Looking to do some Semi-stand 4x5 with Rodinal... what Film?

[brian steinberger]

I'm starting a project documenting the inside of a local barn that is deteriorating. Light is very contrasty and I'm going to expose for shadows and try to bring very bright windows down using semi-stand development.

My question is what's a good film to use with Rodinal for this. I have Acros 100, Delta 100, and Kodak Tmax 400. I'm shooting large format, so using Rodinal with TMY won't be a problem. Also, dilution? Times? Agitation?

I'm developing in a cradle. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Donald Qualls]

I've routinely processed Foma 100 and 400 (sheet, 120, and 35 mm) in Parodinal (a homebrew Rodinal equivalent -- same developing agent, same dilutions and times) with agitation every 3rd minute, and occasionally used it every 5th.

However, sheets *in stacks, in trays* have trouble with longer than one minute agitation cycles (at least when I try it), with higher density at the edges where the sheets never overlap perfectly and extreme local exhaustion effects between sheets, while the one at the top/bottom of the stack, with more access to fresh developer (if only by diffusion) will develop to higher contrast than the rest of the stack. Solutions: use a slosher in a larger tray (slow, unless you have really big trays and a huge slosher), develop single sheets (really slow), or develop your sheet film in tubes, tanks, etc. (can also be slow, but at least the lights are on). I'm going back to processing in daylight-fill tubes I made myself from ABS pipe (called "DWV" plastic pipe -- for Drain, Waste, Vent, i.e. non-pressure use -- in some regions); they use a lot of developer (8 ounces per 4x5 sheet), but that's not necessarily a bad thing with high dilutions that typically accompany semi- and stand development, and my Parodinal is *really* cheap (about 55 cents per 100 ml of concentrate -- I use it at 1:50, so that's for 5 liters of working solution).

Generally speaking, I'd expect practically any conventional grain film to look good in Rodinal; some folks don't like designer grain films in this soup, but I've been very happy with Acros in Parodinal the couple times I've tried it (unlike Neopan SS, which gave what I felt to be really nasty, ugly grain).

FWIW, when I've processed with lower agitation even than my usual 3-minute cycle, with either HC-110 Dilution F (1+119) or Parodinal 1:50, I've found it easy to develop to at least N-2 without losing any shadow detail.

[steve simmons]

With this type of contrast I would suggest a staining developer. I have used PMK in situation with 12 stops of contrast and never lost a high value.

steve simmons

[brian steinberger]

Steve,

I have some Pyrocat HD. What's a good starting time, dilution, agitation?

[sanking]

Steve,

I have some Pyrocat HD. What's a good starting time, dilution, agitation?


Brian,

I would suggest that you ask this question on APUG. There are several folks over there who can offer good advice to you question.

In fact, there is an active thread there now on the subject. http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/39310-semi-stand-uneven-highlights-pyrocat.html


Sandy King

[steve simmons]

Steve,

I have some Pyrocat HD. What's a good starting time, dilution, agitation?

I can't help you here. I compared PMK and the Pyrocat a few years ago and preferred the PMK. My time for PMK and Tri-X in trays is 11 minutes for normal and an EI of 160-200.

I liked the Tri-X for these minus deveopment situation because it holds on to its local contrast even when the development times are severely shortened.

My tray processing procedure is described in detail in an article in the Free Articles section of the View Camera web site

www.viewcamera.com

thanks

steve

[Joseph O'Neil]

I personally never liked Tmax and Rodinal, the "look" never did it for me. However Delta 100 and Rodinal worked for me just fine. I use rotary Jobo processing, so no idea on times, but there are plenty of charts out there.

I would advise for any new film and developer combo - that is, new to you, go out and shoot a few test sheets ahead of time. Everybody has thier own idea of what kind of "look" they want, and you sometimes need a few spoiled shots to get there.

good luck
joe