Rodinal w/ Delta 100 Question

I'm thinking of using Rodinal as my developer for Delta 100 in 4x5 sheets. I've read good things about the combonation on this site and others as well. My questions are, I saw on the photographers Formulary that the smallest batch of Rodinal you can make at once is 6 gallons! I really don't need or have anywhere to keep this much developer. And I definatley don't develop enough film to use all of it before it spoils. Is there anywhere you can get rodinal in a smaller batch?

Second question, I saw dilutions ranging from 1:25 to 1:50 for Delta 100. Is this only difference... longer times, more accutance, larger grain, and more economical? Would I see a huge difference in the print between 1:25 or 1:50 at 11x14 or 16x20 from a Delta 100 negative?

Thanks for the help!

Brian,
Why not just purchase Rodinal in liquid form ? Freestyle has it in stock; pretty cheap too.
As far as the dilutions go, I never really saw much difference between the 1:25 and the 1:50 on most films; although I did see a difference on 125tpx.

If Delta 100 is anything like TMax100, there will be a difference in grain size between 25:1 and 50:1 that is visible at some point. 25:1 is quite an active dilution. 50:1 is still pretty active.

I use 75:1 or 100:1 for std. development and like the grain size, image contrast, and edge sharpness. For extreme minimal agitation (compensation development?) I use 150:1 - which yields for me better grain size, excellent micro-contrast, and well developed shadow areas.

Take a scene and shoot three or four identical negs, then process in different dilutions. You'll soon learn if the differences are important to you.

Isn't Agfa out of business? How much longer will the rodinal be around? I see that Foma makes a version as well. Thats nice

Also, I've heard that Rodinal is not meant to be used with modern tabular grain films. Is there any truth to this?

rodinal is one of the oldest developers around. It is very high activity generating coarse grain. Delta is a very fined grained film if treated correctly. Whether using a coarse grain developer on a fine grain film will give you the results you want is open to debate. Opened bottles of Rodinal will probably last longer than you.


here is a post I have in my archives about the formula for Rodinal. I'm not the author...


The formula for classic Rodinol found in a British Journal of Photography
Annual (forgot exactly which) but it was from the 1950's and is reported it
be the factory original formula straight from Agfa-Geavalt Corp:

Part A

P-aminophenol Hydrochloride..............50 grams
Sodium Metabisulfite........................150 grams
water................................................650 mil

Part B

Potassium Hydroxide........................215 grams
Water..............................................500 ml

A few years ago I whipped up a batch of this stuff and it worked extremely
well. If I may be so bold, it worked better than the packaged stuff
purchased from the store. The color of the combined solutions is an amber
color, that will darken with time. I have used Rodinol that was black with
no adverse effects. But never seen any clear Rodie. Does anyone have an
MSDS for the new "improved" Rodinol laying about? If yes, please scan me a
copy, I would be interested in seeing what Agfa added or deleted from the
formula.

Just as a note, if you are planning on making this stuff be very careful.
The Pot. Hydroxide must be dissolved on COLD water in a vessel at least
twice the volume of the water. If you were to dump the PH in water, it will
foam and boil over and leave puddles of a very strong alkyle laying around
that will not evaporate and will in time eat almost everything it touches.

To make, first part A. In 2/3 the volume of water mix the P-aminophenol
then add the metabisulfite. Add cold water to proper volume.

In about 300 mls of very cold water, add the PH a little at a time. Go slow.
The solution will heat up. If it gets too hot, ice bath the vessel or let it
cool off before adding any more. When all is in solution add COLD water to
bring to complete volume.

Now slowly add part B into part A. A precipitate will form, don't worry
about that. Keep add B into at with stirring the precipitate will go away.
When all of A and B are combined, ****POOF!!*** you have Rodinol.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++
Okay you maniacs here is the standard lawyer foo...., This was presented for
educational purposes. Some of the chemical in this formuala are very
dangerous and should be treated with the same respect as a live rattlesnake.
If you have had no training in chemistry or chemical handling, it is
probably wiser to waddle down to the local photo supply house and buy the
canned stuff.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++

The Formulary "Rodinal" kit makes six gallons -- of *working solution*. However, you *mix* it as a concentrate and get, IIRC, something like 500 ml. You store it in this concentrated form, and use a syringe or tiny graduate to measure the small quantity needed for each batch of working solution (1:25, 1:50, even 1:100 dilution, the concentrate lasts a while).

FWIW, I routinely make Parodinal in 200 ml batches, at a cost per batch of about 40 cents. Those batches, at 1:50, make 10 liters of working solution and last me 2-3 months. Results are (based on side by side tests) almost indistinguishable from Agfa/A&O Rodinal at the same time and dilution (Parodinal gives very slightly lower contrast at the same time, 10% adjustment might be too much to correct). Parodinal has three ingredients plus distilled water (four if you choose to add potassium bromide as a fog reducer), and though the sodium hydroxide is hazardous to handle, it's no more (or less) hazardous than using the same stuff to open a clogged drain.