# Rodinal + Tri-X 400 shot at 200 standard development times



## grokglock

I have always used Kodak developer 68*F 8.5min for my film at school but now I want to try Rodinal at home. Does anyone have any developing times and temps for 1:50 rodinal dilutions for Tri-X 400 shot at ASA 200?


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## gsgary

9 minutes 20c = 68f, but if you want less grain drop it to 18c = 64.4f for about 11 minutes
This is 26 years out of date TriX400 developed in rodinal


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## grokglock

gsgary said:


> 9 minutes 20c = 68f, but if you want less grain drop it to 18c = 64.4f for about 11 minutes
> This is 26 years out of date TriX400 developed in rodinal



Geez that's actually quite beautiful. It has a vintage processed feel - just what I'm looking for. I would aim for a bit less grain but I love the way Rodinal gives Tri-X a very balanced and rich contrast. I feel like with Rodinal the blacks clip earlier but the midtones become so rich! Thanks for that starting point. Was that shot at ASA 200?


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## timor

gsgary said:


> 9 minutes 20c = 68f, but if you want less grain drop it to 18c = 64.4f for about 11 minutes
> This is 26 years out of date TriX400 developed in rodinal


 Gary, what the concentration of Rodinal for those times ?


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## gsgary

timor said:


> Gary, what the concentration of Rodinal for those times ?



1+50, 18 degs is more of an estimate time from what i have read 18 degs also should give less grain


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## gsgary

grokglock said:


> Geez that's actually quite beautiful. It has a vintage processed feel - just what I'm looking for. I would aim for a bit less grain but I love the way Rodinal gives Tri-X a very balanced and rich contrast. I feel like with Rodinal the blacks clip earlier but the midtones become so rich! Thanks for that starting point. Was that shot at ASA 200?



Im on holiday at the moment but im sure it was iso400 because he was just inside a barn, you might not get exact same results as the film was very old


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## gsgary

You could even try stand developement in the fridge, ill post an example of HP5 that it tried inthe fridge with rodinal


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## timor

gsgary said:


> Im on holiday at the moment but im sure it was iso400 because he was just inside a barn, you might not get exact same results as the film was very old


That's right, with the age film usually becomes less contrasty and more prone to general fogging. Rodinal works here well salvaging this old stock as it doesn't contain any metol or, worse, sodium carbonate. It is quite contrasty developer, appropriate in this situation. The indication is dev. time; 11 min. My standard time for ISO 400 (APX or TX) was 14 min in 20 C for fresh film stock. But don't worry grokglock, very similar results you can get with HC110. I am also not sure if Gary used his standard addition of 12 g of sodium sulfite to Rodinal for this film. It is mainly to control grain, but it might change the pH and have influence on contrast to.


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## Derrel

I used to work with Rodinal and Tri-X, down-rated to an exposure index of around 250 to 320, with Rodinal diluted to 1:100, going around 12 minutes at 68 degrees Farenheit, with 10 second "roller pin style" agitation in 4-roll 35mm steel tanks, with 10 seconds of agitation given at the top of each minute.

Rodinal produces big, crisp grain on Tri-X. HC-110, DIlution D, or D76 wither undiluted or cut 1:1 with water, produces smaller, tighter grain, and I think, better overall tonality.

Here's a Rodinal shot I made in dim,diffused light.As you can see, there's a LOT of grain in the large expanses of smooth, one-toned subject matter. I actually grew tired of how "grainy" Rodinal made my Tri-X look, and I went back to HC-110.

*Warning: potentially NSFW; implied nudity

14422303.R5915ADana_TriX1986.JPG*


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## grokglock

Derrel said:


> I used to work with Rodinal and Tri-X, down-rated to an exposure index of around 250 to 320, with Rodinal diluted to 1:100, going around 12 minutes at 68 degrees Farenheit, with 10 second "roller pin style" agitation in 4-roll 35mm steel tanks, with 10 seconds of agitation given at the top of each minute.
> 
> Rodinal produces big, crisp grain on Tri-X. HC-110, DIlution D, or D76 wither undiluted or cut 1:1 with water, produces smaller, tighter grain, and I think, better overall tonality.
> 
> Here's a Rodinal shot I made in dim,diffused light.As you can see, there's a LOT of grain in the large expanses of smooth, one-toned subject matter. I actually grew tired of how "grainy" Rodinal made my Tri-X look, and I went back to HC-110.
> 
> *Warning: potentially NSFW; implied nudity
> 
> 14422303.R5915ADana_TriX1986.JPG*



What are you currently using? I have taken a liking to Rodinal in that it was something that Cartier-Bresson used and is a novel idea for me, but maybe I should stick to the Kodak stuff. The grain in Rodinal does not bother me but it may later on. I will be shooting 645 and printing up to 20x24 for now but will grain be acceptable beyond that size do you think?


