Jump to content

Rodinal, Rodinal, where for art thou, Rodinal?


bruce_tiemann1

Recommended Posts

Although my current preferred developer is Kodak HC-110 (Dil. B) for 120 Agfa APX 100, I've read some great reviews about APX 100 in Agfa Rodinal. I'd love to try some, but I can't find it here in the Midwestern U.S.; local photo dealers aren't interested in ordering it for me (no demand); and big mail-order houses won't ship it to me because it apparently falls under hazardous shipping regulations. Anyone else having this problem? Should I just forget about Rodinal? I know people who can (illegally) buy contriband Cuban cigars via mail order through Canadian connections, yet I can't get a perfectly legal film developer!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually you can, although not from the US and you must not even order

from Cuba. There are several photo dealers in Europe who will be glad

to supply it. Since the bottle for Rodinal has a European shipping

approval it can be sent to the US without hazard surcharge. One dealer

I can recommend is Fotoimpex in Berlin. You will have to check with

other dealers if they export out of the EU. Some do not, such as

Brenner. Fotoimpex has AGFA Rodinal and classic Rodinal under the name

"Classic F09". Since you will not have to pay the high European value

added tax the price should be very moderate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like the formula for rodinal as well; provided someone can

supply it- some_how I don't think too many will know exactly what's

in rodinal.

 

<p>

 

Calumet will be able to supply rodinal here in the US, with some ship

restrictions, of course. I would advise buying twice as much as you'll

think you'll need, as shipping on this is expensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Several of the respondents suggested using or asked for the formula

for Rodinal. AFAIK, the formula is secret. There are several guessed

versions of the formula that are said to work well. One version

appears in The Film Developing Cookbook by Anchell and Troop and in

The Darkroom Cookbook by Anchell. A somewhat different version is

one the web at Jack's Photographic and Chemistry Site:

http://www.jackspcs.com/frodinal.htm. Assuming that I haven't made a

mistake, the version on the web has half the concentration of the

ingredients as the version in the two books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Bruce, sorry about that. They don't ship it anymore, neither do

they ship Sprint Paper Developer. As stated above, Adorama does.

Also, on the B&H web site I found this item:

 

<p>

 

Photographer's Formulary

Paraminophenol (Rodinal) Developer for Black & White Film - Makes

12.5 Gallons/50 Liters

Price $14.95

 

mfr# 010170 � B&H# PHPD12.5G

Availability: In Stock

 

<p>

 

This stuff apparently shipps!

 

<p>

 

chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In response to the request for the Rodinal formula: there are many

that have been published over the years. I give the oldest one I

could find in my article "Appreciating Rodinal" at <a

href=http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Rodinal/rodinal.html>

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Rodinal/rodinal.html</a>. I have

never tried it--I just provide it as a reference point for the

article. (If anyone decides to try it, be damn careful with the

sodium hydroxide.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would strongly not recommend making classic Rodinal oneself. Fooling

around with the hydroxide is pretty dangerous. Also the whole process

is very tricky due to the few crystals that have to be kept out of

solution (or have to be "put back" if one went too far). Otherwise the

developer will only keep a very short time and the price of the kit is

high enough that one does not want to get anything wrong. I do not

have access to my reference books here, but there are also receipes

out there for "new" Rodinal, which is much easier to make. "Classic"

Rodinal R09/F09 is so cheap that (also when ordered from the US) that

there is absolutely no justification to brew it oneself and take the

health risks and in addition one gets the "real" thing. I can

guarantee that home brewing will not save money and one can be asured

that the bought developer keeps for a very long time. The price for

250ml Classic F09 is under $4, the flat shipping rate to the US by

one European dealer who specializes in shipping to the US is $8

(please check, I am not absolutely sure), which is about the

amount of the hazard surcharge most mail order companies in the US

will charge in addition to postage and handling. Classic Rodinal has a

higher concentration than Agfa Rodinal, which makes it even cheaper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bruce, As posted before - Calumet will, I think Unique Photo

(formerly Empire)will, B&H shipped to me as early as this past

spring, and I have had a dealer special order once before because he

values my biz. Some graphics places I have dealt with routinely carry

it - but not knowing where you are - shipping may be an issue. If you

live near Minneapolis, let me know - we could split a box of cigars!

I just wish someone in the US would carry other Agfa developers like

Rodinal Special.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

i hate to keep this going, but...

 

<p>

 

"Someone" did tell Shakespeare. Juliet's cry is literally asking "why

are you Romeo?" that is, why do you hold that name, why are you of the

Montague house and thus forbidden of me? The misinterpretation is

common, but I couldn't let it go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

You might try calling B&H and asking if they will ship it. I was in

the store a couple of weeks ago and asked the darkroom supplies

manager about shipping Rodinal. He said there really shouldn't be a

problem and that if UPS/FedEx wouldn't take it it could be shipped via

the US mail.

 

<p>

 

I don't know if all this is true (I bough some Rodinal while I was in

the store!), but that's what I was told.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...