Problem With Developer?

Last night I developed a roll of HP5+ in Rodinal 1+50. Usually when

I tip the developer out of the tank it is a dark purplely colour.

This time it was very light almost like it had not changed colour at

all.

My negs look ok maybe. I am still pretty hopeless at reading negs.

 

Could there have been something wrong with the developer or the film?

Any ideas?

Thanks

Just to add....I normally use Agfa film.

Paula...it's a mix & match world. Certain developers produce certain changes in used developer color when they are used with certain films (there can also be quite a variance in smells produced). Here�s a quote on the subject, one made the other day;<p><i>�With some films the AH layer (Anti-Halation layer) dissolves in the pre-wash, with some its stripped off by the alkaline developer. And with some it bleaches in the fix. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even between film formats.-- Chris Waller�</I><p>I believe Chris nailed it.<p>So don�t panic (as I did when I used APX 400 and Rodinal @1+100 for the first time...dumping out the dark developer I though �OMG!!!...I�m dumping out my photo�s!!!�)...just go with the flow...if the negs are fixed properly and if they print well then there is nothing left to do but enjoy your prints.

What you are seeing is normal. Agfa films in Rodinal give

an incredibly dark purple. HP5+ in rodinal (from memory)

has almost no colour.

Mr. Urmonas,

 

That's right. Rodinal developing HP5+ has the same color going in as it does going out. This is my experience with Rodinal developing all Ilford films. However, all Kodak films have a dark purple, as do the Agfa films I have tried (APX 100 and APX 400). I wonder why some films have the tinge and others do not... maybe the anti-halation backings are formulated differently in Ilford films? I've noticed that the colored tinges are nice because, for us water stop users, it tells when all the chemical is washed out (when the purple has gone completely away, I fill and rise the tank two more times).

Also, Rodinal itself oxidizes quicky - although it seems to keep forever as long as

you keep the bottle tightly capped. It turns dark very quickly, but still works fine

even when it looks almost black.

I decided yesterday to start making notes on this - I processed a roll of Kodak TX 400 and noted that the pre-soak came out clear, but that the dev (Rodinal) came out purplish-blue having stripped off the AH layer. I intend to go through a range of films and see when the AH layer washes off or bleaches.

<b>Chris Waller</b>...great idea, please keep us or at least Lex, up to date.

I processed two 120 rolls of 100 TMax yesterday and the pre-soak came out deep blue-black, so that is clearly water-soluble. Will advise as results accumulate.