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## Derrel

I am currently using a Nikon D3x...I stopped shooting film a long time ago, but I saw the lower-than-normal Exposure Index and Rodinal in your title, and thought I'd just pass along my time/temp/dilution/agitation for Rodinal at my typical E.I.of 250 to 320. One's personalized developing times can vary quite a bit from that of other shooters, based on a number of small variables, so my time suggestion is just a starting point. I dunno...Rodinal was "retro-trendy" when I was using it back in the 1985-1986 period...it was pretty well NOT a commonly accepted developer in the USA at that time...I actually greatly prefer the finer, tighter,smaller, less-blatant grain that HC-110 produces. For most subjects at least. On nudes and low-light figure studies though, the blatant Rodinal grain signature gives a more-constant reminder of the "*this was shot on film process*" aspect to the photographs.

HCB also used a 50mm lens for like 99 percent of his photos...but I would never suggest using one,single focal length for one's entire career. Your choice of film developer really does have a permanent impact on your negatives, and by logical extension, on how your pictures "look". If you WANT that big, crisp, hard-edged, grainy look, then Rodinal can deliver that look. I think that for high-resolution type work, like say delicate landscapes with lots of small, high-frequency detail in many far-away objects, Rodinal's aggressive, crisp, obvious grain profile looks a bit coarse. On closer-in scenes, the grain issue is "different". I do not think that any one developer is inherently superior to others, but at times, one developer or another can produce looks that are either appropriate to the desired effect, or less-appropriate, and subject matter and technique/lighting can affect how that all plays out.


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## gsgary

Here is the 1 hour in the fridge with 1+100 rodinal, you will get smoother shots on MF


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## timor

grokglock said:


> I have taken a liking to Rodinal in that it was something that Cartier-Bresson used


Not sure if HCB used Rodinal but I know that the "big secret" of Magnum group was a use of Panthermic 777
777 Fine Grain Developer
777 is something you can get here:
Photographers' Formulary Inc.
but it is not for an amateur with occasional film development. Nevertheless you might brows this website. Lots of quality stuff. I would suggest this:
Photographers' Formulary Inc.


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## grokglock

gsgary said:


> Heer is the 1 hour in the fridge with 1+100 rodinal, you will get smoother shots on MF



@Derrel - thanks for the feedback. My current work is mostly landscape so maybe you are right the grain might fight the finer details at larger print sizes making them too obtrusive. I definitely like the "this was shot on film" look, but I like to maintain the same process through my different projects so If I start developing in Rodinal I will finish with Rodinal and that may not be the right outcome for this particular set of printe. 

Stand developing is something I am not ready to undertake. It takes a lot of fine tuning to get spot on per everyone's different needs. I prefer contrast and sharpness at the cost of grain. And most importantly I am too impatient to sit with film in a canister for an hour, it would drive me bonkers.


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## grokglock

timor said:


> grokglock said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have taken a liking to Rodinal in that it was something that Cartier-Bresson used
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure if HCB used Rodinal but I know that the "big secret" of Magnum group was a use of Panthermic 777
> 777 Fine Grain Developer
> 777 is something you can get here:
> Photographers' Formulary Inc.
> but it is not for an amateur with occasional film development. Nevertheless you might brows this website. Lots of quality stuff. I would suggest this:
> Photographers' Formulary Inc.
Click to expand...


He did use Rodinal to some extent and I have read a little about 777. At the moment I am considered an amateur but I think all artists are until they hit the big time or die. What about 777 makes it impractical or prohibitive for us mere mortals? I am jesting hope that didn't sound too dry. 

I would like to experiment with this 777 but know nothing about it and apparently it was hard to get a hold off until recently, also haven't been able to find a proper developing time chart for it.


