Rodinal + Sodium Ascorbate question

[yossarian123]

I happened to have some ascorbic acid (vitamin c) powder lying around the house along with baking soda. I've read that you can turn Rodinal into a fine grain developer if you add sodium ascorbate to the mix. So I decided to give it a try. I took 1 tsp AA, 1/2 tsp baking soda - mixed it in with a little bit of water and let the fizzing die down. Then I added it to 500ml Rodinal 1:50 and processed at the 1:25 time. The resulting two negatives were a train wreck - they were extremely thin and pretty much unusable.

So did I use too much AA & baking soda? I read two different proportions (oddly enough, both from the same person in online forums). The first was 2 tsp AA/1 tsp soda per 1L, then in another forum the same person said 1 tsp AA to 0.5 tsp per 1L. So which one is it? I could experiment on my own but I'm afraid to ruin any more negatives. Is anyone else using this combo that could help out?

 

[ferider]

The first time I tried, I used too much, Sam, and the output was similar to yours. Here are my notes for the second time when it worked:

"Rollei Retro 100, Rodinal 1:100 stand, 1/4 Tsp Sodium Ascorbate, 6ml Rodinal (2 rolls), 750ml water, start at 19 degree C (warms up a degree or two during the 1h stand)."

Scanner output:

There is a difference in grain to no Ascorbate, but it's subtle.

That being said, I moved from Rodinal 1:100 stand to 1:50 timed (now without Ascorbate) and really like the output, also the grain seems better. The usual wisdom that 1:100 stand is good for grain is wrong, IMO.

Roland.

 

[charjohncarter]

Here is another discussion on this subject. And Patrick G. in this discussion has a article on I think luminous-landscape.com.

http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/003Mbo?start=0

 

[yossarian123]

That looks pretty good Roland. I love Acros 100 in Rodinal but I'm looking for ways to improve my Tri-X & HP5. I'll usually just soup those films in HC-110 B but I'm looking for alternatives and eager to experiment. Stand dev is out, my basement temps are way too cold and its too much work to keep a temp stable for required period of time.

It sounds like I used too much SA and reduced the developing strength of the rodinal. Did you use straight sodium ascorbate or mix it from AA & baking soda?

 

[ferider]

I bought and used a bottle of sodium ascorbate powder from NOW Foods, Sam. Let me know what you find out for Tri-X please, as you said the numbers on the web are confusing.

 

[yossarian123]

Here is another discussion on this subject. And Patrick G. in this discussion has a article on I think luminous-landscape.com.

http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/003Mbo?start=0

Thanks John, I read that discussion. Unfortunately I also read this one:

http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/002bNh

At the bottom Patrick recommends 2 tsp to 1 tsp, double his recommendation in the post you linked to. Looks like I used the wrong one.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Thanks John, I read that discussion. Unfortunately I also read this one:

http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/002bNh

At the bottom Patrick recommends 2 tsp to 1 tsp, double his recommendation in the post you linked to. Looks like I used the wrong one.

Linky no worky 🙁

 

[baisao]

I happened to have some ascorbic acid (vitamin c) powder lying around the house...

I've been looking into this also. Apparently, ascorbic acid is different than sodium ascorbate and does not work the same with Rodinal.

HTH