My first brush with Rodinal

[vinyljunky]

I've been using HC-110 to develop my film for awhile now, and while I was pretty happy nothing really wowed me.

I got my new Leica M3 last week, so decided to take some trial shots. This time I developed using Rodinal (R09), and for the first time I was wowed.

All shots were taken with my Leica M3 + Canon 50mm/f1.4 on Efke 100. Stand development with Rodinal (60 min dev. time, agitation for the first minute and then a few inversions at the 30 min mark).

Comments/criticisms welcome!

 

[vinyljunky]

Some more...

 

[vinyljunky]

The last few...

 

[Mablo]

Nice shots. I've been on and off using Rodinal for a number of years. At the moment I don't use anything else. Stand developing is easy and you get good results but using 1+25 or 1+50 dilutions will give you more tones and contrast. I agitate the first 30 secs and then once every 30 secs.

 

[Keith]

Rodinal is definitely my favourite developer. Developers are like camera gear IMO ... you can jump from one to the other searching for the magic bullet and get to the point where you're achieving nothing not to mention failing to understand the character of any of them.

I used Xtol for quite a while and was reasonably content ... then tried Rodinal and instantly liked what I saw.

Interesting to see those Efke 100 shots ... Ive just received three hundred feet of it from Freestyle and when I finish the Acros in the loader Efke will be my go to 100 ISO film for a while.

 

[wakarimasen]

Are you talking about the R09 'One Shot' formula shown here:
http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ro9--rodinal-500ml-758-p.asp

I'm thinking of trying this or ID11, and have been put of a bit by the 'coarser grain' comment in the link description. Do you find that this is any more difficult to scan than D76 or ID11?

Also, can Rodinal be used - as per D76 or ID11 - in Paterson spiral tanks?

Best regards,
RoyM

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Are you talking about the R09 'One Shot' formula shown here:
http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ro9--rodinal-500ml-758-p.asp

I'm thinking of trying this or ID11, and have been put of a bit by the 'coarser grain' comment in the link description. Do you find that this is any more difficult to scan than D76 or ID11?

Also, can Rodinal be used - as per D76 or ID11 - in Paterson spiral tanks?

Best regards,
RoyM

Roy,

Rodinal works fine in Patterson tanks, and Rodinal negs scan as well as any others. I use Rodinal, D-76, PMK, and Tmax Developer..choosing depending on the film I'm using and the look I want. Rodinal is grainier but the film has a very sharp look. Get some and try it. With fine grain films like Pan-F or Tmax 100 or FP-4, the grain is not noticeably larger. With Tri-X it is, giving a grittier look, but the grain is not ugly or objectionable...part of the gritty look comes from the tonality Rodinal gives with that film.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Rodinal is definitely my favourite developer. Developers are like camera gear IMO ... you can jump from one to the other searching for the magic bullet and get to the point where you're achieving nothing not to mention failing to understand the character of any of them.

I used Xtol for quite a while and was reasonably content ... then tried Rodinal and instantly liked what I saw.

Interesting to see those Efke 100 shots ... Ive just received three hundred feet of it from Freestyle and when I finish the Acros in the loader Efke will be my go to 100 ISO film for a while.

Keith,

I like Efke 100 in Rodinal 1+50 for normal (not stand) developing. I think you'll like it.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I've been using HC-110 to develop my film for awhile now, and while I was pretty happy nothing really wowed me.

I got my new Leica M3 last week, so decided to take some trial shots. This time I developed using Rodinal (R09), and for the first time I was wowed.

All shots were taken with my Leica M3 + Canon 50mm/f1.4 on Efke 100. Stand development with Rodinal (60 min dev. time, agitation for the first minute and then a few inversions at the 30 min mark).

Comments/criticisms welcome!

Your photos look nice. I agree with Mablo that regular developing in Rodinal 1+50 is probably better. I've never been a fan of stand developing, but you did well with it.

 

[Keith]

Keith,

I like Efke 100 in Rodinal 1+50 for normal (not stand) developing. I think you'll like it.

50:1 is about the only way I use Rodinal Chris. I've never been a huge fan of the look it gives through stand developing ... it loses it's edge IMO.

I'm looking forward to finishing off that Acros and giving the Efke a try ... who knows where I'll go when the Efke's all gone. I'd be tempted to give T-max a try ... if it's still around! 😀

 

[vinyljunky]

Your photos look nice. I agree with Mablo that regular developing in Rodinal 1+50 is probably better. I've never been a fan of stand developing, but you did well with it.

Thanks Chris!

1+50 was next on my list with Rodinal, will also try 1+25 and see what works best.

