8x10 Rollei Retro Tonal in HC110 again today.
The scanner needs a thinnish negative. There is a very little exposure margin. Mid-tones are flat.
BUT - the 8x10 lies flat without newton rings, so it's worth taking a bit of trouble with exposure and development.
Anyone else with tips for this film?
Christopher,Originally Posted by cjbroadbent
8x10 Rollei Retro Tonal in HC110 again today.
Anyone else with tips for this film?
I really love this image. It's especially strong. I have no experience with this film, but it looks like it may be on my list to try.
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ
I haven't used it, but would like to see the characteristic curves. It appears to have a very big toe. Exposure to get enough texture in the shadows, seems to raise the rest of the tones disproportionately high.
Under daylight illumination, shadows should look lighter because they are blue, and the film is blue-sensitive. I presume you are using some kind of lamp, and here we see rather dark shadows. How about using a blue light source to illuminate the subject ? You'd probably be able to better visualize the image too. Or try a mild fill light or reflectorIt's generally easier when we can fix an image before exposure, than struggling with heroic methods.
Another thought is to try a real 2-bath developer like Divided Pyrocat. You'll have to add contrast, not reduce it. 15 Zones? no problem!
Here's a sample photo of a white tulip, developed in Divided Pyrocat HD. Direct sunshine through a window into a dimly lit room. No fill light of any kind, and a black background. With Divided Pyrocat, you just place the shadow values where you want them, and you're done. There's no problem keeping all the texture in the high values.
Ken, yes it is called Tonal Retro Ortho/Panchromatic film. I'll first have another go with and HMI light in HC110, then with some Diafine two-bath. Your beautiful tulip is standing on the strongest low tone with a tip of high tone and bathed in middle tones. I usually try to keep the strongest tones on the subject and let them stand on some lower mid-tones.
See you next week.
I see your point.
Here's a more normal looking photo with a more normal range of tones.
Outdoors the summer sun is shining, while inside there is just ambient light and a black dog in deep shade. Exposing to keep normal texture on the dog, the foliage outdoors fell on something like Zone XIV and beyond. Exposing for the outdoors would have rendered the indoors jet black.
I had to add a little contrast, since true divided developers like Diafine or Divided Pyrocat develop all negatives to the same contrast level.
Last edited by Ken Lee; 21-Nov-2011 at 05:05.
I think I have nailed this Rollei Tonal ortho/panchromatic 100.
Two stops faster with daylight (HMI umbrella for me) than with tungsten. Eight minutes in HC110 1:30. It sits flat on the scanner with no rings.
This here is as it comes out of the scanner.
Hi there, here comes my first large format photo
FP4+ on 4x5 camera
Amaryllis, 2009
Kodak 2D, 240mm Fujinon A
5x7 HP5+, Pyrocat HD
Last edited by Ken Lee; 7-Apr-2018 at 17:05.
A real stunner, Christopher. As good as your first try was, this is definitely an improvement.I think I have nailed this Rollei Tonal ortho/panchromatic 100.
Two stops faster with daylight (HMI umbrella for me) than with tungsten. Eight minutes in HC110 1:30. It sits flat on the scanner with no rings.
This here is as it comes out of the scanner.
Jim Cole
Flagstaff, AZ
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