssssjh!

I use Rodinal with Acros and also with Foma 100, I never use stand, imo stand is when you have cocked up something (forgot film type, pushed something beyond normal push etc) and need to develop to preserve highlights or make sure you get a photo. If and when, I use Hc-110 for that.

I normally only use Rodinal for the 100 speed films, HC-110 for them as well as higher speed films.

These are all 120 size 6*7 and 6*6

Acros -> Rodinal 1+50

The field by Ole-Henrik Helin, on Flickr



Batch+Pict0043.jpg



Foma 100 -> Rodinal 1+50

Batch+Pict0013-Edit.jpg


Batch+Pict0022-Edit.jpg
 
Wow! this has been super helpful guys, really informative website you have going, a record for yourself and others. Also awesome pics form everyone, seeing rodinal working these pics so nicely has me looking forward to developing my next roll more than actually shooting it
 
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