Rodinal spots on Fuji HR-U

[Sam L]

I've been chasing even development with dilute developers on Fuji HR-U x-ray film.

I've gotten good results with 510-Pyro at 1:100 for 5 minutes but Rodinal at 1:100 looks even smoother. The catch is that I'm getting these little pinpoint dots in the background with Rodinal. Does anyone know what might cause this?

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I'm developing using inert gas burst agitation in a 1-gallon vertical tank with the film on hangers. I've run about 30 batches of film with 510 pyro ranging from 1:100 to 1:250 dilution and haven't seen the dots:

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However, both of my tests with Rodinal have suffered from it. Could a slight contamination with pyro from the previous cycle cause this?

[RockAndRolf]

Good day,
Coincidentally, I experienced the same problem with Rodinal this past weekend, just in a slightly different situation. I had assumed this was the structure of the paper, but now that I see this I'm starting to doubt it.
My Rodinal is Adox APH-09 which has been open for half a year and just starting to get some crystals on the bottom. My paper is of the Ilford MG V 1M type and only opened a few days ago. So my best guess is that these crystals may also have been created by the developer himself, leaving behind this structure. Do you already have crystal formation at the bottom of the bottle? I can just hear it when I shake it gently.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51816592625_7669060d02_w.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mWRzJ2)
It might be just a guess, but hopefully it will help you find your problem.

[paulbarden]

This is why I will no longer use the modern Rodinal - so many opportunities to introduce problems with it. I've grown to really dislike it. At dilutions greater than 1:50 you are potentially introducing problems.

If I find a certain developer + film combination demonstrates problems (like artifacts, uneven density, etc.) but another developer doesn't introduce those faults, then I abandon the one that didn't work well and concentrate on the one that did. There is little point in laboring over a combination that doesn't work well, especially if you have an option that does. I used Rodinal on the Rollei IR film for years and fought with it, always trying to avoid the little dark dots, just like what you're experiencing. When I abandoned Rodinal as the developer, all of the issues went away.

If Pyro 510 is working well, then concentrate on that, and forget the Rodinal. Since you are working with large format films, the grain characteristics are far less important than with small formats.

[Tin Can]

mmmm

I am still using older Rodinol

but plan to switch to D23 soon

[Michael R]

Odd. Example posted by OP looks like pepper fog, but Rodinal shouldn't do that.

[Tin Can]

Perhaps his film is old or damaged

Lot of garbage on eBay

[Sam L]

More details:

- 4 minute pre-soak in tap water. San Francisco water is very pure.
- Reverse osmosis filtered water used for Rodinal dilution
- Rodinal mixed a few minutes before using (maybe sat 8 minutes before)
- Possible slight contamination with spent / oxidized pyro developer from previous batch (I usually rinse the tank and plenum 4 times)

- Fresh film (though it was from ebay), expiring 2024. No problems developing it in pyro. Haven't tried other developers.
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- R09 Rodinal purchased 9/21 from Freestyle. Unsealed 11/21. Sat closed with 100ml missing until last week (1/22). No date on the bottle. No clinking of crystals detected.
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[Sam L]

RockAndRolf, can you see the spots on the film (not just the print)?

[Tin Can]

I use the same R09 and older

If I have crystals I don't shake up, and dump well before it flows

I don't prewash

Always store bought Distilled, I have 30 gallons of it, as I drink it also

[Tin Can]

Couple more details

I mix Rodinol in the developing tank with room temp Distilled by popping the burst 5 times, no other developer is ever used

My stop is also Distilled, middle tank, no agitation 1 minute

Fix is always TF5 liquid mixed with Distilled in 3 gallon tank floating lid and reused until I don't believe my test strips as it seems always good...

Never Photoflow or Dawn, hang over sink overnight, no fans

Scan in morning, flat on V700, just for reference

I can enlarge 8X10 but no longer bother, prefer contact prints

[Sam L]

Tin Can, Could you zoom in on one of your reference scans and see if you're getting spots too?

I can't see them at 8x10 but they are clear in a 1000 dpi scan at 100% zoom.

[Tin Can]

https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2013/07/you-say-you-want-a-resolution-how-many-dpippi-is-too-much/

I have no interest in scanning to infinity and beyond

My eyes are failing fast, Glaucoma

If I can't see it, it's not there...

Same reason I bought a NIKON Z cf and NOT the high rez model

Cheers!