Digital BW, The Print

Mark and Ernst, greetings.

Ernst, I am processing 4x5 sheets of TXP 320 in JOBO tanks in Rodinal.  I've been using a 
1:25 solution for 8 minutes (68F/20C) after exposing the sheets at EI 160, and am very 
happy with the results.  

Like you, I worried about the constant agitation.  JOBO advises that presoaking the film in 
water for five minutes before processing offsets the constant agitation.  I don't know if 
that's true -- film development is black magic so far as I am concerned -- but I do 
presoak for five minutes and my results are delicious.

Mark, I used to develop my TX 400 roll film in a 1:100 solution and loved the look.  With 
the JOBO tanks, I was worried that the reduced volume of solution would risk exhaustion 
of the developer, so that fear, combined with the shorter processing time, led me to the 1:
25 solution instead.  Rodinal is so cheap that cost never moved me one way or another.  
Do you suppose that a 1:100 solution will contain enough Rodinal, at the reduced liquid 
volumes of the JOBO system, to do its job?

Again, I don't mean to be seeming to create trafffic for my humble web page, but if you go 
to it, all of the 4x5 sheets scanned and posted there were souped in a 1:25 Rodinal 
solution in JOBO tanks.

Best,

Sanders McNew
www.mcnew.net

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Mark Rabiner <mark@r...> wrote:
> On 5/20/05 2:58 AM, "Ernst Dinkla" <E.Dinkla@c...> typed:
> 
> > Not an answer but more a question.
> > 
> > I used Rodinal (and Acufine and Promicrol) decades ago but there has
> > been a long period without any B&W activities. Someone dropped a Jobo
> > Autolab 1000 here that I repaired and I have done some MF B&W developing
> > again. Ilford developer suited for the higher agitation of that machine.
> > I would like to return to Rodinal though as I like the idea of one batch
> > development and not having the fluids in large quantities around. Not
> > likely that developing films becomes a weekly habit so to speak. I keep
> > the machine as it is a compact thing with everything included. Rodinal
> > isn't very suited to the higher agitation but there are some recipes
> > with Rodinal + Vitamin C + Soda added that makes it a possibility again
> > I think. Any experience with that combination ?  If it is an unwise idea
> > please tell me.
> > 
> > Ernst
> > 
> > 
> I think with the continuous Jobo agitation in and out of solution like it
> does you¹re going to get a slightly higher film base fog than you would if
> the film were in solution the whole time but this would not show up in the
> print at all. Or scan.
> And also in the darkroom would be no problem to print traditionally.
> Negatives looking like this is getting to be the fashion now anyway.
> And to add vitamin C to it would be a pile of worms.
> I just briefly Googled it by the way and found only negative comments on
> this combination.
> It ain't broke, Don¹t fix it is my call.
> 
> I¹m against adding sulfite to is as well which is what you may be thinking
> of as it would give you a slightly cleaner looking neg. but your grain
> pattern is not going to have that amazing Rodinal sharp regularity.
> I look upon messing with Rodinal with Dis stain.   :)
> 
> Try different dilutions.
> By the way the guy yesterday talking about using it 1:25 I strongly advise
> trying it at at least 1:50.
> Rodinal looks just like D76 1:1 bland vanilla at 1:25. Looses it¹s
> Rodinal-ness And is expensive I think.
> You can easily use it 1:75 or 1:100. There¹s a ³glow² you get a 1:100.
> The added time developing will be will worth it IMO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Rabiner
> Photography
> Portland Oregon
> http://rabinergroup.com/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]