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## gsgary

grokglock said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> 
> Heer is the 1 hour in the fridge with 1+100 rodinal, you will get smoother shots on MF
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Derrel - thanks for the feedback. My current work is mostly landscape so maybe you are right the grain might fight the finer details at larger print sizes making them too obtrusive. I definitely like the "this was shot on film" look, but I like to maintain the same process through my different projects so If I start developing in Rodinal I will finish with Rodinal and that may not be the right outcome for this particular set of printe.
> 
> Stand developing is something I am not ready to undertake. It takes a lot of fine tuning to get spot on per everyone's different needs. I prefer contrast and sharpness at the cost of grain. And most importantly I am too impatient to sit with film in a canister for an hour, it would drive me bonkers.
Click to expand...



This is also very old TriX in rodinal over agitated, i love the grain in this one


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## timor

grokglock said:


> What about 777 makes it impractical or prohibitive for us mere mortals? I am jesting hope that didn't sound too dry.
> 
> I would like to experiment with this 777 but know nothing about it and apparently it was hard to get a hold off until recently, also haven't been able to find a proper developing time chart for it.


Did you read this ?
777 Fine Grain Developer
You need at least a gallon of this stuff, you need to control the temperature very well, it works best above 20 C (glycine likes heat), you need to make own time charts (extensive experimentation), there are no "factory standards", you need to experiment with agitation. Plus to keep it working well you will need to develop a lot. Every day at least few rolls. For regular photographer that's too much to control. Maybe only Gary is developing weekly enough to justify it's use.


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## grokglock

gsgary said:


> grokglock said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> 
> Heer is the 1 hour in the fridge with 1+100 rodinal, you will get smoother shots on MF
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Derrel - thanks for the feedback. My current work is mostly landscape so maybe you are right the grain might fight the finer details at larger print sizes making them too obtrusive. I definitely like the "this was shot on film" look, but I like to maintain the same process through my different projects so If I start developing in Rodinal I will finish with Rodinal and that may not be the right outcome for this particular set of printe.
> 
> Stand developing is something I am not ready to undertake. It takes a lot of fine tuning to get spot on per everyone's different needs. I prefer contrast and sharpness at the cost of grain. And most importantly I am too impatient to sit with film in a canister for an hour, it would drive me bonkers.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> This is also very old TriX in rodinal over agitated, i love the grain in this one
Click to expand...


Ok, that final shot is the moneymaker here GSGARY. The grain adds something intangible to that image.


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## gsgary

2 types of grain


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## Josh66

timor said:


> grokglock said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have taken a liking to Rodinal in that it was something that Cartier-Bresson used
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure if HCB used Rodinal but I know that the "big secret" of Magnum group was a use of Panthermic 777
> 777 Fine Grain Developer
> 777 is something you can get here:
> Photographers' Formulary Inc.
> but it is not for an amateur with occasional film development. Nevertheless you might brows this website. Lots of quality stuff. I would suggest this:
> Photographers' Formulary Inc.
Click to expand...

Henri Cartier-Bresson never developed his own film - he hated that part of it.



Gary, have you ever shot in-date film?


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## gsgary

O|||||||O said:


> Henri Cartier-Bresson never developed his own film - he hated that part of it.
> 
> Gary, have you ever shot in-date film?



Yes all my film is in date now, Agfa APX and HP5 and got some orwo UN54


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## Josh66

gsgary said:


> O|||||||O said:
> 
> 
> 
> Henri Cartier-Bresson never developed his own film - he hated that part of it.
> 
> Gary, have you ever shot in-date film?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes all my film is in date now, Agfa APX and HP5 and got some orwo UN54
Click to expand...


I was beginning to wonder.

Just messing with you, BTW.  I personally only shoot expired film accidentally, but I know a lot of people love the look, and I'm not going to knock it.  It does have it's place.  Not for every day though, IMO.


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## gsgary

O|||||||O said:


> I was beginning to wonder.
> 
> Just messing with you, BTW.  I personally only shoot expired film accidentally, but I know a lot of people love the look, and I'm not going to knock it.  It does have it's place.  Not for every day though, IMO.



If im given a bag with 20 rolls i got to shoot it


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## Josh66

Well, throwing it away would be unforgivable - so, yeah - shoot it and see if you can make it work.

Nobody gives me bags of old film, lol.


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