 

[Mablo]

I urge people to try 1+25 dilution sometimes. It gives a bit more punch when you need it. Here APX100 at EI100.

 

[John Bragg]

Rodinal is a much talked about developer and you either love it or hate it. I use mainly HC-110 but Rodinal is my other favorite and I love the way both of them last for half way to eternity.

Tri-X in Rodinal 1:50

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Thanks Chris!

1+50 was next on my list with Rodinal, will also try 1+25 and see what works best.

50:1 is about the only way I use Rodinal Chris. I've never been a huge fan of the look it gives through stand developing ... it loses it's edge IMO.

I'm looking forward to finishing off that Acros and giving the Efke a try ... who knows where I'll go when the Efke's all gone. I'd be tempted to give T-max a try ... if it's still around! 😀

Try the Efke 100 in Rodinal 1+50 for ten minutes at 68F/20C. If I remember correctly, I had to determine that myself. I don't think the instructions with the film give Rodinal times. I wish I had more of the film to shoot, it is beautiful stuff.

Here's one of my Efke 100 in Rodinal 1+50 shots:

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I'm enthusiastic about Rodinal 1+100 and stand development at the moment.

The results please me and I find something very pleasant about pouring in the dev, inverting it three times and just forgetting about it until the timer beeps at me.

It suits my laziness just fine 😀

 

[wakarimasen]

Roy,

Rodinal works fine in Patterson tanks, and Rodinal negs scan as well as any others. I use Rodinal, D-76, PMK, and Tmax Developer..choosing depending on the film I'm using and the look I want. Rodinal is grainier but the film has a very sharp look. Get some and try it. With fine grain films like Pan-F or Tmax 100 or FP-4, the grain is not noticeably larger. With Tri-X it is, giving a grittier look, but the grain is not ugly or objectionable...part of the gritty look comes from the tonality Rodinal gives with that film.

OK - I'll give it a go! I have

• Legacy Pro 100 (35mm)
• Ilford Delta 400 (120)
• Neopan Acros 100 (120)
• Neopan 400CN (120)

Think I'll get Rodinal & an Ilford one-shot product to compare. So far I have used TMax (which seemed ok) and D76. The latter was a 3.8L packet which I split to make a 1 1.9L solution. As I have since read, that was not a good idea: a fact borne out by my disappointing negatives.


Any recommendations for a general purpose Ilford One-Shot product?

 

[John Bragg]

OK - I'll give it a go! I have

• Legacy Pro 100 (35mm)
• Ilford Delta 400 (120)
• Neopan Acros 100 (120)
• Neopan 400CN (120)

Think I'll get Rodinal & an Ilford one-shot product to compare. So far I have used TMax (which seemed ok) and D76. The latter was a 3.8L packet which I split to make a 1 1.9L solution. As I have since read, that was not a good idea: a fact borne out by my disappointing negatives.


Any recommendations for a general purpose Ilford One-Shot product?

Ilford devs are good but Ilfosol can go off quickly. Ilfotec HC is worth a go. Just like Kodak HC-110.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

OK - I'll give it a go! I have

• Legacy Pro 100 (35mm)
• Ilford Delta 400 (120)
• Neopan Acros 100 (120)
• Neopan 400CN (120)

Think I'll get Rodinal & an Ilford one-shot product to compare. So far I have used TMax (which seemed ok) and D76. The latter was a 3.8L packet which I split to make a 1 1.9L solution. As I have since read, that was not a good idea: a fact borne out by my disappointing negatives.


Any recommendations for a general purpose Ilford One-Shot product?

Ilford's ID-11 is very similar to D-76 and Ilfotec HC is a clone of HC-110, so I wouldn't bother with either since you've used HC-110 already. Ilford's DD-X is similar to T-Max Developer.

If you want a general purpose liquid developer, I'd stick with Tmax Developer and dilute it 1+7 instead of 1+4. This does two things: it saves you money and it allows longer developing times. Tmax 1+4 is so powerful that for many films the developing times are in the 5-6 minute range, which I don't like. You have to be very precise with timing and agitation with such short times. I have Tmax 1+7 times for several films on my website. This developer gives nice tonality and fine grain at that dilution. A good alternative to Rodinal as the grain is finer and the tonality different.

 

[vinyljunky]

My attempts at using 1+50. Overall, I feel the results at 1+50 have much better contrast and are more consistent.

All pictures are from a recent trip to Macau, Leica M3 + Canon 50mm/f1.4 using Adox Ortho 25.

 

[wakarimasen]

Returned today from AG Photographic with D76 (1L pack this time) and 500ml of Adox Adonal. The latter will be used for the Lagacy Pro 100 from my EOS 3