Rodinal Revisited...

P

P. Lynn Miller

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As many of you would know I am big proponent of stand-development with Rodinal for everything and anything because of sheer laziness. But due to a recent thread - 'What is the Film Noir Look?' - I decided I wanted more contrast and edginess from my negatives, so I turned the heat up.

I processed 4 rolls of film, 2 - Efke KB25, 2 - Efke KB100, using 1:50 and 1:25 dilutions respectively. Here are the details -

Efke KB25 | Rodinal 1:50 | 8:40 minutes | 19ºC

Efke KB100 | Rodinal 1:25 | 6:30 minutes | 19ºC

Agitation was continuous for the first minute and included 10 sec of the next minute, then 10 secs of vigorous agitation every minute, on the minute there after. Agitation was continuous for the last 40 secs of the KB100 and 30 secs for the KB 25. As you can see I was pushing the contrast way up.

As you also know I equate time spent scanning and post-processing only slightly less painful than a root canal. So be patient and I will post scans as I get them done over the next few days.

Here is the first scan...

4830360920_760665529e_b.jpg

Leica M5 | Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f1.1 | Efke KB25 | Rodinal 1:50 | 8:40 minutes | 19ºC

The highlights are on the edge, but the shadows are black and deep.

Not sure what to think of the results...
 
Thanks!

Another negative...

4830419314_239fabd542_b.jpg

Leica M5 | Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f1.1 | Efke KB25 | Rodinal 1:50 | 8:40 minutes | 19ºC

Very little post-processing here... setting the black point... and a very slight contrast curve... that is about it.
 
Those boots really do look like they have been soaked in Rodinal.
Always get something out of your threads..thanks.
 
Thanks for all the compliments! Efke 25 and Rodinal is a great working pair, seems that even with high-contrast development, the highlights and shadow detail is still holding quite well with little obvious grain. Quite like the results so far.

Another negative scanned...

4832927588_50d750d561_b.jpg

Leica M5 | Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f1.1 | Efke KB25 | Rodinal 1:50 | 8:40 minutes | 19ºC
 
truly Outstanding....Luminous & Stellar !!
if thats the nokton 1.1
its a GEM
 
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Very nice Lynn ... I can see why you like that Efke so much!

It appears to be very happy with the Rodinal.
 
helenhill said:
truly Outstanding....Luminous & Stellar !!
if thats the nokton 1.1
its a GEM
Click to expand...

Thanks, Helen! Always value your judgement on my photographs.

Yes, all the scans posted so far have been exposed with the Nokton 50mm f1.1... the verdict is still out on the lens. I have a few more scans that I will be posting to this thread, so come by occasionally.

Keith said:
Very nice Lynn ... I can see why you like that Efke so much!

It appears to be very happy with the Rodinal.
Click to expand...

Keith,

I do like the Efke emulsions, very rich tones with deep blacks while still retaining good shadow detail and highlights are well controlled. The negatives are a bit fragile when wet, so care has to be taken not to scratch or mark the emulsion, I do not recommend using a squeegee as it can simply strip the emulsion right off the base.

Another scan...

2010_07_020_017_900.jpg

Leica M5 | Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f1.1 | Efke KB25 | Rodinal 1:50 | 8:40 minutes | 19ºC

You can see a bit of vignetting happening here with the Nokton.
 
i'm SOLD
on this recipe
EFKE
RODINAL
AGITATION ...lots which i don't do very much of anymore...used do
M5 ...I always LOVED the weight, the shutter dial and look of the M5
NOKTON 1.1 is Divine

I think its making Miss Nikon F a tad nervous !!
 
shadowfox said:
There goes the myth that Rodinal always produces grainy pictures.
Click to expand...

It does. The Efke KB25 turns out this smooth because it has fine grain to start with. In Xtol, it's virtually grain-free. The Efke produces great tones in both of these developers, so I have a hard time deciding for which one to go...

Good work!
 
Great shots here, I've been thinking about EFKE emulsions just the other day as a counterpart to TriX. And there is the Nokton, of course.. Very nice!

PS: Helen, so you did get a black nikon F at last? :)
 
Looks really really nice indeed. I need a new slow film and had been thinking of Pan F but now I have to test Efke as well. It's cheaper too!
 
kossi008 said:
It does. The Efke KB25 turns out this smooth because it has fine grain to start with. In Xtol, it's virtually grain-free. The Efke produces great tones in both of these developers, so I have a hard time deciding for which one to go...
Click to expand...

That's what I meant. The result that I see here from Rodinal and KB25 is about as smooth as I would want in a B&W image, if I want grain-free, I'd rather convert digital files :)
 
Thanks to everyone for contributing... A roll of KB100 is next on the scanner, but it will be another day before I can get anymore scanning time.

Helen... hold your excitement... you have not seen the negatives from the Nikon F and Nikkor-S 5.8cm f1.4 yet... I have... Oh... yeah!

Thanks!
 
shadowfox said:
That's what I meant. The result that I see here from Rodinal and KB25 is about as smooth as I would want in a B&W image, if I want grain-free, I'd rather convert digital files :)
Click to expand...
Efke KB25 is pretty much grainless in Microphen. Gives an almost medium-format look (especially because it's so slow you normally have to have the lens open pretty wide as well).

Digital would never give your the gorgeous tonality you get from Efke KB25. It's like nothing else (when you can get it onto the sodding plastic reels! Need a stainless tank :mad:)
 
helenhill said:
NOT yet....
but by next week will have the funds & Time to Look
Thinking of the lightweight FE / coupled with the Zeiss 85 1.4
:)
Click to expand...

Get the FE2. With that 1.4 lens, you'll be better off in daylight with a 1/4000 shutter speed. It also has a better meter for low light.
 
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