Quick HP5+/Rodinal question... and R09/F09

First off: I'd really appreciate any HP5+/Rodinal users to let me

know what their times are... I'd like a few informed responses rather

than just hittind Digitaltruth.

 

Also... has anyone here tried R09 from jandcphoto/Fotoimpex?

Apparently, it's the "old" Rodinal formula and produces "better"

results across the board in higher dilutions. A few posts I have seen

praise it, but any additional comments?

 

Thanks very much.

I am just about to begin a similar set of tests based on threads I have read. In fact, the R09 just arrived from J and C. So if I may presume to share some discoveries:

 

The guy who seems to know quite a lot about these developers is Volker Schier. Do a search for his posts on this site.

 

Next, it appears that many published development charts on the web are based on less stock solution than the 10ml/roll that Agfa recommends. Thus their suggested starting times tend to be long.

 

The other thing that I've noticed is that there seem to be more ways to agitate film than there are to make piecrust. I see everything from total still development to ultra high RPM Jobo techniques.

 

It also matters whether the test is calibrated to a spot or incident meter, for use with a condenser or diffusion enlarger, and what type/grade of paper, etc., etc.

 

So I'm going to begin with five inversions in five seconds once each minute at 1:100 dilution for 19 minutes for an Omega D condenser enlarger. Will let you know what happened. Happy souping.

For a Normal scene, I have arrived at about 11 minutes in

Rodinal diluted 1:50 at 68 degrees, with the HP5+ rated at 200. If

the light is flat, try lowering the film speed to 100 or 125 and

keeping the development time the same. These negatives

contact print well on Grade 2 Bergger or Grade 3 Azo.

John

 

wouldn't it be the other way around - for high contrast light you lower film speed?

 

Thanks,

Actually, under exposure and over development will increase contrast. Over exposure and under development will flatten contrast. The old rule of thumb goes, "expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights."

Jorge,

 

In a flat lighting scene, even if the light meter values show the

negative to have a normal range, I give HP5+ extra exposure,

much in part to push the highlights at the time of exposure.

Really, I now reach for a different film in flat light. At any rate, in

most cases the extra shadow detail is welcome and helps to

create more local separation at the lower end. In my own limited

and ongoing tests, I find HP5+ sensitive not only to the amount of

light, but to the type of light, more so than I have found with FP4+

or JandC Classic 200. This observed quality could be

flare-related, or something else with regard to my set-up.

 

I find that it does not like to be pulled or pushed very far at the

time of development, either, at least compared to a film like

JandC Classic 200. Classic zone system development contols

have severe limits with HP5+, in my experience, not in terms of

controlling the overall contrast in theory, but in terms of doing so

and still preserving crisp detail throughout the print. I do not

know this film intimately yet, but these are some observations I

have made.

 

I know some people who work with this film expose it generously

and develop it for a set amount of time, always, and use various

grades of paper, varying paper developer strength accordingly to

get the desired result. But I have not been able to produce

excellent results in varying conditions with this method.

When using Rodinal and HP5+, I use an EI of 160 and develop for 18 minutes at 68 degrees with gentle agitation (two inversions every 30 seconds). The Rodinal is a 1:75 mix. The enlarger is diffused. Beautiful negatives!

I rate HP5 at 160 ASA and dev in Rodinal 1:50, 20 C, 9 minutes.

Four inversions in the first 30 seconds then one inversion every

30 seconds after that. That's for a condenser enlarger.

I rate HP5+ at EI280, in Rodinal 1:50 for 10 minutes, agitation 5 inversions/minute.

I have sent the density graph. Difussion enlarger and Ilford grade 2 RC paper.

Mr. Aceves,

 

What time would you recommend for a condenser enlarger? Perhaps one minute off your time for a diffusion enlarger?