FP4 Rotary Processing Times with Rodinal and HC-110

[natelfo]

I just shot my first few shots with FP4 in 4x5 after only having used T-Max and Tri-X. I know that I need to do testing to fine tune, but I'm looking for a good starting point times for rotary processing in a Jobo with both HC-110 dilution H and for Rodinal at 1+50. I shot the film at ISO 100. Looking at the FP4 sheet, it says to decrease the tank times by 15% for rotary processing. Would the listed times -15% be accurate, or have people found otherwise? If you post times, could you please also list the temp.

Thank you,
Nathan

[koh303]

FP4 times are mostly wrong, in my experience.
If shot at 125, you want to keep those 15%, and sometimes need even more time (D76, ID 11 and Tmax DEV), i have a feeling this will be the case as well with the rodinal and HC110, but others might have exact experience with said developers.

[adelorenzo]

I rotary process FP4 sheets shot at ISO 125 in HC-110, 1:49 for 8 minutes. I started with 9 minutes (11 minutes - 15% for rotary processing) and found I got negatives too thick for my liking. I use 300 ml of developer (6 ml of syrup) for up to six sheets of 4x5 in a 2500 Jobo tank or two sheets of 8x10/whole plate in a Unicolor drum.

YMMV of course.

[vinny]

Massive development chart. Use those times for starters.

[ic-racer]

Make sure your drum or processor can handle it. Dilution H works out to 945ml in a Jobo Expert drum with 10 sheets of film. (6 x (10/4) x 63)

[ndg]

I just shot my first few shots with FP4 in 4x5 after only having used T-Max and Tri-X. I know that I need to do testing to fine tune, but I'm looking for a good starting point times for rotary processing in a Jobo with both HC-110 dilution H and for Rodinal at 1+50. I shot the film at ISO 100. Looking at the FP4 sheet, it says to decrease the tank times by 15% for rotary processing. Would the listed times -15% be accurate, or have people found otherwise? If you post times, could you please also list the temp.

Thank you,
Nathan

Nathan, the recommended time to develop FP4 with HC-110 solution B, using occassional agitation is 7-9 min at 20 deg C. When using the Jobo, one is supposed to decrease the time by 15% or 85% of 7-9 min.
I use 85% of 7 min which tranlates to 5.95 min. I round that to 6 min. I never tried solution H.

[StoneNYC]

Just did my first round with FP4+ in DD-X, 15% was almost right, might have even reduced it another 5%.

Unfortunately as I've learned, you have to do your own testing, depends how you meter etc.

Just do it!

[Tim Meisburger]

I will only say that I dislike rodinal in a processor (I use a Patterson Orbital on a motor base), but like it for stand processing. I did a test last week and the extra detail evident in the stand developed negative (1:100 for an hour) compared to the machine developed (1:25 for 5.5 minutes) was astonishing. Maybe its a factor of dilution rather than stand vs. machine.

For other developers I'm fine with the machine, just rodinal seems different.

[StoneNYC]

I will only say that I dislike rodinal in a processor (I use a Patterson Orbital on a motor base), but like it for stand processing. I did a test last week and the extra detail evident in the stand developed negative (1:100 for an hour) compared to the machine developed (1:25 for 5.5 minutes) was astonishing. Maybe its a factor of dilution rather than stand vs. machine.

For other developers I'm fine with the machine, just rodinal seems different.

I would agree with that, my second batch of rotary processed Acros100 in Rodinal (Which I usually love hand processed) was very "unsharp" compared to the grain I'm used to with the same film/developer.

That said, again, I'm new to rotary processing. But one run of bad combo like that and I'm immediately looking for a better match. I hope not all rotary processing is so murky... I'll be very disappointed as I was thrilled to let it just go on it's own and sit back and watch...

[koh303]

Maybe its a factor of dilution rather than stand vs. machine.

Dilution is most likely the reason.