Tri-X at 3200 in Rodinal

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andrewnelles

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I've been shooting Tri-X at 3200 quite a bit lately.

I've been developing it in Rodinal 1:100 for 2 hours and 15min at 70deg and have been pleased with the results. Manageable contrast and fairly low grain for the speed. Shadow detail is a little lacking, as expected. However, the highlights have been a little thinner than I'd hoped. I'm considering adding another 20min or so to try to combat this.

Anyone have any tips to share for this development style? Or another method for developing TriX at 3200 to share?

Also, I've only tried this in 2 reel tanks. I've got a pile of 3200 built up and I'm hoping to use my 4 reel tank for the next batch to save time. Will the same time and dilution carry over to the larger tank? I've never done stand developing in a tank larger than 2 reels.

Thanks!
 
Highlights are too thin since the developer exhausts. Adding time will not help. You need to add developer. I suggest to start with 6ml per roll and one hour and go from there ....

The only other developer I have good experience with for high speed is DDX. Works well.
 
Hi Andrew,

Roland is right: a longer time won't help... I tried that... (Lately I do 1 hour 1:100 at 1600 (4 ml), and 90 minutes at 3200 using 5ml, so I guess it's 1.25:100...

Yes, Roland, finally I took your advice to bump highlights a bit... :)

Cheers,

Juan
 
Andrew,

Those times I wrote are for little agitation: three complete inversions in the beginning and three more in the middle of the 60 or 90 minutes: that's all. Acutance is visibly higher with stand development compared to standard every minute development: I did a test with the same image on 2 rolls, one developed normally and the other one with stand... The difference is not small.

Cheers,

Juan
 
Exhaustion, of course, not sure why that didn't occur to me. I'll add an extra ml or two to the next batch and see if that gets me the highlight density I'm looking for.

Aside from that the negs have been much better than I would expect for pushing to 3200. Less grain and contrast than rating at 800 in acufine, although I still love the acufine look.

Thanks!
 
Rodinal

Rodinal

I used to shoot Rock Photography and used to uprate my Film, HP4 to be precise to 3200. And develop it at 58 degrees for 40 mins @ 1:25. This gave thumping blacks, mid greys and bright whites..this worked for me but it was a long time ago.

Regards Tony
 
Here is a sample from my last batch. Nothing exciting, just a snap shot of a friend. Developed as described in my original post.

Leica M6 - Voigtlander 35mm 1.4

jk.jpg
 
Mine are a lot harsher than that, not so well defined and a lot more contrasty and grainy..I'll see what I can find and pop it up. But give me a couple of days as I'LL have to root them out.

Tony
 
JSU said:
The attached is Tri-X at a metered index of 4000. I used the same 1:100 but processed one roll in a two reel tank with the empty reel on top.
Click to expand...

Due to exhaustion, I find specifying dilution confusing. What matters is quantity of developer per roll. With the empty roll on top (and I assume doubling the water), you basically double the Rodinal/roll when pushing to 4000 (to 6ml ?).

Like I said, I recommend to start with 6ml per roll for that 3200 ISO, independent of the amount of water.

Roland.
 
Here are some shots I took back in the day as they say using my method not great but ok I guess.














 
Last edited:
Switched to developing 3 rolls in a 4 rolls tank, seem to have solved all my issues.

Two recent examples using 1:100 at 2hrs, rated at 3200:

Cheetah_003_web.jpg



DavidThomas_01_web.jpg
 
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